Insights from Cort Twitty, Writer, and Life-Hacker Extraordinaire
Motto: The further you fall, the more important your call.
1. That Special Moment
One fine day, you started writing poems/stories. How did it happen exactly?
I’ve journaled since I was 8 years old.
My mother had sent me away because I was having issues learning at school and they had me in a special ed class because I had a speech impediment and undiagnosed audible dyslexia.
But the day my father deserted me on an island was that special day I knew I would write forever.
I felt so unlovable.
That day, I took my journal out of my backpack, walked to the beach, and passed people smiling and laughing and I just looked at them with part envy/part confusion wondering, “How can a person be happy or smile while living on this earth? What am I missing?”
I sat down in the sand on Hukilau Beach and started writing.
That was the day my journal became my best friend.
My journal never left me, it never yelled at me, it was always there for me, and it was the only time I felt loved.
I fell in love with writing that day.
I told myself that one day I would write a book from the beach or the forest because my writing attracts and takes on more beauty when I write in serenity.
I still have that journal although it’s pretty beat up.
2. Art Is Work
What are the biggest challenges of the present?
In 2022, I wrote a book to help, and monetizing it was not on my mind.
I didn’t think about reviews, nor did I think twice about donating the first 500 copies.
Looking back, I wish I had approached things more strategically.
That is why I have only one review — a five-star review.
That’s my challenge now.
3. Without Projects, There Is No Future
What are your representative projects? What projects are you working on?
I could write all day with a great big grin on my face.
But I have a family and extended family to support so I was working my ass off to sustain my bills, but all I wanted to be doing was writing.
So, after work, I wrote.
I wrote two other books, but I haven’t published them.
I was more vulnerable in Godfidence (which isn’t about God BTW), but I’m in the middle of my 4th manuscript.
I’m also involved in non-profit projects for mental health awareness and business interests in several industries.
4. The Scent of Creation
Describe a scent that immediately transports you to a moment of inspiration or creativity. What emotions does it evoke, and how does it influence your creative process?
Naturally, the smell of the beach.
It takes me a couple of minutes to process what comes up in my mind, but then I love creating from the sand.
Lavender also brings a scent of beautiful Mother Earth to my nose.
And strangely, pine trees inspire me.
If you read the book, you understand I stayed on the beach for a while and sometimes I wanted to be someplace else, in the mountains, surrounded by pine trees, writing by myself.
You should see the strange looks millennials give me when I hike up a trail with an old-school paper journal.
I always have a journal with me, or near me, within reaching distance.
You never know when inspiration will come into your mind.
5. Ink and Intimacy
If your writing style were a tactile experience, what texture would it be? How does the act of putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard make you feel on a deeply personal level?
I’m just naturally a pen-to-paper guy.
I also keep an e-journal to notate inspiring lines from books or someone sitting by me at a restaurant who says something profound, but pen to paper is my jam.
If you want to write a book, you must type things because… it’s 2024.
I write old school but everything else is modern.
Deeply, on a personal level, when my life is balanced, spiritually disciplined, and I’m consistent with five minutes per day of “Cort Time” there have been times when I’ve identified in my mind that I’m not even trying to move my fingers, someone else is typing and I’m just the messenger.
It’s fleeting but sends chills all over your body where He/She/It/Higher Power, some people call this Spirit or God.
6. The Harmony of Silence
Think about a moment when silence spoke louder than words in your creative journey. What were the circumstances, and how did it shape your understanding of your craft?
In my adult years, as an alcoholic and making poor decisions after poor decisions, I pushed everyone in my life away and succeeded.
I am not talkative; silence is my best defense mechanism.
I can be in silence all day every day.
I love silence.
But at my lowest, silence echoed hollowly in my heart.
It was breaking the silence, doing some therapy, and working on myself because I stomached and gutted a lot of emotion as a kid and it was time to grow up as an adult and find my voice, over the silence, that was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to face.
7. The Palette of Dreams
Imagine your creative mind as a painter’s palette. What colors dominate your artistic spectrum, and how do they represent the different facets of your imagination?
Fluorescent colors like you would see on an active, healthy brain scan lighting up with yellows, greens, blues, and reds. I’ve always enjoyed watching side-by-side scans because when our brains are active, and transmitting at a higher frequency, we become our best selves.
8. The Quill of Vulnerability
If your creative expression were a handwritten letter to your inner self, what truths and vulnerabilities would it unveil? How does the act of exposing your innermost thoughts contribute to your artistic identity?
My voice felt like it was squashed and didn’t matter to society or really in my relationships.
I know there are a lot of people who relate to me right now, guys and gals, but mostly gals.
I’m grateful for this opportunity to say finding your voice is the most important thing to do.
What I learned was that it was up to me to find it.
It just meant that my past embarrassments and failures were ok, and they are part of who I am — so rather than running from my feelings by drinking and ignoring life, I faced those feelings and un-numbed myself.
It was hard as hell, I think I had to see my therapist in five separate appointments, only to get her up to speed on what happened before I was 20 years old, it felt lonely, and I was willing to do a polygraph test to take accountability for the problems I caused but also, therapeutically, for some problems I did not cause.
And accepting some crappy stuff had happened to me that wasn’t my fault.
But I refused to be a victim anymore.
I owned my shit, my part, but I learned that turning within myself was the fastest way to find my voice, so… find my voice was an act of backtracking.
But the new voice that you find is worth every minute of finding that voice.
9. Symphony of Shadows
Consider a character or theme in your work that embodies the shadows of your own psyche. What does this shadow teach you about your fears, desires, or unexplored dimensions of your creativity?
I try to keep my shadow side acknowledged to increase my awareness, but the light that I emit stays a step ahead of my shadow side when I’m balanced.
If I’m feeling shame about something, I will second guess myself, and end up allowing my shadow side to take up space in my head… rent-free.
And I end up freezing, not making any choices, and feeling overwhelmed and insecure because the shadow side is now coming first.
The old saying, “Trust your gut, trust your intuition,” is applicable here.
10. Echoes of Childhood Whispers
Recall a childhood memory that resonates with you as a writer. How do the echoes of your early experiences manifest in your work today?
See question 1.
11. Melodies of Memory
If your memories were composed as a musical score, what instrument would represent your most cherished creative recollections? How does the melody of your past influence the composition of your present work?
I imagine the classic sound of George Winston and his beautiful piano melodies, combined with Snoop Dogg.
12. The Dance of Words
If your writing style were a dance, what would be the rhythm and tempo? How does the cadence of your sentences mirror the beating of your creative heart?
I feel like people need to hear healing from an everyday guy who’s not a therapist or a doctor.
I don’t incorporate cadences in my writing, I’m not that creative.
I write in shorthand in my journals before typing and transferring to paper.
Every word I write mirrors my heart.
I heard Chris Martin, the lead singer of Coldplay once saying in an interview — and I’m paraphrasing here — but he said, “I feel compelled, a responsibility to create the music that divinely flows through me.”
Chris Martin is one of my all-time heroes, and I believe I comprehend his message.
13. Admiration Exercises
Which writers do you admire? What are your favorite books?
Brene Brown, Joe Dispenza, Malcolm Gladwell, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffett (he writes numbers that are an art form) not a typical man thought of as an author.
But his work in Economics and Investing is an art form that he mastered.
I admire him very much.
Recommended readings include As a Man Thinketh by James Allen, and books by Napoleon Hill, Grant Cardone, and Tony Robbins.
14. An Indiscreet Question
With which influential author or inspirational figure from life, past or present, would you most like to share a cup of tea and a captivating conversation?
Warren Buffett — I’ve made a list of 100 questions to ask him in my journal.
He donates billions of his money to charity.
This year, he announced a $160 billion charitable donation from his estate.
I wish he’d buy some of my books!
Lol.
15. A Story in Ten Words
1440 minutes daily, is 5 minutes of “ME TIME” unreasonable?
16. A Favorite Fragment from Your Works
Professional suicide rates vary by occupation, and the factors that contribute to mental health issues in healthcare are significant.
However, outdated bylaws from 1940 still in existence discourage doctors and nurses from speaking out about their mental health concerns.
When healthcare professionals need someone to listen and allow them to be honest about their mental health, they risk losing their license to practice.
I can understand why they are hesitant to speak out. […]
8.3% of all dental school graduates will commit suicide within 5 years and their governing boards couldn’t care less about their mental health. […]
It’s like letting people with a medical problem die when you have an effective antibiotic.
It’s cruel.
17. Contact Information
How can you be contacted?
18. Blog/Author Page/Social Media Profile
Where can we read your stories?
19. What exactly would you like to convey to a fellow writer/editor/screenwriter/film producer?
How can I learn from you?
I firmly believe I can learn from anyone not named Cort Twitty.
Let’s connect so I can take notes from things you say that inspire me.
20. Embers of Endings
Envision the conclusion of a significant project. How do you feel as you pen the final words or brush the last strokes? What is the emotional resonance of completion, and how does it influence your anticipation for the next artistic endeavor?
Opening the package of my first copy of my first book felt good because I knew I offered real, honest value that would help lots of people.
I wish it could help even more.
Every piece of my soul is in that book.
But… if I decide to publish again, it will be better and more valuable.
Thank you for your support in reading this far and for caring about my story,
Cort
Godfidence: The Art of Quiet Confidence and Emotional Intelligence Hardcover — June 14, 2022
by Cort Steele Twitty (Author), Janice DeGeare (Photographer)
“If you, or someone you know, has suffered divorce, addiction, bankruptcy, abuse, suicide, the death of a loved one, or religious confusion, Godfidence will meet you where you are and inspire change.
Whether you are trying to get from good to great, low to good, depressed to happy, or you are a professional trying to gain an edge, you will find Godfidence valuable.
As someone who suffered himself, Cort Twitty shares some of the challenges he faced.
Cort had epic fails throughout his life, and he shares those stories in Godfidence; The Art of Quiet Confidence and Emotional Intelligence.
In his own harrowing story, he has added optional worksheets along the way for those interested.
Cort has gone from bankrupt to part of two billion dollar companies.
He has been an executive that was hollow and suffering from guilt and shame.
This book could be the tipping point to create the momentum you desire in your life.
Cort also designed the frame work (in the book) for a suicidal person to get back on top.
This award-winning frame work was initially designed to help offset professional suicide, especially the healthcare industry.
Allow Cort Twitty to take you on a ride of self-discovery and help you unlock potential that you didn’t even know you had.
Cort believes in fighting for the underdog.
He stands for equality and is a loud voice supportive of female leadership in the workplace.
Regardless of where your life is, you will be a better person, parent, friend, son, daughter, leader, than you were before reading Godfidence; The Art of Quiet Confidence and Emotional Intelligence.” [Source: Amazon book description.]
So… please buy, read, and review our friends’ book:
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