
Casey Neistat dropped a vlog yesterday thatās got lots of people buzzing. Itās all about encouraging us to step out of our comfort zones and tackle tough challenges.
I first discovered Caseyāand his brother Vanāon The Neistat Brothers, a short-lived HBO series from 2010. The show helped me realize DIY art and content creation was a viable option. One I might want to even try myself.
It only took a decadeāand changeāfor me to get off my butt and get started.
Since then, Iāve realized creativity and productivity are two sides of the same coin.
Creativity fuels my soul; productivity keeps my body and mind in motion.
With so many self-appointed āgurusā and tech tools promising shortcuts to success, itās too easy to confuse āworking hardā with āworking smartā these days. So when Iām overwhelmed by all the humans and tech, I unplug and get back to basics.
TECHNOLOGY = DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD
Technology can be a game-changing museāor sirenāfor us creative types.
From using the ChatGPT-powered Apple Intelligence to copyedit this blog to using a text-to-speech generator to narrate it, the possibilities are endless. But whenever I rely too heavily on tech, I worry Iām not working āhardā enough and/or that what makes a work āmineā is in jeopardy.
Also, based on personal experience, over-reliance on tech tools can lead to burnout.
Every new app or platform tempts you to optimize something, yet sometimes all you need is a pen, paper, and a quiet moment to think.
The simpler the tools, the clearer the focus.
COPY CATS = IMITATION AS A FORM OF FLATTERY
Have you ever noticed how kittens learn? They watch older catsāor humansābefore trying something new. They copy and imitate, and thatās how they become experts.
Creators can learn from kittens too. Copying and imitatingāand even stealingāfrom the best isnāt cheating. Itās how we all learn. Itās how we figure out what works and what doesnāt. Itās how we find our own style and way.
TOOLS, NOT TRAPS
For me, the creative life is all about finding balance. And that includes using tools to help me, not letting them take over or control me.
As a tech-savvy person with a bit of a perfectionist streak, I can easily get caught up in the trap of āfind a better app.ā But based on many years of experience, I know the best techniques and tools are meant to empower us to work smarter, not distract us from our main goal.
Fun Fact: I only remember this when Iām smart enough to put down my devices.
WORRY = BATTERY LIFE SUCKER
Worry is like a battery draināit wastes energy and convinces me that Iām not doing enough or that someone elseās ideas and methods are better.
Every moment I spend in self-doubt is a moment I could have spent creating.
I also have to beware of my inner perfectionist. While it often hides behind the guise of productivity, itās usually just fear in disguise. And aināt nobody got time for that.
WORK SMART, THEN WORK HARD
As I adjust to new toolsāāJr.ā the Mac mini is a BIG upgradeāI realize working smart isnāt about avoiding effort. Itās about channeling my energy and time into what matters most. I do my best to let my tools help me be more creative, not replace my creativity. I learn when theyāre helping me and when theyāre holding me back.
Remember the wisdom of the ācopyā cats: imitation can lead to insights.
Itās what we do with those insights that matter.
Thatās where the āmagicā truly happens.
Thanks for reading!
Clint
NEWS + VIEWS
Apple Smells Blood in the Water (PetaPixel)
The Elegiac Art of Robert Frank (The New Yorker)
AI Copyright Claimed My Last Video (Venus Theory) šŗ
ON THIS DAY = NOVEMBER 16
BIRTHDAYS
1873 = W. C. Handy = American composer (āFather of the Bluesā)
1899 = Mary Margaret McBride = American radio host (āFirst Lady of Radioā)
1907 = Burgess Meredith = American actor and filmmaker
1946 = Barbara Smith = American writer and activist š
1946 = Beverly Smith = American writer and activist š
1948 = Dennis Severs = American-British founder of Dennis Severs' House š
1951 = Paula Vogel = American playwright š
1964 = Diana Krall = Canadian singer-songwriter
1967 = Lisa Bonet = American actor
1970 = Martha Plimpton = American actor
1972 = Missi Pyle = American actor
1977 = Maggie Gyllenhaal = American actor
1993 = Pete Davidson = American comedian and actor
CELEBRATIONS
EVENTS
1914 = The Federal Reserve Bank of the United States officially opens.
1920 = Qantas, Australia's national airline, is founded as Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited.
1938 = LSD is first synthesized by Albert Hofmann.
1945 = UNESCO is founded.
1959 = The Sound of Music opens on Broadway; runs for 1,443 performances.
1989 = The Center for Homosexual Lifestyles was established in Berlin. It was the first time in Germany that a public office was established specifically to deal with the concerns of lesbians and gay men.
1990 = Home Alone is released in theaters.
1990 = Milli Vanilli are stripped of their Grammy Award because the duo did not sing at all on the Girl You Know It's True album.
2001 = Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is released in theaters.
2009 = David Atlanta, Southern Voice, Washington Blade, and more LGBTQ+ magazines and newspapers cease publication when their publisher declares bankruptcy.
2012 = Silver Linings Playbook is released in theaters.
PHOTO + QUOTE OF THE DAY
āI disappear from the public eye and get rediscovered quite often.ā
Burgess Meredith
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Hi Clint. As long as you have the content, I'm happy with 30 minute long videos of handsome men. You're doing fantastic work and giving me, at least, a sense of belonging in an historical line of masculinity which I need for my well-being. Thank you again! Michael
I would love for your substack content to be available without having to contribute money. I'm not opposed to money, but I'm 81yo, living on minimal Social Security, and I simply can't afford it. When you do publish before the "to see more contents", I appreciate it. Thank you for your work!