9 Inspirational Interviews That Deserve Your Time

An ex-con turned health coach and writer. A paralyzed painter still creating art. An ex-alcoholic turning parenthood inside out. Get inside their heads — and get ready to think differently.

1. Chuck Close, Artist

Close is an American painter and photographer best known for his work as a photorealist. A spinal artery collapse in 1988 left him paralyzed. But that didn’t stop him from creating: He paints with a brush strapped onto his wrist with tape. He believes that work is salvation and that inspiration is highly overrated. And he urges you to not sit around waiting for the clouds to part, as that won’t ever happen — just get out into the world and make some noise.  (Source: Esquire)

2. Meg Worden, Writer and Health Coach

From a first, second and third glance, you’d never know that Worden spent two years in federal prison. After serving her time, she was determined to not let her past define her future. Worden talks about how to radically transform your life, how to turn a horrible experience into a gift and why not being trained in your field or craft is also a gift. So that thing that has been holding you back? Let it go so you can shine your light.  (Source: The Unmistakable Creative Podcast)

3. Arianna Huffington and Tina Brown, Publishers

We love it when successful women within the same industry can coexist. The friendly banter between the two in this inspirational interview makes it a must-read. Huffington and Brown talk about how they handle bad press and how learning to get over it has been key to their happiness. They also address failures, and how not giving up is what makes you succeed. If you’re a woman, we’re pretty sure you’re going to want to connect with likeminded peers after reading this piece. (Source: Harper’s Bazaar)

4. Jannelle Hanchett, Parenting Blogger

Hanchett, a mother of four, is the mastermind behind the popular parenting blog Renegade Mothering. For a few years, she struggled with an alcohol problem and she wasn’t allowed near her children. Hanchett talks about reaching a point where she had nothing left to prove and the part of you that dies when you become a parent. Her honesty is raw and breathtaking. Also check out her posts I Became a Mother, and Died to Live and Hey, Hi. I Want Off Your Parenting Team. Both have been shared over 50,000 times on Facebook.  (Source: The Unmistakable Creative Podcast)

5. Marina Abramovic, Performance Artist

You may know Abramovic from her 2010 MoMA performance, The Artist Is Present, where she sat motionless and silent in a chair, seven hours a day, from mid-March until the end of May. It attracted more than 850,000 visitors, including Isabella Rossellini, Rufus Wainwright, Bjork and Lady Gaga. In this interview, she addresses why she does what she does and what it takes to succeed at her painful craft — she once set herself on fire for art. (Source: The Guardian) Photograph: Marina Abramović for the Guardian

6. Brandon Stanton, Chronicler of New York

Millions of us are addicted to the NYC slices of life Stanton captures in the photos and words of Humans of New York. In this interview, Stanton discusses how he lost his job in Chicago and how he decided to move to New York with the goal of taking 10,000 portraits. Brandon urges creatives to not wait for the perfect idea and to focus on what they can control. This interview will inspire you to treat your side hobby a bit more seriously. (Source: Chase Jarvis LIVE) Photograph: Brandon Stanton

7.  Shawn Achor, Positive Psychology Expert

So you want to be happier? In this interview, Achor talks about why starting with small changes will have the greatest impact on your life. To make these small changes, tap into your past successes. More good news about happiness: Achor says it doesn’t take endless meditation or writing religiously in a gratitude journal. (Source: Yep — The Unmistakable Creative Podcast. You can tell that we can’t get enough of these guys. Check out their full archives.)

8. Jason Silva, Futurist and Filmmaker

From a very young age, Silva was haunted by the thought that inspiration was fleeting. To counter that, he has been recording inspiration and ideas for as long as he can remember. He talks about how creativity builds on an existing knowledge base, how ideas are alive and how evolution is more up to us than it’s ever been. To get a magnificent taste of his work, watch his Existential Bummer video, which has more than 2.5 million views. Don’t forget a tissue, though. You’ll need it.  (Source: marieforleo.com)

9. Tyler Coulson, Nomad

Maybe you dream of quitting your job and traveling the world. Or maybe you just want to sell all of your possessions and move to the countryside. In this chat, Coulson talks about leaving his job as a lawyer and walking across America with his dog. Listen in to find out what happens when you depart from society, the challenges and hurdles that he faced on his walk and why you should treat your life as an epic quest. This might just be the interview you need to leap into uncertainty. (Source: The Unmistakable Creative Podcast — seriously, just subscribe already.)