I’ve given away dozens of copies of this book. Here’s why I keep paying it forward.

Storytelling Practice
Written By Matt Clark

This reflection began as a New Year’s post on LinkedIn, but it’s really about something I keep coming back to in my work: how practicing beginner’s mind continues to keep your ideas and insights fresh long after you’ve become an expert.

This is the anti-TLDR “I read 50 books so you don’t have to" post!

Don’t get me wrong, I read A-lot. But I’m gonna just tell you about my favorites on here one at a time.

So, I’m kick starting (or shall I say sit-starting) 2026 with Shunryu Suzuki's Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind.

This is in my absolute top ten fix-your-shit books and I’ve listened to the dulcet tones of Peter Coyote’s narration hundreds of times.

Zen master and all around gentle badass Suzuki breaks down the hardcore “whack you with a stick” of zen practice into something you can actually use: posture, breathing, and the radical idea that not knowing is more powerful than what you think you think you know. Let that shit go and start from go as the monks say (Maybe? I haven’t been to Japan yet - bucket list FTW).

Beginner's mind isn't about inexperience. It's about staying curious, questioning assumptions, and resisting the temptation to rely on what’s worked before. (Take that playbook, and cheatsheet hoarders - and yeah - guilty ;)

Here’s the thing: “In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert’s mind there are few.”

I consider myself an expert at what I do. My clients are experts at what they do. I use what I know to help them talk about what they know so their audience leans in and listens.

I’ve often found in uncovering these stories that when we loosen our grip on expertise just enough, new and unexpected insights emerge. That’s often the difference between a good talk and an unforgettable one.

So after many years as the writer/designer behind the scenes for a bunch of really genius type cats, I’m gonna listen to my own damn advice and start sharing original insights about what we do and how we do it right here and right now. This is my beginner’s mind forum.

If you've ever started something new late in your career: What was the first thing you had to unlearn?

Peace and Happy New Year Y'all!

Shoutout to Walden Pond Books, Oakland, CA!

Matt Clark

Matt began his career in art, design, and storytelling with his first set of crayons, but more formally with a BFA from The Cooper Union School of Art in NYC. After several years of agency work in New York and Switzerland he migrated West, landing at frog design and Astro Studios before striking out on his own. His extensive experience designing for diverse clientele keeps him abreast of the mediums and methods that make a story stick.

While Design Director at frog, Matt helped integrate brand identity and graphic design into the company’s expanding client services strategy. Following a frog alumni, he joined the newly minted Astro Studios as Creative Director.

Following his studio/agency years, Matt set out as a consultant to broaden his experience with creative expression and storytelling. Over the years he has worked in diverse capacities as a creative director, art director, designer, copywriter, editor, and illustrator.

Matt practices Zen meditation and Yama, a mash-up of yoga and martial arts. He also writes and illustrates children’s books and makes photographs that could be described as Ansel Adams meets Alex Grey.

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Hello genius. Your lived experience is more powerful than your résumé.