The Beginner Mindset (And Why I Envy You)
I have a confession: I envy you.
You’re a young, ambitious person seeking self-improvement, and you’re likely in the early stages of your journey.
You’re a beginner with a beginner’s mind. And I envy you.
To understand why, let’s get back to my beginning.
Climbing the Mountain: From Dream to Reality
Twelve years ago, I was like you. I had a small blog, a crappy website, and a dream.
I wanted to become a writer and reinvent the self-help space. It seemed impossible, but I was ready to climb that mountain.
I fought my way to the top: my website grew, I landed a book deal, and I became a New York Times best selling author.
I went from dreaming to living my dreams.
The Unexpected Emotions of Success
But a weird thing happened along the way.
At the bottom of the mountain, the predominant emotion was excitement, but at the top, it became fear. Fear of losing everything I’d gained, fear of disappointing people, fear of my future.
Before, I took risks and pushed my creative boundaries. After success, I became more calculated, managing a brand and an image.
It felt like I was half-assing things, not because I wasn’t trying, but because I wasn’t taking risks. I was no longer excited but anxious about my work.
The Gold-Plated Prison
Many people who achieve success quickly or at a young age experience burnout, public meltdowns, or struggles with addiction.
They feel trapped by their success, their public identity, and the financial expectations. I too reached a point of severe burnout and almost quit entirely.
The Joy of Being a Beginner
During my time off, I realized I like being bad at stuff. There’s no pressure or expectation, just the freedom to learn and grow.
I like climbing the mountain, not being on top of it. I envy having nothing to lose.
So, I decided to start climbing a new mountain: video content.
I’ve spent months learning about cameras, lenses, lighting, and editing.
I started out doing everything myself, with no team or help, and I loved the challenge.
I believe YouTube has so much potential, and I want to bring purposeful content to the platform. This doesn’t mean I’ll stop writing, but my creative energy is now focused on video content. I’ll continue doing it as long as it excites me.
Appreciate the Climb and the Freedom to Fail
My journey is all about embracing the climb and the freedom to fail. I hope you can find the beauty in starting over and climbing new mountains, too.
So, subscribe, and join me on this new adventure.
https://youtu.be/8z59QvgUBaU
