This self-focused view made my upcoming talk nerve-racking. As I prepared for the talk, I had a third-person imagination of myself, thinking about how people would view me, how I would sound, and if I would come across as cool and smart.

Sure, on paper, you could make an argument that your assets are a better value, or higher quality than your competition. But if the experience of service is not up to the client’s expectations, it doesn’t matter. 

You can read about it, talk about it, listen to podcasts about it, plan for it, vision-board it, and dream about it. But none of those things teach you even close to the amount you will learn once you finally…do it. 

“Don’t try to write a book; try to become somebody who enjoys writing everyday.”

We never feel like we have enough time. We watch the months and years go by, seeing our dreams get smaller and smaller in the rearview, never finding a moment to make them happen. 

“People might be skeptical about their ability to change if they’re by themselves, but a group will convince them to suspend disbelief.”

If you’ve ever wondered how these advertising agencies and production companies get away with charging more than $100,000 for a 30-second Instagram video shot on an iPhone, I’m about to tell you. 

“I’m not interested in squeezing something so tight that I get every last drop.”

“The majority of tasks we procrastinate on are usually high in immediate costs but low in immediate benefits, thus making them unattractive in the short run.”

I’ve taken a number of paid online courses with video content. None of those videos come remotely close to the quality of editing and information available for free on YouTube. In fact, the most engaging and interesting content is available for free on social media. 

As someone in high school in the late 2000s and early 2010s, I spent a microscopic amount of time actually reading classic novels, or watching award-winning movies, or seeing great paintings. 

In 1964, when the U.S. Surgeon General issued a warning about cigarette smoking, Bill Bernbach decided he wouldn’t be in that corner of the business anymore.

Recently, an artist told me about the freedom she feels when she commits to creating every day, even on days when she doesn’t feel like it. 

Every aspect of Martha Stewart’s life came together to make her empire possible: gardening, hosting, modeling, Wall Street, publishing.

You might have a few minutes to cram, or double check information, but the best thing you can do for yourself, with so little time left, is breathe. 

It’s exciting to find someone who speaks your language. It’s enticing to jump on board with a new style of thought. It’s tempting to synthesize methods from a number of great teachers, because we feel like we’re getting the best of all worlds. As someone who’s done it a lot, I know. 

In five two-minute rounds of Boggle, I scored 15 points. My wife scored 50. She crushes me (and most people) at this game. I knew this going in.

Creative development is one of those “budget black holes” in the production process. We don’t charge enough for it, clients don’t want to pay for it, and we spend way too much time doing it. 

When we see a goal fall out of consistency, we ghost the idea of it. We avoid questions about it and we avoid thinking about it because we feel guilty when we finally remember.

Giving up on your 2025 goals by the end of January is ridiculous. January represents a little more than 8% of the year.