Steve Goldberg: Purpose, Piano and the Goosebump Compass

2025-12-15

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Creativity as a necessity in the age of AI. Steve Goldberg is a passionate advocate for the role of creativity in a rapidly changing world, and in this episode he shares his conviction that finding meaning and purpose beyond professional life will become increasingly vital as artificial intelligence reshapes the future of work. Steve, a former tenured professor and global consultant, shares his philosophy of "following my nose" and staying "awake to possibilities," which has led him down some truly "magical and u...

Creativity as a necessity in the age of AI.

Steve Goldberg is a passionate advocate for the role of creativity in a rapidly changing world, and in this episode he shares his conviction that finding meaning and purpose beyond professional life will become increasingly vital as artificial intelligence reshapes the future of work.

Steve, a former tenured professor and global consultant, shares his philosophy of "following my nose" and staying "awake to possibilities," which has led him down some truly "magical and unexpected paths".

In this episode, we explore:

The Power of Synchronicity: How a spontaneous bicycle ride led Steve to a Harvard scholarship, and how an overbooked flight resulted in him meeting Nelson Mandela the day after his release from prison.
The Late Bloom: Steve’s journey to becoming a composer of "healing piano for a noisy world", despite being convinced for decades that he "did not have a creative bone in my body". He didn't start playing the piano until he was 50 years old.
The Goosebump Compass: Steve reveals his unique method of improvisation and composition – working without reading music and instead relying on his "goosebump compass" to guide the emotional impact and structure of his work.
Leaving Stability for Opportunity: Why Steve resigned from a tenured college position at age 28 to pursue a consulting job that took him "literally around the world" for four decades.
Creativity as a Necessity, Not a Luxury: Steve argues that with artificial intelligence accelerating job changes and disappearances, creative expression and finding purpose outside of professional life will become vital for society.
Languishing or Blossoming: Discussing the concept behind Steve’s book, which encourages people to choose a continuous "blossoming" process over a fixed mindset, particularly in the face of life's challenges.

Find Steve's music and book here.