Where do our creative solutions come from? We are what we absorb and consume, and here at Michon, we’re a collective of different likes, dislikes, passions, interests and hobbies. Ultimately, we’re all different, and what resonates with one of us won’t necessarily resonate with another. In short, we’re a small representation of society at large – and we proudly celebrate the individuality within our agency. 

So, where do we get our inspiration from? Where do we hone our skills for management and productivity, or open our minds to creative ideas and thinking beyond what we already know?… For a lot of us we find it in books. 

To help keep our team inspired, we offer Audible subscriptions and share book recommendations between us. Because, you just never know where that next spark of creativity or motivation might come from! 

So, I asked our team to share some of their favourite audiobook recommendations that have provided inspiration or played into their style of working lately – and the variety of books will surprise you! 

John Clemmit – Creative Lead

Good Pop, Bad Pop by Jarvis Cocker

It begins with Jarvis Cocker, the singer from Pulp and National Treasure, rummaging around in his loft, (it’s not a life story, it’s a loft story!) and deciding what items he should keep or discard, whilst explaining the significance of each item in relation to his early life story and creative process. The items he picks range from the unremarkable (the label from an Imperial Leather soap bar) to insightful (notebooks about his plans for Pulp). But everything has meaning.

I listened to the audiobook, so hearing Jarvis himself with all the charm and his South Yorkshire tones tell his story with some added sound effects just makes this a wonderful take on the biography, and being a product of the North in the 70’s and 80’s it’s also a wonderful nostalgic walk down memory lane.

Now I want the book – so I can look at the pictures.

Just Kids by Patti Smith

A memoir of the art and music scene of 1970’s New York from the point of view of punk poet and performer Patti Smith and her close relationship with the artist/photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. It starts as a love story but becomes a book about the creative process – of gatherings of like-minded people, mentoring each other against the iconic counter-culture backdrops of Warhol’s Factory, The Chelsea Hotel and CBGBs. It’s about painters, poets, fashion designers and musicians and how careers were launched at the time when New York was fast becoming the cultural epicentre of the world.

Would highly recommend.

Beth Michon – Strategy Lead 

Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins

In August 2022 myself and a colleague raised money for Action Aid by embarking on the 4x4x48 challenge, created by the author of this very book, David Goggins. It’s a gruelling feat of endurance that has you running 4 miles, every 4 hours for a total of 48 hours – day and night. We succeeded and in the end both found it to be less about fitness and running, and much more about our ability to knuckle down and push through. It was all about mindset.

I had to read this book, to understand the man behind the challenge. It’s a great read for anyone interested in shifting their mindset to be more positive and can-do. It’s certainly changed the way I approach any challenge – as small as getting out of bed in the morning when you don’t want to, to tackling those larger more life-changing obstacles.

Hearing about the adversity David Goggins has endured is inspiring and perspective-shifting!

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown 

As an introvert I find the noise of the world and the number of ‘things’ we’re supposed to need and care about a bit overwhelming at times. This audiobook, read by the author, was a great listen and provides techniques to cut out the genuinely unnecessary and refocus on the things that really matter. It’s helped me to prioritise in both my work and home life, and see that we can choose to do certain things, rather than feel like we ‘have to’.

I’ve found I’ve become a better problem solver as I have more time to concentrate on the things I really care about, rather than feeling pulled in several different directions. And in a career in the design industry, the concept of giving space to ourselves in order to be better at providing creative solutions is often talked about.

I got so much out of this, I have his second book Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most next on my list to listen to.

Rachael Bentley – Creative Lead 

Creativity, a Short and Cheerful Guide by John Cleese

At only 58 minutes long this is an easy listen, made more enjoyable by the author narrating himself. One of John Cleese’s first bits of advice gained from a life writing comedy, is to stop thinking and let the unconscious have a go. Overthinking produces predictable results. You have to allow for play time. And he also says we need to ditch the ‘hair-brain’ and embrace the ‘tortoise mind’, allowing space to slow down, ponder and ruminate.

Cleese offers alternatives to the logical, critical and analytical thinking which he says is useless for solving creative problems.

Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg

Natalie applies that art of zen to improve her writing – suggesting that if we understand the human mind we will improve our writing. She also uses animal similes, explaining how our indecisive and capricious ‘monkey minds’ can prevent us from great writing. Her solution is to write down what’s in front of your nose, use your senses and tell us why you feel strongly about something. Write the real stuff, but honest and unfiltered first thoughts, because the first thought is the truest and is unencumbered by ego or constrictions.

From now on, I’ll be writing fast and dirty first drafts, then stepping away to ruminate on the results and alternatives.

Epilogue

We hope you found this snapshot of reading recs useful, and maybe added a couple to your list. What books do you turn to, to dig you out of a creative slump? If you have any recommendations, please share – our team is always on the lookout for our next inspiring read!