London Writers' Salon

#152: Margaret Heffernan — The Secret Weapon of Great Artists: Harnessing Uncertainty, Wandering & Creative Instincts That Machines Can't Create

Episode Summary

Dr. Margaret Heffernan—author, entrepreneur, and TED speaker—on how artists and writers thrive in chaotic times. We also talk about embracing the unknown, navigating AI-driven anxiety, and staying creatively resilient in a world that rewards certainty.

Episode Notes

What if uncertainty wasn’t something to fear, but your greatest creative ally?

Dr. Margaret Heffernan—author, entrepreneur, and TED speaker—on how artists and writers thrive in chaotic times. We also talk about embracing the unknown, navigating AI-driven anxiety, and staying creatively resilient in a world that rewards certainty.

We discuss:

• Margaret’s early creative life and career across TV, tech & writing
• What artists can teach us about navigating uncertainty
• Why AI can’t replicate the human imagination
• How writers manage doubt, income & purpose
• The danger of over-planning and the value of wandering
• Lessons from writing Embracing Uncertainty under deadline
• Making peace with the chapter that always fights back
• The creative power of soft focus & soaking up the world
   

About Margaret Heffernan

Margaret Heffernan is an award-winning author, entrepreneur, and former BBC producer. She has written seven books, including Willful Blindness—named one of the most important business books of the decade by the Financial Times—and her latest, Embracing Uncertainty. Her TED Talks have over 15 million views, and she writes regularly for the Financial Times and BBC Radio 4. She is Professor of Practice at the University of Bath and mentors leaders around the world.

Resources and Links:

• 📑Interview Transcript
• The Human Skills We Need in an Unpredictable World - TED Talk
• Embracing Uncertainty 
• Unchartred 
• Margaret’s Substack