Saying No creates a better Yes

Idea: Learning to say No creates a better Yes

This year has been weird. I learned how to say “No”. Took me so long. Too long. If you’re a useful, creative person people will find ways to use you – A good thing to help you get paid.

But then they (the sum of your creative beneficiaries) will use you up if you let them (not their fault). As toxic as it is to wait for people to give you permission to start, it’s just as toxic to externalise the permission to stop. In any relationship it’s not healthy to imagine you’re mind readers.

Out of the say yes to everything phase of my career, saying no has been a powerful thing. It’s cemented me in a higher tier of work, with great clients vs racing to the bottom. It’s allowed me to work on my projects in the in-betweens vs working on stuff that, like I said in a recent commiseration session with a friend, makes me want to scream “I’ll give this money back if it means I get out of this.” (define and hold firm to your project revision schedule… with one, free, gracious pass)

Saying no makes saying yes more powerful, full of excitement and undiluted.

Tech: My life in cameras

This week’s video is a laundry list of every camera I've ever touched. I tend to be wary of nostalgia but looking back was really inspiring. I would create with whatever camera I could get my hands on. Seeing a piece of your own work that makes you think “hey, that ain’t half bad”, especially when it was taken on a point-and-shoot digital camera from 2001, kinda recalibrates against the GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) noise we’re surrounded by online.

So while the video is about cameras, it's kinda not. Ai, or the fact that the camera you have in your pocket is arguably technically superior to every camera released before 2010 leads us back to something eternally analog and simple. Jesse, what do you have to share about your very non-ai human experience?

Plans: Zine

I’m working on a Zine. I’ve mentioned it a few times but I'm struggling with the writing. Of course I overthink the first attempt at anything. But It’ll happen. Maybe with the Lorem Ipsum placeholder text if that’s what it takes.

I’m starting to look for ways for people to support my channel without resorting to weird sponsorships. The Zine will be for purchase, and as a perk for paid members on my soft-launched Patreon (I have one Patron who’s not related to me!!). I’ll let you know.

Thanks for reading.

New video here