#19 Anastasia Mousouli: from Oblique Strategies to Bowie - pushing beyond boundaries
Anastasia Mousouli
Mark McGuinness’s insight #2 (from 21 Insights for Creatives) says, “Reach for the stars…dream big.” I love this idea, but perhaps reaching or aiming for the stars and dreaming big is only possible when we trust in our own potential and possibilities. When our creativity is fully ignited, it becomes a pursuit of what is possible—pushing beyond boundaries and venturing into uncharted territory in both our lives and creative work.
I had the chance to speak with Anastasia Mousouli last week. Our conversation—and the text and email exchanges that followed—deeply resonated with me, reinforcing the incredible potential within each of us and the importance of seeking it out as we navigate our lives. Anastasia describes her “bank of inspiration” as a collection of life experiences that guide her in living moment to moment, as “part of this beautiful puzzle of the world.”
Anastasia is a flutist and music educator from Greece, who has lived, studied, and worked in Europe and the United States for the past 21 years. We first met through the Association for Music in International Schools (AMIS) while I was living in Italy, and we’ve stayed in touch ever since. Music has always been a vital part of her life, and she shares memories of her parents playing a wide range of music on their record player, from ABBA and Pink Floyd to Ravel. She began singing at a young age, and started flute when she was 13. “I don’t remember when I fell in love with music,” she says. “It was something bigger than myself. It helped me feel complete, giving me pure joy.”
Anastasia shared with me a list of some of the most curious and impactful things that have shaped her bank of inspiration.
The first on her list is Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategies. Originally presented as a deck of 115 white cards, subtitled Over One Hundred Worthwhile Dilemmas, these cards were designed to help generate ideas, break through creative blocks, and disrupt habitual thinking. They can help open doors to unexpected possibilities.
Anastasia texted me:
“I loved their clarity and minimality, and the new perspective they gave you with each instruction. I started questioning my own viewpoint of things - how I sometimes overcomplicate them - and I returned to the cards for clarity. They have a meditative and philosophical quality, focusing on the essence of things. I wanted my life and my teaching to be more like that - more substantial, insightful, and clearly focused.”
Next on Anastasia’s list was the film Gattaca. “It really resonated with me and my belief in our potential,” she wrote. I had never seen the film, so I watched it that same evening. Featuring a fantastic cast - Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, and Jude Law - Gattaca is set in a dystopian world, exploring ideas of will, determination, and possibility. Its takeaway message is powerful: if you trust yourself and push beyond societal expectations, even perceived inadequacies can become strengths, making the impossible possible.
Anastasia finds meaning when listening to music, noticing even how silence and space can shape a performance. She describes Emmanuel Pahud’s interpretation of Syrinx as a revelation about artistic agency and a masterclass in storytelling. “I was mesmerized and inspired by how he uses fermatas and rests in that recording. It gave me so much perspective on what agency looks like for a soloist, if that makes sense,” she says.
Anastasia also mentions violinist Sergey Khachatryan’s performance of Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1. She recalls, “Watching the passion and maturity in that performance brought the piece to another level, showing what happens when artistry and dedication collide.”
David Bowie
Last on her list, Anastasia shares her lifelong admiration for David Bowie:
“He’s been my favorite artist since I was 16. For me, he’s the perfect example of talent, genius, and creativity. He explored almost every genre and kept creating masterpieces like Blackstar until the day he died. Absolute Beginners has been my go-to song since I first heard it. Initially, it felt like a love song for a person, but as I grew up, it took on so many other meanings. For me, it’s like a love song to life itself.”
Bowie’s constant reinvention and fearless artistry can offer inspiration and an example of the boundless possibilities of our creativity.
Talking with Anastasia reminded me of the powerful belief in what we can become—whether as artists, individuals, collaborators, or simply as human beings. Creativity is the ultimate expression of potential, a way to push beyond what we think is possible.
Anastasia Mousouli
