Stay ConnectedThe Side Hustler’s Perspective Podcast is fuel for your mind and creative grind.
Each week, Coach Scotty Russell puts you in a position to get paid to play creating work that lights you up…
All while navigating a day job, family life, the inner critic, and more.
This is for those who want to master the art of healthy hustling while growing their creative business.
You can follow Scotty on Twitter @ScottytheCoach and IG @CoachScottyRussell for all things coaching and art.
Copyright: © All Rights Reserved 2020
Attract Opportunities Through Gratitude
I'm the kind of person who will tell you thank you twice for something then proceed to tell you again an hour later.
Not only that, I have zero issues with dishing out a hug or two when someone makes my day. You've officially been warned so be prepared to get uncomfortable if we ever meet.
This may annoy people, but I'd rather be the person who says thank you too much than the person who doesn't at all.
With tomorrow being Thanksgiving, I not only want to show some public gratitude but also want to challenge your way of thinking as we close off 2017.
What I talk about many people won't be open to nor agree with and that's totes okay. This show is meant to challenge the lens of how you see the world, hence the name Perspective Podcast.
I'm a very open-minded person. However, growing up I was extremely narrow-minded. Believing only what people closest to me influenced me to believe.
I was closed off to anything that challenged my way of thinking.
Yet I was always a thankful person. While I never came from money, I realize that I had a lot of things going for me. There was always a support system of family and friends around me.
Fast forward to today. While I may not accept everything, like how someone can support Trump, my goal is to understand and form my opinion from there.
So today, I want you to be open-minded about a concept of gratitude and the Law of Attraction. You don't have to accept it but seek first to understand than to be understood as Steven Covey states.
What Do You Have to Lose?
Until I hit my early to mid-twenties, I had spent my life playing a victim. My mind was wired to expect nothing significant to come my way and that's exactly what manifested...nothing.
It seemed I could never catch a break as I was lost drifting day-day-to with no purpose.
I needed a change.
But in order for me to change, I had to change my way of thinking.
I was introduced to the Law of Attraction from my Aunt Margie when she gifted me the book The Secret.
The concept seemed a bit crazy but I figured what did I have to lose? I had only everything to gain.
Being skeptical, I dug a little deeper and found a ton of scientific evidence tied to this theory.
What sold me was some of the biggest celebrities I respect such as Will Smith, Jim Carey, Oprah Winfrey and Denzel Washington swear about how they've applied this to their lives.
There are flaws in The Secret that understandably create skeptics. Yet this book opened me to a new way of thinking that has benefited me throughout the years.
Your Thoughts Create Your Reality
Over a year ago, My good friend Scott Biersack (@Youbringfire) recommended two books by the author named Pam Grout.
The first book was: E-Squared: Nine Do-It-Yourself Energy Experiments That Prove Your Thoughts Create Your Reality.
The second book was Thank & Grow Rich: A 30-Day Experiment in Shameless Gratitude and Unabashed Joy.
The principles I learned from The Secret were amplified upon reading New York Times Best Seller E-Squared.
Pam gives you practical steps and tests for changing how you think in order to attract positive change in your life.
Her book Thank & Grow Rich relates specifically to attracting things into your life through gratitude.
I believe 100% that it works after the abundant amount of opportunities that have come my way the last 3 years.
Two Steps for Using Gratitude Effectively
Here's a brief excerpt from a blog post of hers relating to her theory of gratitude:
"Ferocious gratitude, as I wrote about in my last book, is causative energy. It literally brings things to life. Knowing and acknowledging that you live a blessed life makes things happen. It draws in even more blessings. In other words, gratitude is the foundation for all manifestation.
There are two steps for using it most effectively.
First, give thanks that whatever reality appears to be true right now is one of a gazillion possibilities. Struggling to pay your bills or flying solo may seem rock solid and an absolute fact, but it’s not. Not even close. It’s literally one tiny superposition in the quantum field.
And we must start by celebrating the infinite (that’s so huge we can’t even get our minds around it) number of other potentialities that exist. Already. Right now. When we get really jazzed that whatever we have now is far from the final answer, the new can come quicker. Many people forget this first step. They build an altar to the reality they have now. They actually forget that it’s no more true than any other option.
I say throw a party for the countless options available to you. Get out of problem state. Dive into possibility state.
The last step, you already know. Say thanks for whatever new cool thing you plan to draw into your life. Say yes that it’s barreling your way. Jump for joy. Throw streamers."
Focus on What You Have
Steve Harvey is another person I admire for the way he thinks. He's on record in multiple instances of supporting Pam Grout's claim of using the power of gratitude.
An excerpt from his blog post states:
"You cannot run out of things to be grateful for.
When you start fine tuning your gratitude, it's amazing.
It changes your focus because now your focus is not on what you don’t have, your focus is on what you do have.
When you change that focus through gratitude you then open up the path ways for more stuff to come to you.
A lot of us are blocking our blessings today because we aren't grateful for the ones we have.
We’re so busy telling God and putting out in the universe what we don’t have, that we're no longer receptive to things that we could have. You have now blocked all of your blessings from coming because your focus is not on the coming, it’s on the what you don't have."
Additional Ingredients
Before you dismiss this, all I ask is that you're open to understanding.
How could you be more intentional and genuine in showing more gratitude in your life?
It's a challenge not only to you but to myself as well.
While I believe our thoughts create our reality, I think there are a few more ingredients in the mix as the dough alone can't make the pizza.
I strongly feel grit, work ethic, tenacity and being a good person increase the chances of manifesting these opportunities. Thinking alone I don't feel will be enough, there needs to be action.
Public Thanks To the Podcast Supporters
This leads me to some public thank yous (which I still would've done even in my narrow-minded days).
First off, I need to thank you, the listener. It took me 4 months to nut up to start this podcast as I was afraid failure and being scrutinized
You have no idea what it means to me that you spend even a fraction of the limited time in your life to hang with me. I don't take it for granted and I cherish every share, comment, message review you've ever sent my way. This show would not exist without your support.
Along with the listeners, a huge thank you goes to those who back the show over on Patreon.com/PerspectivePodcast. Your investment in the show is never lost on me and I'm forever grateful.
Next, I want to thank everyone who has been on the podcast, hired me for a project in 2017 or invited me to any type of event to speak or teach. It's people like you who allow me to continue to find my voice and in turn share something I feel is valuable to the world.
Personal Thank Yous
As of late, there are some people that have helped me excel with some pretty large projects. I would be lost without advice from people like Colin Tierney, Ray Mawst, Roxy & Phoebe from Drunk on Lettering, my best friend Joey Bearbower and my mastermind group. The advice you've given me has helped me find my stride going into the New Year.
I especially need to thank my family and friend for always believing in me, especially when I didn't believe in myself.
Finally, my biggest thank you goes to my wife Emily. This woman is so supportive, patient and understanding. If anyone wants me to achieve my dream as much as me it's her. Thank you for being the most important person in my life.
Check check, my final-final thank you goes to Nick Jenkins of Blookah for all the dope theme music you hear on this show. You can find more of his work at Soundcloud.com/Blookah.
I hope you have an amazing Thanksgiving and finish out the week strong. Keep showing up, keep putting in the work and keep creating. You got this.
Shownotes
I'll level with you, I've been a bit of a conference whore in 2017. All for good reasons as I mentioned in episode 49, conferences help you find your people. Another reason is to scope out conferences that I'd like to speak at one day as not all conferences are the same.
As I wrap up 2017, I just attended my final conference of the year in Austin, TX. The event was the first Pop-Up Crop Conference held by my good friend Matt Dawson of Studio Gray / Stay Gray Pony Boy along with his wife, Ariadne. I've talked about Crop Conference in Baton Rouge in the past and had Matt on to tell his story in episode 37. Pop-Up Crop is a different story as it was a one-day event filled with powerhouse creatives who either spoke or taught a workshop.
The lineup was stacked with speakers like Jason Craig, Lauren Dickens, Steve Wolf, Brian Steely and Aaron Draplin. I had a chance to speak on the Goodtype Panel with Brooke Robinson (Goodtype creator, Bobby Dixon and Drew Lakin. Industry Print Shop not only sponsored the conference and afterparty but taught a workshop as well.
Plenty of good times were had and I'm always one who wants to channel my reflections into a summary. I feel the best way to do that is to relay some takeaways you can apply to your creative practices.
Here were my top 3 that I think will resonate with you too as you finish your week strong.
Mind the Gaps - Jason Craig
Jason Craig is another friend of the podcast and his episode 43 visit has been a listener favorite. The way he weaves his stories and analogies together is legendary. He finds a way to punch you in the gut with his humor yet still drop a ton of jaw-dropping value.
The one that stood out the most when he talked about "Minding the Gaps." Throughout your life and especially in your creative career, you're going to have plenty of times when you get knocked on your ass. These are the low gaps between the moments when things couldn't be going better.
Without these gaps, it's hard to appreciate when things go right. Those shitty times in between the highlights are the moments who shape who you become.
So when things aren't working in your favor, mind the gaps and know that better times are ahead of you.
Approach Every Day With Intention - Tony Diaz
Next up was my brother Tony Diaz, who's the head honcho in charge of Industry Print Shop. Tony is legitimately one of the most generous souls I've ever met and has an incredible story. I'll be having him on the show sooner than later as you need to know what's he's doing for the creative community.
Before he led a screen printing workshop, he gave a brief talk and dropped a little nugget.
Tony talked about how approaches each day with intention. This has helped him scale Industry to one of the biggest print shops in the nation.
Approaching each day with intention means having a plan and being focused. It also means having some enthusiasm and being ready to attack that goal or vision.
I want to challenge you to think about how you're approaching your work each day.
Are you winging shit or attacking it with intention?
Break Borders Between Life & Work - Lauren Dickens
The final takeaway comes from the insanely talented designer, Lauren Dickens.
She dropped a smorgasbord of takeaways accompanied by some of the most polished designed slides I've ever seen. To be frank, I've never been more jealous of someone's slide deck.
Her talking points ranged from:
The one that caught my attention the most was "Break the Borders Between Life & Work." Basically stating that the things that make you unique make your work unique.
It parallels what Andy J. Miller preaches about finding yourself in your work on his Creative Pep Talk podcast.
So I ask you:
What are those things that are different about you that nobody else can replicate?
What are those weird quirks that make you you?
Those are the things that need to be showcased in your work and it's something I'm working on revealing more of as well.
Get Out of Your Bubble
I've talked about this in the past, but get outside of your little bubble. Attending conferences has easily been the one thing I can safely say has brought me the most opportunities.
The relationships you'll cultivate and the new skills you'll manifest will launch your creative career out of this stratosphere.
Pop-Up Crop was special and they have some big plans for the second one next year.
In the meantime, the full Crop is happening in Baton Rouge this April. The lineup just got released on CropBR.com and it's money.
I may or may not be teaching a workshop there too...
Shownotes
Focus on the Next Play
Back in the day, I played wide receiver for my high school football team. On a cold Friday night under the lights, we hosted the Cedar Rapids Kennedy Cougars. It was a big game for me as it was one of my final senior home games and I was trying to get recruited to play college ball.
Everything started off great for us as I caught a few catches on the opening drive and we scored on the first possession. After that, things started to fall apart.
On the next drive, I dropped an easy pass and began getting in my own head. I dropped the ball again a few plays later which was completely out of character as I had around two drops the entire season.
Self-Destructing
Finally, I had a complete breakdown. They punted it on 4th down and as I was back deep to receive the kick. I remember watching the ball hang in the air forever as it soared toward me. It felt like an eternity and gave me plenty of time to psych myself out that I could drop it...which is exactly what I did. I ended up muffing the punt which Kennedy recovered for a touchdown.
I remember laying on the ground embarrassed, wishing that I could sink into the ground and disappear forever. My confidence was destroyed and my self-destructing behavior was contagious as we got routed like 50-7. While most people don't remember that night as vividly as I do, that was the moment I realize I could get in my own head and let my mind run rampant.
Despite this game, I still got recruited to play football at Wartburg College. Throughout my four years, something our coaches drilled into our heads was "focus on the next play." If I would've had this mindset back on that Friday night under the lights, I would've been able to bounce back after that first dropped pass.
When Creativity & Sports Collide
"Focus on the next play" is something you'll hear the greatest athletes of all time refer to. Whether it's Micahel Jordan, Tom Brady, Kobe Bryant or Peyton Manning, it holds true for all of them.
You don't have to be a hall of fame athlete to adopt this mentality. It's so simple and I've slowly begun to realize how this mantra can impact my life (and yours) as a creative.
I've been blessed to experience both worlds of being a hybrid jock and creative. There's a lot of overlap when it comes to showing up and becoming the best version of yourself on the field or in your work.
In football, focusing on the next play meant letting go of what I possibly probably screwed up in the past and aiming my attention at the next opportunity.
If I dropped a pass, missed a block or screwed up an assignment, I have the ability to respond and make up for it the next play.
As an artist and designer, focusing on the next play means learning from and improving on the last piece or project I kicked out.
If this drawing flopped on Instagram or the client didn't vibe to any of my first mocks, I have the ability to get back to the drawing board.
Fuck Up Often
If you're like me, you often get caught up in the "what ifs" in life.
Like "what if" I wouldn't have dropped the first pass against Kennedy? Would I have avoided self-destructing and helped my team make it a closer game?
More recently it's like, "what if" I would've posted at a different time, used a different lettering style or different idea all together? Would it have gotten more engagement or would the client have loved the first mock?
I'm slowly learning that dwelling on the "what ifs" in your past will get you nowhere. To me, it seems to only depress and discourage me from focusing on the next play.
If you're like me, your past is littered with failures. Getting your hands on the Neuralyzer from Men in Black would be great to erase those mistakes. However, this is the real world and unfortunately, that doesn't exist. In the meantime, do what Tara Victoria suggested in episode 50, "Fuck up and fuck up often."
Bouncing Back & Sticking With It
Adopting this next play mentality as a creative encourages you to fuck up and fail as much as you can.
It's about constantly kicking out work with the goal of experimenting, evolving and growing throughout the process.
It's not about getting caught up in the "what ifs" and chasing perfectionism.
Focusing on the next play is about bouncing back and responding. Especially when something didn't go the way you had hoped or planned.
I'm a believer that sticking with it even when it isn't convenient will present another opportunity. Even if you muffed the punt the first time around.
I want to encourage you to adopt a 'sportsball' mentality and focus on the next play.
It's hard to catch your big break when you're dwelling on the "what ifs."
Shownotes
Ready to Dance?
As you know I want this show to encourage you to carve out time to build something for yourself whether that’s outside a day job or other life commitments. This show also exists to have the hard conversations we as creatives find it easier to neglect.
Today is definitely one of those hard conversations but I think it’s extremely important to bring to light. As you know I deal with anxiety every day, but other times I go through episodes of brain fog and depression. These used to be things I never talked about, but sharing it helps me work through them and allows people like you to know you’re not alone.
This is the exact reason for having today’s guest Brad Weaver and Tara Victoria on the show.
These two are partners that live in Atlanta doing Content Strategy, product design and branding for lifestyle brands through their business The Banner Years. Recently we linked up at Circles Conference as they were the keynote closing talk.
The Shore: Be a Lighthouse
The focus of the talk was to bring awareness to their new side project, The Shore. The Shore is a metaphor in which we’ll talk more in depth about in this episode. They spoke about the hard topics of being a creative and dealing with vulnerability, comparison, anxiety and depression. Safe to say their talk had the room captivated and left the attendees leaving on a note of solidarity.
I jumped at the opportunity to get them on the show so we could continue this conversation.
In this episode they:
I hope this episode lets you know that you’re not alone while giving you steps towards working through whatever it is you’re dealing with.
Key Takeaways
Help fight comparison by reducing time on Cover the scientific.
Kill imposter syndrome and realize your 1st draft will always be someone’s finished piece (and vice versa).
Stop comparing your bloopers to someone’s highlights.
We are all broken in some way so be authentic with your story.
Don't be consumed by the fact that people don't always consume what you put out.
Identify your negative centers.
Done is better than perfect—be okay with okay.
Shownotes
Podcast Music by Blookah
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Creatives are Dangerous
I'm a small city dude from Iowa and I need to get out of my bubble to find my people. I find my people by getting out of my comfort zone and heading to conferences across the United States.
This past week, I flew solo to Creative Works Conference in Memphis, TN. I heard great things about the conference last year so I kept it on my radar. When they finally dropped the lineup, I literally bought my attendee ticket along with workshops within 10 minutes.
In my personal opinion, this lineup was stacked. Josh Horton and Dan Price did an incredible job putting this together. I got to take workshops with lettering legends Ken Barber and Erik Marinovich for only $5o a piece! The speakers were some of the people I looked up to most including Ken, Erik, Andy J. Miller of the Creative Pep Talk Podcast, Ghostly Ferns, Rogie King & Justin Mezzell of Super Team Deluxe to name a few.
Not to mention the vendor market flooded with goods from Strawcastle, Josh Emrich, Clark Orr, Mama's Sauce, French Paper, Oxford Pennant, etc.
Did I mention outside of pizza that BBQ was my second favorite food because I smashed a ton of that too?
As the cool kids of our country would say, this conference was lit.
While I'm worn out from travel, I wanted to make sure I documented some of the biggest takeaways I got from the speakers. Here are my top 7 that I think will greatly benefit you as well.
Let's get started.
Leading off to bat was one of my biggest inspirations, Andy J. Miller of the Creative Pep Talk Podcast. Andy's talk was witty, funny and emotional. Basically everything great that you've come to expect from him on his podcast.
His talk was powerful, but the biggest call to action that stood out to me was from his "Get Off the Floor" segment. We have to face the truth that we're always going to get knocked down and constantly doubt our creative abilities. You can either lay on the floor and take it, or you can get up, make stuff and keep going.
You have to get off the floor not only yourself but for others as well. He followed this up by stating: "You can't help the world thrive if you're not thriving."
Safe to say he put a creative pep in all of our steps and set the tone for the conference.
Next up was Odin Clack from Odin Leather Goods. What stuck out to me was his self-awareness, patience, commitment and work ethic of running his own side hustle outside of his day job.
Something I struggle with is feeling I have to have it all figured out now, but what am I rushing for? Odin reminds himself daily to focus on the slow and steady grind and enjoy the process along the way.
Austin Dunbar of Durham Brand & Co. filled in due to a last-minute speaker conflict and he absolutely murdered his talk.
One of the things that stuck with me was when he said: "Pioneers take all the arrows." As creatives, we are called to take risks and we have to be willing to make sacrifices. When you share your work or take a stand for something you believe in, people will be waiting in line to scrutinize and critique if they don't understand or accept what you're doing.
As a pioneer or someone who is trying to build something bigger than themselves, it's important to keep pressing on and pathing the way for others.
Jesse Bryan of the Belief Agency had one of those talks that spoke to my core. I admit it, his storytelling and well-timed statistics he peppered in choked me up at times.
His talk was all about service and that we need to put our focus on the relationship instead of the reward. For example being motivated for the quick sale instead of over-serving and creating a loyal customer relationship.
He instilled in us that we all have the ability to be great through the words of Martin Luther King Jr.: "Anyone can be great because anyone can serve."
Not only are Rogie King & Justin Mezzell extremely talented and know how to party, but they are insanely generous and empathetic individuals.
Their talk centered around building friendships and not "networks." Cultivating meaningful friendships is a by-product of getting uncomfortable and reaching out to people.
They also drove the point home that putting yourself out their takes guts and that you're never done making bad work. I definitely left their talk ready to hug everyone and take a shot of Bourbon.
Erik Marinovich is one of the coolest cats and down to earth people I think I've ever encountered. Everyone loves this dude not only because of his work but due to his infectious personality and how he lifts everyone up around him.
I'd have to say his talk was my favorite as he combined lettering with the evolution of hip-hop culture. He gave a lot of great takeaways but what hit home the most was his point of, "Never settle and constantly change your style."
I struggle with the fact that my work is all over the place and I don't have a set defined style like you see on hyper-curated Instagram accounts. It was encouraging to know it's perfectly okay and that I have to keep pushing my limits with experimentation.
If I draw small all the time, I need to push myself to draw bigger. If I use ink pens all the time, I need to push myself to experiment with a paintbrush.
Between his workshop and talk, he left me determined to push the boundaries of what I'm able to create and to keep developing my style.
Confession, I've never been to a talk where the speaker didn't use a slide presentation and it raised some concerns. However, Ashley Ford definitely didn't need them as she held the audience captivated with her storytelling and moments of comic relief.
The key to her talk was about being vulnerable and sharing your story. Something that really stood out to me was her point about loving the worst thing about yourself and others. She called it "Learn to love the crust of a motherfucker."
She closed the conference down encouraging us to tell the story that you're scared to tell. No matter what, you're affecting somebody's day.
Find Your People
Do you feel alone with your struggle?
Do you feel isolated in your own world with no idea how to push your creative career forward?
If so, you need to find your people at conferences.
See this as an investment in yourself and your creative future.
There are people out there dealing with the same demons as you.
There are people out there who nerd out obsessively over the same things as you.
You can find these people at conferences.
You owe it to yourself to get out of your comfort zone and find your people at a place like Creative Works Conference.
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Split Focus & Superman Syndrome
I feel I’m pretty in touch with my audience at times. I know the majority of my listeners and readers are trying to figure out where to start or how to continue pursuing their creative work. I basically just said it in my intro.
The reoccurring pattern from my newsletter shows people like you want to know how to make time to focus on something outside of your daily commitments.
Today, I was going to write about the power of focusing on a project that you both enjoy and are relatively good at.
I wanted to write about how to get started with experimenting and catching a pulse to see if it was the right direction to pursue. However, this ended up turning into me possibly oversharing how my split focus has guided me to the current roadblock I’ve found myself at.
Yes, I’m going to share the benefits of what focus can do for your creative pursuits, but I'm no expert. I fell I can best share how split focus and doing too much can negatively impact your life as well.
Poop on a Plate
I’ll admit it, I’m a wizard at piling shit high on my plate (I can't help but imagine a poop emoji on a plate). It’s been a blessing and more recently a curse in my life.
I’ve had this Superman Syndrome mentality that I could do it all dating way back to high school.
It started with a car accident my sophomore year resulting in me having to get a job at the age of 15. From there, I held down that job of pushing in carts at Hy-Vee while attending after-school programs and playing multiple sports.
I was excelling in school, standing out in sports, getting awards all while making some side cheddar. What couldn’t I accomplish in a day?
This mentality carried throughout college. My crazy ass was holding down my job at Hy-Vee, working an internship, playing / coaching football while having an overloaded course schedule with night classes.
With how much this private school was charging per semester, graduating in 4 years was my only option. Bring on the challenge and premature grey hairs—I can handle it.
Doing all the things and succeeding in them was my definition of success. I caught hits of dopamine chasing that ‘productivity high’ and I wanted people to know how busy I was.
I was the king of focus, split focus that is and it was a blessing in the beginning.
The Value of Focus
Here is where I want to tell you the value of finding one thing to focus on that you not only enjoy, but you’re good at too. (I can't recommend the book Essentialism enough if you want to learn more.)
Yet, somewhere in there, I’d be full of shit as I’m horrible at focusing on only one thing as I’ve wired myself to think I could do it all.
When it boils down to it, yes, it’s extremely important to have something to work towards each day. Giving your attention to something you both enjoy and are good at can radically impact your life and others in a positive way.
The thing I pour my soul into every day is Perspective-Collective. It started as a small side project back in April 2014 for me to create art under as I talk about in Episode 28: Make Your Name Mean Something.
Over the years it began to take on a mind of its own. It's since opened up new paths of opportunity such as blogging, speaking, teaching, freelancing and now podcasting.
Having something to focus on used to be an issue in the past. It had me feeling lost in my lackluster day-to-day routine. That lack of focus has since blossomed into an issue of split focus and spreading myself too thin.
Imagine the smallest slice of butter that you're trying to cover a massive piece of bread with and that's me.
There are so many things I like to do and want to accomplish, but there’s never enough time to pursue them all equally outside the day job...I'm sure you've said this a million times to yourself.
Queue the dreaded elimination game or as Stephen King says,_ "Kill Your Darlings."_
Killing Your Darlings
Here’s a breakdown of everything I do under Perspective-Collective. I’m trying to be as transparent as possible so you can see how I struggle to find the essential thing(s) to focus on while eliminating the non-essential.
You have no idea how badly I want to get back to doing the podcast weekly. I feel if I was 90% all-in on the podcast, I could significantly grow it at a faster pace. Yet going all in on the podcast has its consequences that I’m not sure I'm ready for.
While my day job covers the basic costs of my day-to-day living, taking on freelance with the right projects is too hard to pass on. I have an absurd amount of student loans and other debt looming over me. Making time for freelance slowly works me toward some type of future financial freedom.
Personal work is what keeps me sane and allows me to find myself in my work and experiment. Sadly, there isn’t a whole lot of time for it.
Speaking gives me the largest platform to share my ideas and connect with people like you. However, the amount of time I invest in planning, preparation, practice and traveling takes a lot of time away from other things.
Teaching allows me to discover things I like to help people learn and possibly monetize with an additional revenue stream.
I realize I'm doing too much and one of the darlings I had to kill recently was my weekly Fresh Slice Friday pizza drawings on my @pizzadrawingsonly account. It was personal work but it was taking too much time away from the podcast, freelance and time that could be spent with my wife.
Killing my darlings is hard, but the essential tasks matter most. This is something I battle against daily as I want to do it all.
Catching a Pulse
I'm only 29 and I need to remind myself that it's okay to not have it all figured out yet. Everything I’m doing is one massive experiment in trying to find ways to elevate Perspective-Collective to my full-time job...and dammit, I'll make it happen someday.
Progress is progress. If my experiments with teaching aren’t catching the right pulse, then that’ll be on the chopping block to narrow my focus and free up time. Right now, I don’t know so I’m going to continue to dip my toes and test out the water.
I share this with you so you can see the various levels of focus and the opposing side of focusing on too much.
While me venting about split focus may seem like a very basic issue, it goes a lot deeper and does more damage behind the scenes.
Let's peel another layer of the onion and get real. This is probably the oversharing section...
Do Less, But Better...Not Really Though
Funny story, I started the New Year off with the motto, “Do less, but better.” I even wrote that shit large as hell on a whiteboard as a daily reminder. That whiteboard was then stashed in my closet 4 months into the New Year...whoops.
While I’ve become increasingly aware of my Superhero Syndrome, changing and acting on it is another story.
It’s safe to say I’m borderline obsessed with Perspective-Collective and the multiple channels of what I can create under it.
I want to do _all _the things.
I tell myself that I got a late start in discovering what I was capable of so now I need to double down on my ‘hustle’ to catch up.
There’s that buzzword ‘hustle.’ That word is trouble.
I was blinded by the 'hustle' and the progress and possibilities of Perspective-Collective. It caused me to lose sight of the bigger picture of what was at stake.
I’ve learned the hard way that I was neglecting and damaging relationships with people that mean the most to me like Emily, my family and close friends.
There grew an absence of date nights and being physically, mentally and emotionally present with my wife. My family began to expect me to not show up to functions anymore. The phone calls and invites to parties and gatherings with my friends slowly disappeared.
Here I am, trying to convince myself and Emily that I’m 'hustling' my ass off now in the present so we don’t have to work so hard in the future.
Who am I kidding, this was total bullshit.
In reality, this was an excuse for me to disconnect from the real world and work on making my dream job a full-time reality.
It’s fun.
It doesn’t feel like work.
People shower me in affirmations sometimes when I share my work.
I'd be crazy to not invest all my time in this pursuit right?
This Superman Syndrome has created a trap and I’ve been trying to claw my way out of the hole I dug for myself.
Refocusing On What Matters
Progress started by admitting to myself then owning up to it with multiple long conversations with my wife. She wanted to be supportive and not be the person to tear me away from my dream, but hearing her side of things really put things in perspective of how selfish I’ve been.
With my hectic travel schedule lately, we’ve been making more intentional date nights and uninterrupted time together. She’s been amazing and insanely forgiving...I owe her everything for that.
I’ve since been attending every family function possible to reconnect with everyone. That means even all the niece and nephew birthdays no matter how many hours away they are on a weekend. Editing the podcast can come at another time.
I’ve also start reconnecting with my local circle of friends who I hadn’t seen in months. Making time for football on Sundays, drinks, dinners and low-key hanging has been great.While some friendships are gone, the ones that matter are still around.
I still have a hard time accepting that I can’t do it all because if I have open time, it takes everything in me not to schedule something to fill it.
I share all this because I want you to find something to focus on that lights you up. However, I want you to see that there's gotta be a balance as tunnel vision on a dream can do damage.
You can’t do it all.
Trying to do so comes at the expense of neglecting other things in your life.
Imagine building an empire for yourself only to turn around and have no one to share it with?
That’s the shit that scares me and what I try to keep top of mind each day.
Key Takeaways
A Global Conglomerate Design Studio
With a motto like “Show up until there is nothing left to do,” it's evident that the Forefathers Group aren't afraid to get their hands dirty.
They have a distinguished style that peppers both vintage snake oil and Americana with a hefty dose of creative steroids. It's helped them quickly begin to carve out their corner of the design industry while working thousands of miles apart.
The Forefather's trio is made up of:
Working remote can have it's challenges, yet somehow they offer a buffet of design services such as:
Today on the show, we go deep on a wide range of topics such as:
Using a day job as a springboard to get to where you want
The pros and challenges that come with working remote
Where they source their inspiration and their designing processes
Creating passive income by repurposing things you create from personal need
Taking a stand against bullies in the design community
Buying bunk ouija boards
Using cocaine as pizza toppings
I could keep going...
Key Takeaways
It's beneficial to work at a crappy job to understand how you can improve yourself and the systems.
Keep an open mind on how you can repurpose work that you create for yourself for passive income.
Find yourself in your work and leave your personal thumbprint in it.
Be inspired but develop your own personal style and live in it.
Be who you are in person and online. Don’t be different as you will have problems.
Shownotes:
Emir’s (Growcase’s) : Twitter / Website / Dribbble / Instagram
Jonden’s: Instagram
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Find Comfort in Discomfort
The other day I was listening to the Joe Rogan podcast and he had Jamie Foxx on as a guest. I’ve always been a fan of Jamie because well…it’s Jamie Foxx. What can’t that dude do?
However, what really blew me away was when he shared how he got into music. He used to throw these huge parties for people like P Diddy which led him to linking up with rising artists like Jay-Z and The Neptunes.
This then led to him building a studio in the back of his house and artists had to perform any time they were new and visiting.
One day some kid with a backpack on came in and killed his session. He then proceeded to tell Jamie he had the perfect song for him to sing on. This surprised Jamie because he never saw himself in that light before.
This kid was Kanye West and the song was Slow Jamz in 2004.
Jamie thought the song was a bust, but 6–8 weeks later it was the #1 song in the country.
Following this song, Jamie blew up in the rap and R&B scene.
He goes on record stating, “When your opportunity comes, if you prepare for it, now you can jump into it and grab it.”
Jamie was unknowingly preparing himself for that opportunity with Kanye by:
It’s so simple, prepare for your opportunities, but I feel many opportunities_ don’t_ come without getting out of your comfort zone.
Do Shit That Scares You
I used to be the type of person who played it safe and refused to get uncomfortable.
I’ve found over the past 3–4 year, doing things that scared the shit out of me usually led to life changing opportunities.
When I got those opportunities, I prepared my ass off so I could deliver.
How Jamie Foxx got into music reminds me how I got into public speaking.
A few years ago I wanted to share ideas and encouragement but I never saw myself as a writer. Yet, I got uncomfortable and started blogging not knowing what would come of it.
About a year into weekly blogging, my good friend Diane Gibbs offered me my first speaking gig because I mentioned on a phone call months earlier that I wanted to try it someday.
To be 100% honest, when she asked me, every bone in my body wanted to tell her no because I was terrified. This wasn’t your typical group of 15–20 people like back in school speech class. This was a Keynote at a conference of about 100–150 people in a state where I’ve never been before.
However, I wanted to be a speaker and that’s exactly what I became.
I prepared my ass off and crushed that opportunity which changed my life. It has since led me to speak at conferences like Creative South, Crop and WMC Fest.
Little did I know that writing and sharing ideas through blogging was leading me to the next stage of my life in speaking. Wild enough this brought me to podcasting.
All of these things that made me uncomfortable radically changed who I was as a person and the creative path I’ve been chasing.
Feeling Alive & Crushing It
Looking back on life, playing it safe never made me worthwhile. I felt invisible instead of feeling alive.
I think this is how a thrill seeker functions, they need to constantly be doing something insane like sky diving to feel alive. Well finding comfort in discomfort lets me feel alive and evolve to the version of Scotty I'm supposed to become..
Getting uncomfortable has opened the flood gates of opportunity for Perspective-Collective, but it’s up to me to be prepared for those moments so I can crush them.
When I get those “Hell Yes” opportunities I mentioned back in Episode 38, I pretend like they will never come again and that this is my one shot.
It's taught me to_ never_ half ass anything and to pour all my soul and energy into nailing that shot.
Even if things don’t turn out the way you expect it, you can be proud that you:
As you finish out this week, I want to challenge you to try something I learned from writer / influencer Jon Acuff: when you find yourself saying “I want to,” swap it for “I’m going to” instead.
You want to start drawing, blogging, photography or writing but it makes you feel uncomfortable?
Change your thinking to I’m going to start drawing, blogging, photography or writing because it makes me feel uncomfortable.
Your mindset slowly begins to change with a simple swap of words.
Following the discomfort nudges you toward the creative you're supposed to become.
Challenging your fears present and prepare you for the opportunities that can change your life.
Find comfort in discomfort and prepare for your opportunities.
Key Takeaways
"Your identity is not in what you do, therefore fail often, fail freely, learn and experiment. And take your successes in each of those failures because there is one." This is the kind of encouragement Alicja Colon (yes, like the fragrance) brings to the table.
Not only is she an epic photographer / paper crafter extraordinaire, but I think her strongest traits come in prioritizing what’s most important to her in life like family, friends and guiding other creatives.
Alicja works her magic in Savannah, GA and is also the Commerical Photographer at Focus Labs who build thoughtful identities and experiences to elevate and empower organizations.
She brings timeless advice to this episode and this is the deepest conversation this podcast has delivered to date.
We go in depth about:
Key Takeaways
She tried 50 thousand things and continued to find “her thing” as she got older by staying curious.
There is still a path available out there for you, so stick with it and you can uncover a gold mine of hidden talents.
The path and jobs you’re currently working will teach you necessary skills and put you on the trajectory to where you’re supposed to be.
Reclaiming your who starts with defining your priorities in life.
Once you know your "who" you can use that through a lens to focus your "do".
Kill Your Darlings (Stephen King) - Eliminate the things you love that don't align with the trajectory of where you want to go.
Side projects are always a source of personal growth from a craft and endurance perspective.
Shownotes
Alicja's popular blog posts:
Podcast Theme Music: Blookah
515 Alive Music Festival in Des Moines
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Share the show on social media or follow the Perspective Podcast Instagram
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How many times in life have you talked yourself out of something?
How many times has that inner critic convinced you, “there’s no way you can do that, it’s impossible.”
I spent the majority of my life letting my inner critic drag me down.
It’s taken a long time for me to get to the point where I can object and stand up for myself.
Why not me?
Why can’t I be a successful artist / designer in my tiny corner of Iowa?
Why can’t I become a professional podcaster or a traveling keynote speaker?
Why not me?
On those days where I’m convinced, it just feels like I’m going in the right direction.
There are some days you’re just feeling it like the universe is this divine source of creative intuition and it’s nudging you along the path you’re supposed to follow.
I’m pretty sure this is how Kobe was feeling the day he dropped 81 points on the Raptors (I’m a huge Laker fan if you didn’t know).
On most days, however, it doesn’t come so easy.
My mind automatically defaults to doubt so it takes A LOT of effort and A LOT of repetitive self-talk to convince myself it’s possible.
I shit you not I will stare intensely at the inner critic in the mirror and repeat to myself, “Why not me?” until I'm convinced…or until I creep myself the fuck out.
Why Not You?
Self-talk is important, good self-talk I should say because we are already pros at the negative self-talk.
Try it sometime even if it feels weird.
Why not you?
Why can’t you make these things happen in your life?
Why can’t you be happy building something you love?
If it’s something you’re good at and it’s something you’re passionate about, it’s not impossible…but it’s also not easy.
Winning Your Mind Requires Effort
My coach, Rick Willis. during football at Wartburg College used to drill it into our heads that, "If it was easy, everyone would do it."
This sounds so cliche but it's completely relevant to practically every aspect of life.
Because it requires effort, many people are hesitant to pursue whatever "it" is for them. It’s much easier to let that inner critic run every minute of your life and passively exist or complain about the circumstances that supposedly hold you back.
From my experiences of letting the inner critic be in the driver seat, I personally feel you pay the cost of living with regret.
So I want to challenge you to challenge yourself.
When you want to do something and that inner critic injects doubt into your mind, talk to yourself…preferably in your own head if you’re around other people.
Repeat to yourself, “why not me?” and mean it.
Say it to yourself as many times as necessary until you start believing it.
Once you start believing it, act on it.
Ally or Enemy?
The mind is a powerful machine and it can either be your ally or your enemy.
After letting my inner critic kick my ass for well over 23 years, not mention the past 4 years of dealing with anxiety, I’ve learned one valuable thing:Having the proper mindset and some type of belief in yourself or your abilities can get you to practically anywhere you want to be in life.
Having the proper mindset and some type of belief in yourself or your abilities can get you to practically anywhere you want to be in life.
When I started convincing myself that I could become a great artist in the middle of bum fuck Iowa, everything changed.
When I decided I’m going to try and make a name for myself through blogging, teaching, speaking and podcasting, everything changed.
None of this would’ve happened if I wasn’t challenging that inner critic with reaffirming self-talk.
I had to change my way of thinking.
I had to change my perspective.
For things to change, you have to change. It’s all in your mind.
You are more capable then you will ever realize and you have a lot more going for you than you think.
Why not you?
Why not now?
Key Takeaways
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