The Power of Paper and The Most Inspiring Journey of Creativity and Change. Meet Ross Symons.

Loading player...
Ever wondered how folding paper could change your life? In this episode of "Something Shifted," Sean Loots sits down with Ross Symons, who swapped web development for the ancient art of origami and the captivating world of stop motion animation.

Discover how a simple 365-day origami challenge catapulted Ross into the spotlight, earning him projects with high-end brands like Christian Dior and Disney.

Ross opens up about overcoming skepticism, the power of self-motivation, and the significance of showcasing one's creative journey, all while reimagining the true meaning of success.

www.white-onrice.com
www.somethingshifted.co.za

Ross Symons' career change (00:00:02) Ross discusses his career change, luck, and intuition guiding his creative pursuits.

Origami and Instagram project (00:01:20) Ross explains his origami project and using Instagram as a digital record for his creations.

Struggles in a corporate environment (00:02:28) Ross reflects on his challenges in a corporate environment and his transition to working for himself.

Early fascination with computers (00:04:50)
Ross talks about spending time with computers and his interest in sound and content creation.

Career path resistance and choices (00:06:21) Ross discusses his career choices and the resistance he faced in pursuing film school.

The pseudonym "Calvin Rockstar" (00:08:17) Ross explains the origin of his pseudonym and reflects on his inner child.

Impact of 365-day project (00:13:02) Ross reflects on the impact of his 365-day project and the potential alternative scenario without it.

Exploring and adapting creative pursuits (00:15:25) Ross emphasizes the importance of exploring new creative projects and adapting to changes in the creative process.

Embracing imperfection and sharing work (00:19:33) Ross shares insights on embracing imperfection, sharing creative work, and approaching the creative process with a long-term perspective.

The magic of paper and technology (00:21:53) Ross discusses the unique blend of stop motion and paper folding, highlighting the role of paper and the challenges and respect it commands.

Defining success in a creative life (00:23:15) Ross shares his personal definition of success, emphasizing the fulfillment of living a creative life and the impact of his work on others.

The importance of time (00:24:42) Ross talks about the significance of having one's own time and its role in achieving success.

Self-reflection and self-sabotage (00:26:18) Ross discusses how he has been his own obstacle and the importance of self-awareness in personal development.

Failing forward (00:28:02) Ross shares a story about a mistake in his work and how he managed to rectify it, highlighting the value of learning from failures.
6 Mar 2024 English South Africa Self-Improvement · Personal Journals

Other recent episodes

"Whose afraid of little old me?" - Chaeli Mycroft.

Today’s story is a little different to some of our previous episodes. We generally meet guests post-life quake, who have the benefit of hindsight, and we learn how "That Big Thing" has changed the direction of their life - but we meet them on stable ground. Not everyone is on…
10 Feb 28 min

"I became a living upcycled human." - Jasper Eales

What would it take for you to see life differently? To see value where others don't? Would an organ transplant help you to see things differently? Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis is a rare chronic liver disease that can lead to liver damage. And since you can’t live without a liver, a…
27 Jan 25 min
 trailer  

What is Something Shifted about?

Something Shifted explores what we call lifequakes - those unpredictable seismic shifts that in time lead to profound personal growth and empowerment. We all have them, so on this podcast, we lean in when things are complicated. On Something Shifted we believe in the power of great stories and in…
26 Sep 2022 1 min

"You don't say no to that."

In the adventures we seek out for ourselves, or the chances that we say yes to, deep down we know that things will change. But we can never fully grasp how much they will change. An enthusiastic yes today will obviously start a domino effect, but where will the yes…
13 Jan 27 min

Motherhood fuelled her Olympic Dream.

For most, becoming a parent is a seismic shift, a lifequake that transforms everything we thought we knew about ourselves. It's a journey that challenges us to re-evaluate our priorities and make some tough decisions. Like how to balance our own dreams with the responsibilities of raising our children? In…
30 Dec 2024 27 min