Let Punk Provoke You
A call to be courageously, beautifully imperfect
When was the last time you really made someone (maybe yourself) uncomfortable — not because you were cruel or careless, but because you dared to show up differently? The moment you stop blending in, stop rinsing and repeating. The moment you provoke.
That’s where possibility begins.
Recently, I had the privilege of speaking to a room full of brilliantly curious minds at CreativeMornings in Seattle. I was one of 5 people presenting on the topic of punk, and what it means to us. To put it mildly: I LOVED IT! What fun to connect and spark conversation in a community with this amazing manifesto:
Everyone is creative.
A creative life requires bravery and action, honesty and hard work. We are here to support you, celebrate with you, and encourage you to make the things you love.
We believe in the power of community. We believe in giving a damn. We believe in face-to-face connections, in learning from others, in hugs and high fives.
We bring together people who are driven by passion and purpose, confident that they will inspire one another, and inspire change in neighborhoods and cities around the world.
Everyone is welcome.
The people at CreativeMornings events invite imagination to the party, and live a little on the edge of convention. They lean toward challenging what’s expected. What’s safe.
When I saw their invitation to talk about punk — something that’s been a key influence on my life since my early teens — was truly irresistible. I applied, got the speaking spot (woohoo!), and spun up a 5-minute talk. I’m sharing some of the key ideas here, hoping they inspire you to think about punk: going beyond how you define it to consider what its various forms mean to you, and how punk might positively provoke you. 🤘😜🤘
What does the word punk conjure up in you? Anger? Noise? Doc Martens and safety pins? Maybe you feel a little thrill . . . or even a little discomfort.
Good. Punk is meant to provoke you.
It’s the perfect lens for this moment in time. Because even if we live on the line between what's possible and what’s expected, it can still be a bit too easy for us to fall right into line. We get swept into sameness. We compromise, following formulas that tell us how things should look, how we should look, think, speak, succeed.
In other words: we let ourselves become sheep. And the status quo thrives.
I’ve done this dance. As a woman, as a leader, and as someone who's built a life and career, I’ve felt the pressure to polish, to perform, to make things palatable. It’s subtle, but powerful. The world trains us to seek approval, stay in bounds, keep the peace.
But punk? Punk teaches us to do the opposite.
When I was 15, I chopped off my hair and bleached it to a perfect shade of platinum. It was short, harsh, and perfect. My friend’s mom took one look at me and said, “Oh Suzanne, you look so severe. You’ll never get a boyfriend.”
It made me want to go shorter.
That haircut was more than rebellion — it was a shedding. A rejection of the mold I was being told to squeeze into. Punk gave me permission to choose discomfort over invisibility. To provoke instead of perform.
And that provocation has stayed with me. It’s shaped how I live. How I show up. How I lead.
Here’s the truth: the world doesn’t change because we play nice. It changes because we positively provoke — ourselves, our teams, our industries. We push. We question. We experiment. We get messy. We make people feel something.
That’s what punk does. It sits in tension. It’s not one thing — it’s contradiction, dissonance, creation. It makes you squirm, then makes you want more. And it’s exactly what we need to invite more of into our lives, workplaces, and communities.
Because when we stop provoking — when we check the boxes and smooth out our rough edges — we don’t create. We replicate.
But when we embrace a punk mindset — when we flaunt our flaws, lean into tension, and let go of the idea that we have to be “perfect”— we open doors we didn’t know existed. We create work that surprises. That connects. That changes things. And that changes us.
Possibility lives in provocation.
Let’s be clear: I’m not asking everyone to dye their hair or start a band (but if you’re feeling it, GO!). I’m asking you to consider where you’re playing small, following scripts, or trying to meet someone else’s idea of “perfect.”
And then I’m asking “What if you rip up the script?”
That uncomfortable itch you feel when you’re about to press “send” on something vulnerable, or speak up in a room where you’re the only dissenting voice? That’s punk. That’s the good kind of fear. The one that signals you’re onto something real.
Because if we don’t provoke, we end up recycling the same ideas. We lose the edge. We lose ourselves.
But if we do? If we say yes to the discomfort of change, we get something beyond expectation: new ideas, innovation, emotional liberation. And we live, work, and lead from a creative place that gives rise to possibility.
So, here’s your invitation:
Let punk in.
Let it push you. Let it provoke you to be brave enough to flaunt what’s been labeled a flaw. Let it remind you that your imperfect self is exactly who we need.
If you’re ready to rip up the script and want the support of a partner to help you do it, I’d Love to Hear From You!
Find more information about me and Weller Collaboration at wellercollaboration.com
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I never really thought about the place of punk in challenging our beliefs. love this.
So much to love here, Suzanne! You'll always be punk to me :)