“What if I get out there and can’t play? Wouldn’t that be a big birthday bummer?”

What’s funny about pain is that you only feel it in the moment. 

I thought of a theme word for next year, and the one that floated to the surface was the word “ask.” 

I find it interesting that many stylistic choices in art come from eras of less advanced technology.

It’s not the busyness that gets me, but the dread of being too busy.

This quiet mantra has soothed hundreds of jealousies in my own mind.

You gotta check out this new promo video for the Creative Challenge.

If you have it in your brain that you won’t start making your art until you have a paying audience to fund your life from here on out, then you simply might not be one of us.

I say I do this for other people but I’m really doing it for myself.

You won’t believe that your work isn’t for everyone until you work with clients who don’t respect your process. 

Can you imagine if I had picked one of those things and stuck with it?

If this isn’t proof that no creative work can please everyone, I don’t know what is. 

This was written more than 115 years ago. It somehow feels more relevant today. Check it out.

Once upon a season of immense stress (I was producing The Chainsmokers live set at Summit One Vanderbilt), I told myself something along these lines.

I’m not saying you need to abandon all morals in order to be successful, but you might need to abandon a bit more of your ego. 

The biggest advantage you can have as a creative person is simply enjoying your life.

The accessibility of writing shows us the resistance was always inside us. It was our fear, our ego that kept us from writing. 

I’m realizing that the goals I set at the beginning of the year might not be totally relevant now.

“My profession is hostage negotiation with reality. Reality says “I’m gonna kill it!” and I say “no, you’re not. Listen, put down the gun, let’s talk.”

It’s rare for me to admit I’m quitting on a goal. Usually I’ll just let the goal slowly fade in the rearview mirror as I drive away, talking about something new.