The Zack Arnold Podcast

This bonus episode is a raw recording of my recent appearance at the wonderful event Editfest in Los Angeles where I was on a panel sponsored by Avid Technology titled, “The Extended Cut: How to Survive and Thrive in Editorial.” The panel was moderated by Matt Feury of Avid Technology, and in addition to me the panel also included Lillian Benson, ACE (ACE Officer and co-chair of the diversity committee), Carol Littleton, ACE (Member of the Boards of Governors of the Academy, Past President of the Motion Picture Editor’s Guild, and award-winning film editor), and Andy Seklir, ACE (Award-winning editor of Westworld as well as one of the architects of the “ACE Best Practices” Pamphlet).This panel was a brutally honest and open look at what it really takes to not only survive but thrive in Hollywood as a film editor. We talk about the brutally long hours, bouts with depression and burnout, issues with diversity on both an ethnic and gender level, office politics, and the importance of not letting anyone steal your creative passion. This was a ‘No Holds Barred’ conversation where no topic was too taboo.NOTE: This is a raw recording of a live event so I apologize for any inconsistencies in audio quality. No editing has been done to this recording...this is LIVE and UNFILTERED.Want to Win a One 1-Yr Subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud or Frame.io?» Click here to leave a review of this episode in iTunes (or Apple Podcasts)Here's What You'll Learn:Facing the question, "I love my work, but is it worth all of this physical pain and mental anguish?"Focusing on your own wellness in order to enhance your storytelling powerFighting the status quo of unhealthy working conditions for editorsBeing a woman nin the industry and the quietly malicious ways you are discouraged from asserting yourselfFinding, refining, and protecting your moral center while discerning whether a job is good for you or notHow to process being fired and facing other tough workplace confrontationsBeing disrespected will rob your of your passion, you owe it to yourself to protect it and your identityRecognizing when "paying your dues" is related to you growing stronger rather than simply being mistreatedBreaking the cycle of harmful cultures of competition in the workplaceLearning to give and receive criticism without jeopardizing your jobReinforcing patterns of physical movement in your day in order to reduce tension and toxicityOur Generous Sponsors:This episode is made possible by our proud supporters Adobe. Leave a review of this episode in iTunes or Apple Podcasts and you’ll be entered to win a yearly subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud, an essential package of video creation tools that I personally can’t live without. What’s so cool about creative cloud is how easily you can move from ingest to editing, and from color grading to 3D compositing, thanks to smooth integration between Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Audition. To win yourself that yearly subscription, just leave an honest review of this show in iTunes or Apple Podcasts.You can also enter to win the 12 month 'Pro Plan' from our sponsor Frame.io, an amazing online collaboration tool where you can comment and interact directly with your videos providing instant feedback, rather than constantly going back and forth via endless email chains. (And you know how I feel about email and productivity.) Even cooler your comments can be imported directly into your editing software of choice, and it’s so intuitive, easy to use, and dare I say “pretty” that Frame.io won an Apple Design Award. Leave a podcast review in iTunes to be entered to win your 12 month 'Pro Plan.'This episode is made possible for you by Ergodriven, the makers of the Topo Mat, my #1 recommendation for anyone who stands at their workstation. The Topo is super comfortable, an awesome conversation starter, and it’s also scientifically proven to help you move more throughout the day which helps reduce discomfort and also increase your focus and productivity. Click here to learn more and get your Topo Mat.This episode is made possible by SitTight, my new #1 recommendation if you’re searching for a healthier, more ergonomically-friendly office chair that turns sitting into an activity that actually improves your health rather than damaging it. Yes, you can actually get fit while you sit. If you’ve never seen one, just imagine the most comfortable bar stool on the planet on top of a Bosu Ball. Trust me...it’s awesome. SitTight can provide fitness for your body, focus for your mind, and fun for your spirit. BONUS: Use the coupon code OPTIMIZE for 10% off your order!Show Credits:This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared and published by Elyse Rintelman. The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).Note: I believe in 100% transparency, so please note that I receive a small commission if you purchase products from some of the links on this page (at no additional cost to you). Your support is what helps keep this program alive. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Kevin Bull is an obstacle course racing athlete and an American Ninja Warrior superstar who has appeared on 5 seasons of the show, as well as other competition shows such as Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge. During the day when he’s not crushing ninja courses he’s the general manager of DojoBoom in Thousand Oaks, CA. And he is also a huge inspiration to the many people involved in CAP, or the Children’s Alopecia Project, an organization that promotes good self esteem in kids who suffer from the hair loss condition that he also shares.What Kevin is perhaps too humble and shy to include in his biography is that he is an absolute badass that approaches every course and obstacle with zero fear or hesitation. He is most famously known for the upside down flip he made on ‘Cannonball Run’ at the 2014 Venice Finals in his first season as a walk-on.Despite his ability to move through just about any ninja obstacle with ease, in our conversation today Kevin and I don’t talk much about the physical side of being an American Ninja Warrior (although we do dive a bit into the different types of training he recommends). Where we do dive deep is how to develop the mental game of focus required to be successful, how to attack obstacles progressively one small step at a time, and the reason why it’s so important to choose obstacles in life before they choose you.Want to Win a One 1-Yr Subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud or Frame.io?» Click here to leave a review of this episode in iTunes (or Apple Podcasts)Here's What You'll Learn:The influence and inspiration of Arnold Schwarzenegger on young Kevin and ZackAttacking obstacles progressively one small step at a timeKevin's historic ANW Run and how he ended up thereLearning to seek out challenge in order to improve, "get comfortable being uncomfortable"Tackling the mental game of focus, when others are just focused on the physicalFinding a way to get rid of the ego to get through intense challengesChoosing obstacles so that when obstacles choose you, you're preparedFocusing on a variety of different types of training because ANW's unique variabilitySearching for your first steps to improvement when discipline seems impossibleDeveloping habitual mental and physical training in tandem so that they become inseparableHow Kevin's experience with Alopecia allowed him to become a more confident personUseful Resources Mentioned:Kevin's Historic ANW RunOur Generous Sponsors:This episode is made possible by our proud supporters Adobe. Leave a review of this episode in iTunes or Apple Podcasts and you’ll be entered to win a yearly subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud, an essential package of video creation tools that I personally can’t live without. What’s so cool about creative cloud is how easily you can move from ingest to editing, and from color grading to 3D compositing, thanks to smooth integration between Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Audition. To win yourself that yearly subscription, just leave an honest review of this show in iTunes or Apple Podcasts.You can also enter to win the 12 month 'Pro Plan' from our sponsor Frame.io, an amazing online collaboration tool where you can comment and interact directly with your videos providing instant feedback, rather than constantly going back and forth via endless email chains. (And you know how I feel about email and productivity.) Even cooler your comments can be imported directly into your editing software of choice, and it’s so intuitive, easy to use, and dare I say “pretty” that Frame.io won an Apple Design Award. Leave a podcast review in iTunes to be entered to win your 12 month 'Pro Plan.'This episode is made possible for you by Ergodriven, the makers of the Topo Mat, my #1 recommendation for anyone who stands at their workstation. The Topo is super comfortable, an awesome conversation starter, and it’s also scientifically proven to help you move more throughout the day which helps reduce discomfort and also increase your focus and productivity. Click here to learn more and get your Topo Mat.This episode is made possible by SitTight, my new #1 recommendation if you’re searching for a healthier, more ergonomically-friendly office chair that turns sitting into an activity that actually improves your health rather than damaging it. Yes, you can actually get fit while you sit. If you’ve never seen one, just imagine the most comfortable bar stool on the planet on top of a Bosu Ball. Trust me...it’s awesome. SitTight can provide fitness for your body, focus for your mind, and fun for your spirit. BONUS: Use the coupon code OPTIMIZE for 10% off your order!Guest Bio:Faceboook | Twitter | InstagramKevin is an Obstacle Course athlete appearing on multiple television shows, including 5 seasons of American Ninja Warrior.He also manages DojoBoom in Thousand Oaks, CA and voulenteers with the Childrens Alopeica project to promote good self esteem in kids who suffer from the hair loss condition that he also shares.Show Credits:This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared and published by Elyse Rintelman. The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).Note: I believe in 100% transparency, so please note that I receive a small commission if you purchase products from some of the links on this page (at no additional cost to you). Your support is what helps keep this program alive. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Two weeks ago I released the article Dear Hollywood: We Create Entertainment For a Living...We're Not Curing Cancer, and it was shared over 3000 times in the first 48 hours. Clearly the idea of inhaling a deep breath of perspective resonated with thousands of people working not just in Hollywood but worldwide who are sick and tired of sacrificing their health, time with family, and their sanity simply for the sake of creating entertainment. Placing the blame on ourselves and accepting that we have all collectively encouraged a work culture that allows us to be treated like doormats was an idea I didn't expect to be embraced with open arms (I was prepared for A LOT of trolling). But on the contrary I received unanimous praise for this viewpoint. Furthermore, I was so proud of how many people were willing to take a small level of responsibility themselves for helping to dig the hole we're all stuck in now. But that article only addressed a surface-level problem: Those of us working in the filmmaking industry are willing to put up with ridiculous (and deadly) working conditions that few other industries would deem acceptable. Therefore, the much deeper question becomes: Why?Why are we willing to silently work through lunch breaks?Why are we slowly killing ourselves one day at a time?Why do we feel terrified to ask for overtime, even if it's in our contract and we've put in the extra hours?Why do we feel embarrassed to take a fifteen minute walk in the afternoon to solve creative challenges?Why do we work 100 hours in a single week simply because "The overtime is good" despite it destroying our health and our relationships?Why are we okay watching our kids grow up via Facetime?After reading hundreds of messages, Facebook comments, and emails from "creatives" working in the entertainment industry worldwide, I believe the root of this problem is the following cultural mindset:We Should Just Suck It Up. We're "Lucky" To Be Here.  Oh my God...working in Hollywood is so glamorous! Many of our friends and families who are "business professionals" often envy us for doing something so "cool" that's seen by millions of people around the world. We're lucky to be here. When somebody asks what you do and you say, "I worked on the latest Mission: Impossible movie," they reply with, "Holy crap, that movie was so good. You got to work on that!!!" We're lucky to be here. When your former college roommate (and classmate in film school) who is now working in pharmaceutical sales excitedly asks, "Have you seen any celebrities?" and you reply with: "Yeah. I often have lunch at the table next to [insert giant mega-celebrity here] and the other day [insert mega-director here] was in my edit suite giving me notes," their jaw drops. They can't imagine doing something so fun with such "important" people! We're lucky to be here. Right? Right??? Bullshit. No matter the craft, guild, or area of expertise, if you have a successful career in Hollywood or anywhere else around the world in the entertainment industry... You earned it. Now it's time to start behaving that way. Calculate the True Cost of Developing Your ExpertiseI'll admit there have been more than a few jobs where I've caught myself asking the question, "Are they really paying me to do this? This is so cool, I'd do this for free!" There's no question a certain amount of cachet accompanies working in the entertainment industry. If you spent your entire childhood living and breathing comic books, for example, having the opportunity to work on a Marvel project is undoubtedly a dream come true! Unlike many people who "settled" in life and became pharmaceutical reps, insurance salesman, or corporate accountants, we have the pleasure of watching television or making movies all day long. And therein lies the trap. The Hollywood machine preys on creative professionals who will do whatever it takes to deliver top quality work, no matter how unreasonable the deadline. And Hollywood gets away with it knowing we simply can't imagine doing anything else with our lives, we won't "settle," and we worked our asses off to get where we are. And most importantly, we know they'll replace us in a second if we speak up. So we don't speak up. And our quality of life (not to mention our self-respect) gets flushed down the toilet. https://youtu.be/essNmNOrQtoCan you name any other industry willing to devalue their skills as much as "creatives" do?Before opening Pandora's Box and accepting the punishment, abuse, and often downright bullying that is "just part of the business," take a moment to calculate the true cost of the expertise you bring to your profession. How much did your college education cost you?Most likely you started your career on day 1 with six figures in debt sleeping on someone's couch and subsisting off Ramen noodles.How many years of spec work, low paying jobs, bartending gigs on the side, and months of unemployment did you endure so you can now "live the dream?"If you don't believe taking low-paying (or free) work is part of the path to success, Just ask editor Alan Bell how likely that is to happen.How much time did you put in perfecting your craft as an assistant before getting that long overdue promotion?In general it takes people at least a decade to become an "overnight success story." Just ask Eddie Hamilton (editor of Mission: Impossible Fallout) or Kelley Dixon (editor of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul) how many years it took for them to "get lucky."The next time you feel like conceding to the demands of your profession and accepting them as reality because "You knew what you signed up for," think long and hard about what you've had to endure to secure your spot. If you value the years of effort, financial hardships, and sacrifices you've made to develop the level of expertise you bring to your job...shouldn't others value it equally? Most importantly, realize that if you make the choice to devalue yourself, your skills, and your expertise, you are making the choice to devalue ALL OF US.Calculate the True Value of Your Expertise to OthersDespite what the entertainment industry wants you to believe, YOU ARE NOT JUST ANOTHER SET OF HANDS. You are not a keyboard monkey. You are not an extension of your workstation. While this analogy may vary from craft to craft, bear with me as I compare the craft of editing (my specific skillset) to building a multi-million-dollar home.'Building a Million-Dollar Home 101'Step 1: An architect designs the blueprints.Nobody would argue that an architect has tremendous value given their education and expertise. And the analogous position in filmmaking to the architect is most likely the writer, a (generally) highly valued and sought after position in the entertainment industry. And rightly so.  Step 2: A foreman assembles a crew of skilled craftsmen to build the home.You can make the case that either the main producer or the director is the 'foreman' who assembles the crew and directs them all towards the common goal of building a gorgeous home exactly to the specifications laid out in the blueprints. And the client is of course the movie studio or television network. Step 3: The carpenters and laborers take random piles of materials (lumber, copper pipes, shingles, plywood, electric wire, etc) and frame what will become the home.The carpenters and laborers in this case are the editors, visual fx artists, animators, cinematographers, gaffers, makeup artists, production designers, script supervisors...and literally the set carpenters. We are all the hands that build the house. We all have one common goal.  Step 4: The sh*t hits the fan.Inevitably while building any complex structure, whether it's a house, a tv series, or a film, things are going to go wrong. Plans will change. Tastes of the designers and clients will go against the original blueprints. Or the house might just fall apart all together."Originally I wanted the kitchen here, but let's put it on the other side of the house instead. Can we do that?""This upstairs bathroom would really go better in the entryway instead, wouldn't it?""Oh yeah, this piano I asked you to put in the 3rd floor...can we put it on the 1st floor now?""Oh my God. The foundation is collapsing. Do something!!!!" Step 5: The architect and foreman re-design the plans to overcome design challenges and/or meet the updated needs of the client. And sadly this is where the house-building analogy takes a wrong turn. When design changes are required on a home, the responsibility falls on the architect or more likely the foreman (both of whom are being paid handsomely for their roles on the project). But when the sh*t hits the fan in the entertainment industry, it rolls downhill. And guess who's laying at the bottom to receive all the shit rolling to the bottom? Welcome to post-production. As editors, visual fx artists, and the many other crafts in post, it's our job to make complex design changes and overcome many of the creative challenges that come up during the filmmaking process. We are expected to solve problems with the level of expertise that an architect or foreman have. Yet we are treated (and often paid) like laborers, like a set of hands simply there to button-mash our keyboards at the behest of the "true creatives." That is until the moment when we put Humpty Dumpty back together again (on deadline, I might add) and are regaled with such high praise as, "You saved the picture!" or "You're a magician!" Starting to feel like your position has value now? It's about time. Now do something about it.This Isn't a Union Issue...It's a Human OneI honestly don't care whether you do union or non-union work. These cultural issues affect all of us in the entertainment industry. And here's the really bad news...a new contract isn't going to change any of this without YOU. Should those of us working in post-production be afforded the same amount of turnaround hours as other guilds in Hollywood? Of course! Yes we should negotiate new turnaround times equal to other guilds and demand a minimum amount of "standard" hours per day...but it won't solve all of our problems. Why? Because none of these issues matter if we don't enforce them on an individual level. I can count the number of editors in all of unionized Hollywood on one hand who enforce "meal penalties" on a regular basis. Most editors aren't even aware that it's a union no-no to skip lunch and eat it at your desk. You can't wait around thinking your union rep is going to make sure someone enforces your meal breaks and pays you OT. The responsibility is yours. The next time you find yourself thinking, "It's no big deal, I love this job," just remember: We're not lucky to be working in Hollywood. Hollywood is lucky to have US.

The following is a reading of my article '5 Things Every Editor Can Do to Build Trust With Clients' available at Frame.io Insider.» Click here to read this article at Frame.io InsiderAvid Media Composer. Adobe Premiere. Final Cut Pro X. DaVinci Resolve.I could debate until the end of time which piece of software is the most important to learn if you want to be a successful editor. Regardless of which NLE I believe has the most likelihood of leading you to success, I would be wrong.And so would you.We are not keyboard monkeys, we are storytellers. Our ability to tell compelling and engaging stories and make an audience feel something supersedes our knowledge of any specific piece of software. Yet so many people in the post-production industry get hung up on the “hard skills” needed to climb the ladder to success. They believe if they become “Avid certified” they have a higher probability of landing the next job. But most clients, producers, and directors honestly don’t care if you’re certified or not. They care if you can tell compelling stories, move people emotionally, and deliver on deadline. And most importantly, they care whether or not they can work with you in a dark room for 60 hours a week (without you murdering each other).Of course you need to have software proficiency to get (and keep) good jobs; but once you get beyond entry-level positions, software proficiency is automatically assumed.I haven’t had a job interview in over a decade where I was asked, “Are you familiar with the [insert-your-favorite-NLE-here]?”Once you have become proficient in your NLE of choice, I suggest you stop focusing on getting 5% better at learning software and instead start focusing on the “soft skills” necessary to build meaningful relationships with people you’d like to work with for years to come.The most important “soft skill” you must master if you intend to have a lasting and fulfilling career as an editor is becoming “great in the room.”Here’s the difference between proficient editors and those who are considered “great in the room”: A good editor can often be seen as another set of hands executing notes as requested; a great editor on the other hand often becomes the #1 choice for clients, directors, and producers when they are hiring for their next project because they enjoy working with them so much in the room.If you’re interested in becoming an editor who is considered great in the room, there are only two things you have to focus on: Trust and comfort.If you can make your collaborators (clients, directors, producers, etc.) trust your creative abilities and feel comfortable working with you, you have the ability to build a referral network that will provide a safety net and ensure you always have another job lined up—without you ever having to look for work again.Yes, you can be that good.Here are five practical approaches any editor can apply to their work to build trust with collaborators and establish a feeling of comfort and therefore be considered “great in the room.”

Summer is officially here which means the first season of the Optimize Yourself Podcast has come to a close (don't worry...I'll be back right after Labor Day). I cannot express enough how grateful I am to all of my listeners who inspire me to keep this program alive every single day. Please feel free to continue reaching out and sharing your stories (and your challenges) with me. I read every single message I receive. It is my belief that it's no longer necessary to sacrifice your health (and your sanity) in pursuit of your creative career or your business, and in season 2 I promise to continue writing about and sharing every tip I find that can to help design the optimized version of you...one small action step at a time. Since beginning this podcast and blog over 4 years ago I've learned a lot about many different topics, but it's taken me a long time to really find a groove and write on a regular basis. My goal at the beginning of 2018 was to write an in-depth article every two weeks about a topic that I'm both passionate about personally and also could help you improve your life in some small way. Despite my calendar fighting back every single week, I met my goal of releasing new content every two weeks (systems, baby!!!). While choosing my favorites was kind of like choosing my favorite child... Below are my five favorite articles from Season 1 (with a couple bonus articles I wrote for other publications).1. Dear Hollywood...We Create Entertainment For a Living. We're Not Curing Cancer.Click here for the full article In the wake of the potential IATSE strike and the ongoing negotiations between the motion picture producers (AMPTP) and the many guilds including editors like myself, I felt it necessary to point out what's truly at stake when talking about the hours we work in Hollywood. Much to my surprise (and shock), this article went viral and was shared over 3000 times within 24 hours and read by over 5000 people. For anyone who's tired of being treated like they are disposable and that their quality of life is secondary to getting the job done, I suggest reading this article for a little perspective.2. The Four Types of Creative Jobs (and the Secret to Knowing Which Is the Perfect Fit For You)Click here for the full article Without question this was the most popular article of the year with thousands of readers! Thinking about the different types of creative jobs was simply a brainstorm I had one morning driving to work, and once the seed was planted it grew like crazy until I spent a solid 2 weeks breaking down the benefits and drawbacks of each type of creative job I could come up with. And then it all came together when I realized the special sauce was having the right attitude.3. The Socially Awkward Introvert's Guide to Networking With Industry 'Experts'Click here for the full article Coming in at a very close second after a tight race with my 'Creative Jobs' article is my deep dive into turning networking into a skill, even if you're a socially awkward introvert (like me). This post was inspired by a section I wrote in my Ultimate Guide to Making It In Hollywood, but I then expanded upon several of the concepts because I know how difficult it can be trying to build a network of contacts when you HATE networking. I know we'd all much rather sit in our dark rooms and make cool shit, but this guide will hopefully get you out of your cave and into the real world so you can start meeting the right people who will help you land your dream job.4. Tired of Life Kicking Your Ass? Learn to Fight Back Like a True 'Cobra Kai'Click here for the full article I'm going to admit I was a bit bummed this post didn't get as many readers as I would have hoped, but I'm still including it in my top 5 because whether or not you're a huge Karate Kid fanboy like me, the brilliant new YouTube series Cobra Kai offers up some brilliant life lessons that anyone can incorporate into their lives. If you've dealt with mistreatment or abuse as an adult in a toxic work environment with toxic people (or outright bullies), this post is a must-read.5. Dear Zack: "I'm having trouble finding work and want to make sure I'm doing everything I can..."Click here for the full article This post was an experiment based on an email I received from a reader seeking advice about her career. I'm approached on a daily basis by people who send their life stories and their greatest struggles, and I found I spend an exorbitant amount of time responding to everyone. Then I realized there could be tremendous benefit to making those responses public. Needless to say, the experiment worked and I'll be doing more 'Dear Zack' articles in the future. Click here to submit your own question for a future article.BONUS ARTICLESI didn't include these articles in my 'Top 5' for the year because they are technically guest posts for other sites, but they were tremendously popular and I want to make sure you didn't miss them.6. "Empire" Editor Has 7 Steps to Network Successfully In Hollywood (For Frame.io)Click here for the full article This article was written by Robert Hardy of Filmmaker Freedom, and it was based on a recorded conversation we had about my best advice to build a network in Hollywood. This was my inspiration to later write The Socially Awkward Introvert's Guide to Networking because I received so much feedback about how networking is such a lacking skill for so many creative professionals. Thanks again Robert for the awesome article!7. How I Burned Out As a 'Burnout Coach' (And Then Bounced Back) (For Growth Lab)Click here for the full article This article is a very personal piece that I wrote about my most recent experience with burnout, depression, and a raging case of imposter syndrome back in 2017 after launching a very successful 5 Day Challenge (with over 1110 participants on six continents). Whether you are building a business or just burned out by creative work, this article is an ugly, no holds barred look at the darker side of success that few are willing to talk about. I'd love to know in the comments below, which was your favorite article of this season? What would you like to learn more about Season 2?

Author’s Note: In the wake of the possible IATSE strike I wanted to share my two cents specifically regarding turnaround times and overall hours. I know the pension plan is the headline of negotiations (as it should be), but I want to ensure we're not overlooking the health, safety, and sanity of everyone working behind-the-scenes. A pension plan is meaningless if you don't live long enough to use it. For those of us in Hollywood working behind computers in dark rooms for a living, will there ever come a time when we realize it’s counterproductive, unhealthy, and downright dangerous to work insane hours at the expense of our health and our creativity simply for the sake of our jobs? How much is our time (and our sanity) really worth? For years now I've stood on my soapbox proclaiming from the hills that sitting is killing us and that success happens BECAUSE you prioritize your health above your career, not DESPITE it. If you think living in a dark room for sixteen hours a day under constant stress is good for your creativity, think again. If you value your health, all you have to do is ask yourself this simple question honestly: Is the job you’re doing every single day worth dying for? If your answer to this question is ‘No,’ I suggest reading on. Because if we don’t begin collectively standing up for ourselves and do what's necessary, things will only get worse. C’mon...Is It Really That Bad?Wait a second...using words like “unhealthy” or “dangerous” is irresponsible. For those of us who are film editors, visual effects artists, composers, animators, and everyone in between, we just sit at desks all day long in air conditioned luxury suites and have our meals handed to us twice a day on a silver platter. We’ve got it easy! It’s not like we’re blue collar workers slaving away in steel factories or coal mines losing limbs or dying of black lung…..(Note: The typical seated office worker has more injuries than any other industry sector worker including construction, the metal industry, and transportation1). It’s not like we suffer through grueling days on movie sets working sixteen to twenty hours a day, often deep into the following morning….. And we certainly aren’t out on the front lines sacrificing our lives for the sake of a stunt or “getting the perfect shot”..... Here’s the difference:All of the dangerous professions listed above have rigorous safety regulations to protect the health and wellbeing of their workforce with extensive training to minimize accidents. Those of us in post-production are told in the same safety meetings to bring a cardigan because it can sometimes get “chilly in the edit suite.” Tee-hee. If someone dies after falling off scaffolding while doing a stunt or is (God-forbid) hit by a train while setting up a shot, the entire community rallies around this negligence. There’s no choice but to address the problem and ensure the same mistakes aren’t made in the future. When someone is recklessly injured or killed while on the job in a public setting, people pay attention. Sedentary “creative workers” are unfortunately not afforded the same protections. If we’re asked to work through lunch (for free), we don’t have a crew of 150 people to demand we all get meal penalties. If we’re expected to work 16 (or more) hours every day sitting in a small dark room without breaks or weekends off, we feel like we're all alone if we’re being treated unjustly and have no choice but to submit. If someone working in any sector of the post-production industry dies as a direct result of the long hours, the chronic stress, the poor working conditions, or gets into a car accident as a result of sleep-deprivation, it’s no different than a tree falling in the woods when no one else is around. If an editor dies in the edit bay, does it make a sound?The sad fact is there are countless stories of people dying (or barely surviving 3 heart attacks in 24 hours) as a direct result of their jobs working in post-production (Unfortunately nobody is willing to share the details of those stories publicly). We may mourn those who pass from cancer, but because stress is a slow burn, despite it being the number one cause of death in first world societies, nobody notices or creates a direct connection between the diseases and the lifestyle. (Note: The World Health Organization ranks sitting too much as the fourth biggest preventable killer globally, killing over 3.2 million people per year1.) Even worse, there are plenty of stories of editors dying suddenly at their desks or assistants dying on the road in car crashes after falling asleep due to numerous stretches of long days and long hours. But nobody talks about these. Because if you do, you get blacklisted.Yes we have a supportive union ready to stand up for every single one of us, but how can they do so when nobody is willing to speak up about what’s really happening on the front lines every single day?We don’t have a Sarah Jones to rally around and affect real change. But it’s time for us to start behaving like we do.“Then Get More Flies…”There is nobody in Hollywood the business loves to exploit more than socially introverted “creatives” who will do whatever it takes to deliver top quality work and meet a deadline, no matter how unreasonable. Furthermore, those making said requests know on some level that creatives consider their work part of their identity and are almost always willing to go the extra mile because they love their jobs. Artists are willing to give their knowledge and expertise away in service of “the greater good” of their art. But what happens if you say no? You’re told to just shut up and do your job because there are hundreds of people lined up ready to do it for you. As Walter Murch explained on our podcast together, several decades ago when approaching a studio executive to address the extreme working conditions, stress, and deadlines on a feature film he was editing, he described the situation as:“People are dropping like flies.”The studio executive simply replied with: “Then get more flies.”Sadly not much has changed in the last several decades. Back in the “film days,” it took an afternoon (or even overnight) to process a single dissolve. Now that we can create a dissolve with a single keystroke, it’s not like we have our afternoons to ourselves. We just fill the time with more work. And the studios continually make increasingly unrealistic calendars and delivery schedules because we continue to meet them.It’s so tempting to blame the studio executives and producers for the poor working conditions and the unhealthy lifestyles in post-production, but it’s not their fault. We cannot sit back and expect the next new contract negotiation to magically change the demands placed upon us. This is our fault. We have enabled a work culture where it’s okay to eat lunch (and dinner) at our desks because the schedule doesn’t allow enough time to get five minutes of fresh air and sit outside in the sun. Our meals might be handed to us, but if it were possible they’d probably just slide our meals under our doors twice a day. We have enabled a work culture where it’s okay to chronically stay late and put our kids to bed via Facetime rather than tucking them in and kissing them on the forehead because some producer has a few more notes and “just wants to get it right.” https://youtu.be/CHZN2y3XsTk“Whoosh” is unfortunately neither a parody nor a stereotypeWe have enabled a work culture where working 60 hours per week is now considered a “standard” contract (Standard!!!!!!), and we’ll even work additional hours late at night or on the weekends - UNPAID - because we fear asking for overtime will label us as “the difficult one” because we don’t have a crew of 150 other people to demand the overtime alongside us. Don’t think things are that bad? Consider this for a second… We have enabled a work culture where we are literally embarrassed to take breaks. Walking breaks. Water breaks. Even bathroom breaks. God forbid somebody sees us away from our workstations and thinks we’re “lazy.” But it’s still 100% acceptable to step out for multiple smoke breaks all day long. We have accepted and perpetuated this reality, yet we constantly complain that “Nobody respects us!” REALITY CHECK: Nobody is going to respect us until we collectively start respecting ourselves. The reason we put up with and accept a work culture that perpetuates and celebrates horrible lifestyle choices every single day is fear. We are afraid that if we fight back or say no, we will simply be replaced. And we will. Because there are always going to be more flies. There will always be people willing to put themselves through hell for the sake of a paycheck, another credit on the résumé, another rung on the ladder. The only way this vicious cycle stops is if we change the culture until we reach the point where there simply are no more flies.“IT WAS JUST ONE ANT”Our time is our most valuable asset in life, but unfortunately it’s not like a 401k. We don’t get to set it aside but then have it returned to us tax-free plus interest 30 years later. Once we spend it, it’s gone. Start prioritizing your time as if you don’t have any left. If you’re hoping someone is going to step in on your behalf and make sure you stay active throughout your day and take breaks...keep hoping. If you’re wishing for your "crazy" schedule to get pushed just a day or two so you can catch up on sleep...keep wishing. If you’re dreaming of the day when studios and corporations come to their senses and realize less working hours actually leads to increased productivity and higher quality work...KEEP. DREAMING. Yes we should all band together and collectively fight for better contracts with longer turnarounds and less hours overall, but even new contracts can’t affect real change. There is only one person that can affect change: You. Change is going to happen in the trenches one soldier at a time. It’s time to stop thinking of ourselves as flies and start thinking of ourselves as soldier ants. As a father of two young kids, I spend A LOT of time watching Pixar movies, and one of my favorites is A Bug’s Life. While my kids may overlook the following scene, there is a tremendously profound moment when the grasshoppers realize their power is nothing compared to the ants if they were to stand together. https://youtu.be/VLbWnJGlyMU“You let one ant stand up to us, then they ALL might stand up! Those puny little ants outnumber us 100 to 1. And if they ever figure that out, there goes our way of life.”Only banded together can we demand the respect we deserve and affect real change for ourselves and future generations of “creatives” just entering this industry with stars in their eyes and love for their craft in their hearts. Only collectively can we do what is necessary to fight back against the impossible deadlines, the long hours, and the poor working conditions. One ant at a time.It Starts With YouThe next time you’re sitting alone in a dark room feeling like the weight of the world is on your shoulders and yours alone, remember there is a worldwide community of creative people like yourself fighting the same battle in dark rooms everywhere. If you’re too afraid to stand up for yourself and you’re looking for a reason to muster up the courage to fight back, just remember this: Your time is your most valuable asset, and no amount of overtime is worth sacrificing your health, time with your family, or your sanity. Let’s get real Hollywood:We create entertainment for a living. We’re not curing cancer. Additional Reading & Listening:Sitting Is Killing You, But Standing Isn’t the Answer (Neither Is Exercise) Are Creative and Tech Workers the New ‘Blue Collar?’ | with Maxim Jago Life After 3 Heart Attacks In 24 Hours | with Marc Wielage It Is Possible to Be Both Successful and Kind at the Same Time Surviving 50+ Years In Post | with Walter Murch, ACE I Was Tired of Putting My Kids to Bed via Facetime Every Night. Here’s What I Did About It. --- 1 Starrett, Kelly (2016-04-26). Deskbound: Standing Up to a Sitting World (p. 8). Victory Belt Publishing. Featured image courtesy of Jeremy Bishop via Unsplash.com

Click to Download Audio Summer is officially here which means the first season of the Optimize Yourself Podcast has come to a close (don't worry...I'll be back right after Labor Day). I cannot express enough how grateful I am to all of my listeners who inspire me to keep this program alive every single day. Please feel free to continue reaching out and sharing your stories (and your challenges) with me. I read every single message I receive. It is my belief that it's no longer necessary to sacrifice your health (and your sanity) in pursuit of your creative career or your business, and in season 2 I promise to continue finding the best experts I can to help design the optimized version of you...one small action step at a time. Since entering the world of podcasting 4 years ago now (it's been four years already???) I've interviewed over 150 people ranging from world-class experts in many different fields to everyday people sharing their personal journeys, their challenges, and their triumphs. I learn something profound and meaningful from every single interview, and I hope that you do as well. While choosing my favorite episodes (and your favorite episodes) from the past year is like choosing my favorite child, I've done my best based on user feedback, download statistics, and my own personal feelings as well. Below are my top 10 favorite podcast interviews from Season 1.1. Breaking 'Bad' From Assistant to Editor | with Kelley Dixon, ACEClick here for this episode's show notes Kelley Dixon is simply a badass. She has edited some of the most iconic shows in television history including Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, and The Walking Dead...to name a small few. What most people don't realize is that she spent over twenty years working as an assistant editor before becoming an "overnight success." This interview was EPIC, diving in for over 2 1/2 hours into the intricacies of Kelley's journey from the bottom to the top. We also discuss her ninja-like strategies for perfecting her craft despite working long and demanding hours as an assistant.2. Understanding the Link Between Creativity and Depression | with Dr. Edison de MelloClick here for this episode's show notes This is the first episode of the Optimize Yourself podcast, and that's by design. One of the fundamental themes I revisit in all of my podcasts, articles, and my online courses is the idea of optimizing creativity. Unfortunately if you are blessed with creative abilities, they often come at a price. And that price is battling mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and burnout. In this interview I do a deep dive into the link between creativity and mental health issues with the man who saved my life many years ago, Dr. Edison de Mello of The Akasha Center For Integrative Medicine.3. How to Rewrite Your Own Story | with Dr. Steven IsaacmanClick here for this episode's show notes I recorded this episode more for my own personal reasons than because I thought it would be popular, but it ended up being the 3rd most downloaded episode of the whole season! In this episode I do a deep dive into the practice of psychoanalysis and the stories we write for ourselves every single day that could be holding us back from achieving great things. Dr. Steven Isaacman and I also have an in-depth discussion about the dreaded 'imposter syndrome' and how to overcome it when you work in creative fields.4. The Disciplined Pursuit of Less | with Greg McKeownClick here for this episode's show notes "Less. But Better." This is the mantra of best-selling author of Greg McKeown, and I couldn't agree more. This is one of my favorite episodes because Greg takes a very honest approach towards all the noise and busy-ness we deal with in society today, and he helps us understand what is required to truly prioritize our lives properly and say "No" to everything urgent in our lives. If you want to start focusing on achieving important things in your life (and start ignoring the urgent), this episode is a must-listen.5. FOCUS: The Superpower of the 21st Century | with Cal NewportClick here for this episode's show notes Cal Newport is quite possibly one of the world's foremost experts on the concept of 'Deep Work,' and we wasted no time diving deep into what is required to regularly get into this mental state to achieve maximum levels of creative flow. I learned a ton from this interview that I am now incorporating into my upcoming Focus Yourself online program, and if you feel like you're constantly distracted with no real direction, it's time to start developing focus as your next superpower.6. How to Reverse Depression, Anxiety, and ADD at the Genetic Level | with Dr. Ben LynchClick here for this episode's show notes The work that Dr. Ben Lynch is doing in the world of genetic testing and diagnosis is absolute LIFE. CHANGING. Having battled anxiety and depression for over a decade now I've experimented with numerous supplement and prescription medication routines, much of which was trial & error. But thanks to new technology from companies like 23andMe we can now get an accurate picture of our unique genetic makeup. Unfortunately most of the data is near-impossible to interpret, but that's where Dr. Lynch comes in. His "Clean Genes" protocol helps you understand your unique genetic code and also design the right lifestyle changes to optimize your own genetic expression. Of all of the episodes I released this year, this episode has received the most profound feedback from my listeners.7. Finding Your 'One Thing' | with Jay PapasanClick here for this episode's show notes Whenever listeners and readers reach out to me confused about where to go with their careers or how to improve their health, often times the biggest problem is they have too many goals, too many priorities, and too many different projects they are taking on at one time. Thanks to Jay Papasan, co-author of the best-selling book 'The One Thing," there is now a simple formula to figure out the most impactful actions you can take to see the most results in your life. There isn't a single day that goes by for me when I don't ask myself, "What is the ONE THING I can do today such that by doing it everything else becomes easier (or unnecessary)?"8. Your 'Smart' Phone Is Killing Your Creativity | with Kevin HoleshClick here for this episode's show notes Talking about the exploding epidemic of tech addiction is one of my favorite subjects, and in this episode I do a deep dive into specifically being addicted to "smart" phones (which in my opinion could just as easily be called "dumb" phones, because that's what they're doing to us). My guest is Kevin Holesh who designed the wonderful app Moment which is basically a Fitbit for your phone usage. Not only can it help you more clearly understand how much you're using your phone on a daily basis, the app can also help you drastically cut back on your addiction to your "smart" phone.9. How to Tell Good Stories | with Jeff BartschClick here for this episode's show notes Storytelling has been my life's work for almost twenty years, and in this episode I chat with fellow film editor and Story Greenlight founder Jeff Bartsch about the components required to tell great stories. This applies to anyone who works in creative fields, not just editor or writers like us. But more importantly, not only do we discuss how to tell good stories, we discuss the importance of being able to tell your own story.10. The Right Way to Network In Hollywood | with Chris VisserClick here for this episode's show notes I'm probably a bit biased when recommending this episode as one of my favorites, but that's because the guest Chris Visser is my (current) assistant editor. In this episode we do a deep dive into Chris' approach to building a relationship with me over time and networking the right way to become an integral part of my team. For anyone who's a socially awkward introvert struggling to build a professional network, this is a must-listen. I'd love to know in the comments below, which was your favorite interview of this season? What would you like to learn more about Season 2?

“Why.”It’s an incredibly simple word that carries tremendous power when used correctly. But unfortunately ‘why’ is a question we are often afraid to ask of others because we don’t want it to look like we don’t know something. And more importantly, ‘why’ is a question we rarely ask ourselves because we either don’t know the answer...or we’re afraid of it.The chances are extremely high you can clearly explain WHAT you do for a living.“I’m a reality editor that works on competition shows.”“I’m a production coordinator for a local television station.”“I’m an online entrepreneur that teaches other entrepreneurs how to organize their business finances.”If you spend a little time thinking about it or referencing your own portfolio or resume, there’s also a good chance that you can clearly identify HOW you do your job.“I communicate clearly and effectively.”“I harness the raw emotion in every story I tell.”“I bring everything I have to every client I work with.”But now it’s time to ask yourself....can you clearly identify WHY you do what you do?While it might seem trivial, not having a clear understanding of why you do the work you do every single day can have a significant impact on the quality of your work, the energy and attitude you bring to your job every single day, and it can have a negative impact on your health as well.When the bullets are flying, deadlines are looming, and stress levels are at DEFCON 1 across your entire team, if you don’t enjoy your work or understand why it’s important work to you, it’s easy to get sucked into the black hole of overwhelm, depression, and burnout.In today’s episode I chat with David Mead, the ‘Chief Igniter’ at the organization Start With Why, and their sole mission is to inspire people to do work that inspires them. David is also the co-author of ‘Find Your Why’ which is a practical hands-on guide to help anyone find their deeper why and apply it to their work, their relationships, and their entire lives. David and I chat about the importance of defining your why, and then we walk through a very practical exercise helping me define my own why at a much deeper level than I already have in the past.If you’re struggling to find a deeper meaning behind your work or your relationships, this episode is a must-listen.And if you find this exercise helpful and you want to start building an action plan that will help you achieve the most important goals in your life that align with your deeper why, ‘finding your why’ is just one of the many exercises I teach in my FOCUS Yourself program.Want to Hear More Episodes Like This One?» Click here to subscribe and never miss another episodeHere's What You'll Learn:People don't buy WHAT you do, they buy WHY you do itThe concept of the Golden Circle and learning to articulate the "how", "why", and "what" you doRecognizing when you are headed for burnout"I've got to make money somehow" is not a strong or fulfilling enough "why"Why discovering the deeper meaning in your work is essential for health and creativityLiving out your deepest and best self is not dependent on your job or paycheckIf you don't know your deeper "why" then the "what" will never be truly satisfyingHow to properly interrogate your "why" by honing in on the driving themes of the stories your tell about your lifeUseful Resources Mentioned:Find Your WhyOur Generous Sponsors:This episode is made possible by Ergodriven, the makers of the Topo Mat, my #1 recommendation for anyone interested in moving more at their height-adjustable workstation. Listen, standing desks are only great if you’re standing well, otherwise you’re constantly fighting fatigue and chronic pain. Not like any other anti-fatigue mat, the Topo is scientifically proven to help you move more throughout the day which helps reduce discomfort and also increase your focus and productivity. And they’re really fun and a great conversation starter.Guest Bio:David Mead is the co-author of Find Your Why, a practical guide on how to discover the Why for any individual, team or organization. He's also a guide of the online Why Discovery Course. David's 'Why' is to propel people forward so they can make their mark on the world.Specializing in organizational culture and leadership, David shifts perceptions about the reasons why organizations really exist, what leadership is and how human biology plays into it all. David started by developing content to help Simon Sinek (author of 'Start With Why) share his powerful ideas and in 2012 he began speaking and facilitating workshops to help shift people's perceptions about leadership and culture.Show Credits:This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared and published by Jakin Rintelman. Special thanks to Krystle Penhall and Sarah Furie for helping to spread the love!The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).Note: I believe in 100% transparency, so please note that I receive a small commission if you purchase products from some of the links on this page (at no additional cost to you). Your support is what helps keep this program alive. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Click to Download Audio “Who’s stupid idea was this anyway?”It definitely wasn’t the first time I had asked myself this in the last six months since declaring that my #1 goal for 2018 was transforming From ‘Dad Bod’ to American Ninja Warrior.I was asking myself this question this particular instance after having just woken up at 5am on a Saturday and driving 350 miles north to Monterey so I could pay good money to run 10 miles in the mountains, carry sandbags and buckets full of gravel up hills, army crawl under barbed wire, climb 2500+ feet of elevation gain, and wade through mud (just to name a few of the over 30 obstacles).Here’s the catch: Three days before the race I couldn’t bend over to tie my shoes. I had strained my QL muscle (lower back) earlier that week doing kettlebell deadlifts. To add insult to injury, two weeks before that I landed awkwardly while practicing a vault in parkour class and had a deep bone bruise in my left knee...which I later discovered was also a sprained MCL.Needless to say, I don’t know a lot of other sane people who would wake up at 5am on a Saturday after having worked a 60+ hr week, drive 700 miles in a day, and run a 10 mile Spartan Race on a bum knee who can barely tie their shoes.But sane is boring.Striving for a life of comfort ultimately leads to complacency which leads to boredom which leads to unhappiness which leads to self-loathing which leads to hours spent in front of screens every day to escape the drudgery of life.Living life outside your comfort zone is where real growth and change occurs.To quote one of my favorite ANW superstar athletes:“Get comfortable being uncomfortable.”- Flip RodriguezHaving spent the majority of 2018 up until this point being very uncomfortable on a daily basis, here are six lessons I’ve learned after six months of training for American Ninja Warrior.LESSON #1. The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The next best time is today.At 38 years old I have a lot of excuses for why becoming an American Ninja Warrior is just a stupid idea. Most of the athletes that compete on the show, even those who are my age or older, have an athletic background. Many are former gymnasts, track & field stars, pole vaulters, professional and amateur rock climbers with decades of experience, gym owners and personal trainers, or freerunners and parkour artists.The last time I did anything truly athletic was in high school when I trained for (and earned) a black belt in martial arts. Once I hit college and then the real world I was 100% career focused. A few years ago once the weight started to pile on I took up obstacle course racing and did a few Spartan Races and Tough Mudders...but as a hobby. I was a “Weekend Warrior,” and my only objective was finishing the course and having some fun along the way. Training intensely for 10+ hours a week for a sport like American Ninja Warrior is a world I haven’t inhabited since my face was covered with acne, my voice cracked, and I was studying for my driver’s test.There’s no question the best time to become an athlete was twenty years ago. I can’t even imagine how much easier training would be today had I chosen to continue my martial arts study, or take up gymnastics, or become a rock climber in college.But that’s no excuse.Rather than thinking “it’s too late,” I instead look at my circumstances from a different perspective.In December 2017 when I decided my #1 goal for 2018 would be to train for American Ninja Warrior, I closed my eyes and jumped into my mental time machine to travel forwards 12 years. I pictured myself at fifty years old at my daughter’s high school graduation. I was (still) bald, at least 50 pounds heavier than I am now with chronic lower back pain, two bum knees, constant visits to the cardiologist for heart issues, and still battling depression and anxiety.As I sat there watching my daughter walk across the aisle and receive her diploma, my future self thought: “I wish I hadn’t been too afraid to train for American Ninja Warrior when I was 38. My life would be so different right now.”That single mental image was more than enough to compel me to jump into training right on January 1st because my only true fear is regret. IN SHORT:It’s never too late to begin writing chapter 1 of your new “origin story.”LESSON #2. If you set your goals improperly, tremendous success can end up feeling like total failure.For the past fifteen years I’ve been completely obsessed with learning everything I can about the psychology of high performance and the habits that lead to success. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned during this journey is that achieving a goal is meaningless if you set the wrong goal.Your goals are the foundation that your house is built upon. If you build your house on quicksand, it doesn’t matter how strong the walls or the roof is, your house will collapse. It’s imperative that you take the time to clearly define a goal properly before taking a single action towards achieving that goal.I spent weeks painstakingly clarifying my “macro goal” in December of 2017 before taking a single moment to plan my diet, map out my training regimen, or stepping foot in a gym and doing a single pull-up. The conclusion I came to after working through the steps I teach in my Design Yourself program is that “Getting on American Ninja Warrior” is NOT going to be my goal.Wait...what?Bear with me for a second. Let’s assume this is the goal I set:“I will be on season 11 of American Ninja Warrior in 2019.”This goal depends on outside circumstances that I have no control over. I could show up to the gym every morning, lose 25 pounds, drop to 10% body fat, and become an expert at ninja obstacles over the next 12 months. To everyone but me, this would look like tremendous success.But if I’m not chosen as one of the over 40,000 people who submit audition videos every season? I would be a total failure.The problem with this goal is that it’s binary - there are only two possible outcomes.Outcome 1 is I get on the show - Success.Outcome 2 is I don’t get on the show - Failure.I’d rather set myself up for success and build systems around a goal that is completely within my control. Simply put, as long as I put in the work consistently, I will be successful.Therefore, here’s the macro goal I set for 2018:“I will weigh 175 pounds and be in American Ninja Warrior shape by December 31st.”The difference is subtle yet completely changes the systems I build that ensure I follow through and achieve my goal. This is a SMART goal.It’s Specific.My goal is not to “be healthy” or “lose weight” it’s to be in a very specific kind of physical shape.It’s Measureable.I will weigh 175 pounds. Weight is a metric that can be tracked.It’s Actionable.Taking concrete daily actions will lead me closer to success.It’s Relevant.This goal aligns with the work I do in my business. It helps raise awareness of my documentary film GO FAR. And I’m setting a good example for my children.It’s Time-Sensitive.I have a specific deadline of December 31st.My goal has nothing to do whatsoever with being on the show. If I lose 25 pounds, drop five inches off my waist, shed body fat, and develop the strength and coordination to compete on ANW-level obstacles, not being chosen is immaterial. I will have succeeded come December 31st, 2018. IN SHORT:Before you invest a tremendous amount of time, energy, and attention in achieving a difficult goal, make sure you have set the right goal first.LESSON #3. The best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.When you’ve just crossed the threshold of 200 pounds for the first time and you max out at (barely) 5 pull-ups, the thought of running one of the most difficult obstacle courses on the planet sounds downright impossible.I already know I have to lose at least 25 pounds to even be in the same conversation as most of the other athletes on the show (I’m 5’ 11” so getting below 170 just ain’t happening). It would also be nice if I could dead hang from a bar for at least 3 minutes and be able to do a minimum of 20 pull-ups by the end of the year.That’s great...but so what?What the hell am I supposed to be doing this morning?Often times people procrastinate and avoid taking action towards their goals because the result is too far away and seems like success will never come. The key to overcoming the procrastination and fear that accompany pursuing difficult goals is to break down a “macro goal” into tiny “micro goals” that seem so simple there’s no reason not to do them.My macro goal was crystal clear on day 1, so now it was time to break that down into an action plan with very doable micro goals.Being in “ANW shape” by December 31st requires that I develop a series of skills including: Rock climbing, Parkour, and Crossfit. And I’ll probably need to train 5-6 days per week. Over the course of the next year, assuming a few recovery weeks and family vacation time, that’s “hitting the gym” over 200 times in the next twelve months.Um….no thank you.Yet despite the massive overwhelm of going to the gym over 200 times this year, by the six month mark I’m over halfway there.Workout stats courtesy of Fitdigits.comDaily activity stats courtesy of Fitbit.com (I use the Fitbit Blaze)I didn’t go to the gym over 100 times in the last 6 months and burn over 1.1 million calories in the last six months by focusing on the end goal, I focused on the single actions steps that would get me to show up once.My first action step on day one was simply “Research gyms near me.”Anyone can do that!Once I found the places that made the most sense, the next step was not to commit to a 12 month membership, it was to “Try a free Crossfit class.”Yup, seems simple enough.My next action step after that was setting my gym clothes out the night before so when I woke up it was one less excuse to not show up.Easy peasy.Once I tried my free class, I immediately discovered that fifteen years of living in front of a keyboard have destroyed my body far worse than I anticipated. My flexibility and mobility were in the toilet.Therefore my next micro goal had nothing to do with losing 25 pounds or doing 20 pull-ups at once. My next micro goal was learning where to put a lacrosse ball and foam roller to loosen up my hip flexors and glutes so I can get into a proper squat.I can do that too!Rinse. Lather. Repeat.This mentality has led to 101 training days in 6 months, losing 14.8 pounds, and dropping 3 inches from my waist.Jan 1st, 2018200.7 pounds, 38” waist, 24.1% body fat (per Fitbit scale)June 30th, 2018185.9 pounds, 35” waist, 20.1% body fat (per Fitbit scale)IN SHORT: No matter how difficult the goal you set for yourself, if you break it down to the simplest of actions, as long as you take action consistently, success becomes inevitable.LESSON #4. Failure is the fastest path to success.I wish I had been wearing a GoPro my first night in parkour class (Not familiar with parkour? Here’s a brilliant overview). The camera would have not only captured my complete ineptitude with the most basic of skills, the footage would have also demonstrated that I was a few short years away from easily being mistaken as the dad to any other person in the class...including the instructor.There is quite possibly nowhere further outside my comfort zone on the planet then being surrounded by a bunch of seventeen-year-olds in a parkour class.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Kvw2BPKjz0Here’s the “missing” footage from my first parkour classBecause parkour is a necessary skill I must develop in order to achieve my macro goal, I know that to have even a slim chance of being considered I must be ready to embrace failure...a lot of it. If I were afraid of failure or “looking stupid,” I simply would have stood in the back corner during open gym time and watched other people who were practicing “The Warped Wall” (the most iconic obstacle of ANW). Then when no one else was watching, I might have attempted it, but only as long as nobody was watching. After all, what if I fell? God forbid I look like an idiot.Screw that.During my first open gym session one of the first things I tried was the warped wall. And I failed. So I tried it again. And I failed again. I then tried another 10-15 more times before I decided to call it a night and find another obstacle I could fail at repeatedly.Guess what I did the following week at open gym? I failed getting up the warped wall another 10+ times.https://youtu.be/TKzN4IEQQ4sMy first (failed) attempt at trying the obstacle course at ‘Ninja Beach’A few weeks later during open gym a couple guys showed up who have been on the show and successfully run the course more than once. Sure I could’ve been super intimidated and stood off to the side as a socially awkward introvert (my default mode). But instead I walked right up to them, introduced myself, and asked if I could “join in” on the practice runs they were concocting around the gym.When the time came to run up the warped wall I approached one of them and asked, “So what’s the trick to getting up the wall?” He asked me to run it, and of course I failed. He began to tweak my form, my steps, and my technique. And I failed a few more times.Then I got up the wall.Eventually on my own I would’ve gotten to the top of the wall, but being willing to publicly embrace failure (a lot) and ask questions shortened my learning curve and got me to the top infinitely faster. Now I have more time to perfect my technique and move onto other obstacles I cannot do yet. IN SHORT: Obstacles are inevitable. You will fail. But failure is only failure if you give up and quit. Be willing to ask questions, learn from your mistakes, embrace failure publicly, and reframe it as a learning experience that gets you one step closer to success.LESSON #5. Focus on the process, not just the results.When undertaking any kind of athletic training, whether you have done it your whole life or you’ve chosen to dust yourself off after living behind a computer for almost twenty years, it’s SO easy to get caught up in the numbers. Especially in sports like Crossfit it’s easy to become obsessed with metrics like max reps, AMRAP’s, EMOM’s, and WOD’s...just to name a few. And the temptation is always there to compare where you are to everyone else in the class: “Hey bro, what’s your deadlift PR?” (Personal Record)The problem with chasing after metrics whether your own or the person next to you is it makes it much harder to focus on the process, and comparing your progress to others only wastes energy you could be spending on yourself. That’s why I believe in “Running Your Own Race."If the only reason you’re going to the gym today is to hopefully lose twenty pounds six months from now, you will be miserable unless you embrace how every single piece of the puzzle fits together. And thinking to yourself, “Why is that person so much better than me?” only leads to self-doubt and frustration.Working with my Crossfit trainer (one of 3 different specialists I’ve enlisted in my pursuit of ANW), we have spent weeks doing super simple exercises with tiny weights, small resistance bands, and a lot of bizarre balance exercises with no weight at all. I pictured my life being nothing but pull-ups, push-ups, squats, deadlifts, and all the other crazy hardcore exercises that come with Crossfit (and there has been some of that). Instead I’ve found myself struggling to lift a 5 pound plate with my body in some bizarre balance configuration while the guy next to me is squatting 300 pounds.To put it simply, instead of working towards doing 20 pull-ups at once no matter what it takes, our goal is making sure I can do ONE pull-up with 100% perfect form and minimal effort before ever doing a second.The “One Thing” I focus on every single time I train is moving my body as efficiently as possible. I don’t care about reaching a certain weight, I don’t care about how fast I do things, and I certainly don’t care about anyone around me going faster or lifting more. All I care about is my form. Once my form suffers, I know it’s time to stop.I would rather do 5 perfect reps than 15 sloppy reps.While this approach requires more patience, this laser-sharp focus on the details will yield much bigger long term gains. When the time comes I do have the strength, balance, and stamina to participate with the pros on a real ninja course, focusing on the tiny details (like where my hand should grab the bar, or how I should place my feet, or the angle my shoulders should be when flying from one bar to the next) will be easier because above all else, the muscle I’m training one rep at a time is my “focus muscle.” IN SHORT: No matter the goal you are trying to achieve, stop focusing on the results you might get someday and instead focus on the process today.LESSON #6. Life is too short to live it without Snickers ice cream pie.When I made the proclamation that I was going to dedicate the entire year to not only losing weight and “getting back in shape” but to training intensely for ANW, I knew the possibility was there to turn this into a truly miserable experience. Just about anyone can lose 25 pounds if they’re willing to deprive themselves for a few months. In fact, the TV series The Biggest Loser is proof-positive that anyone can make radical short-term lifestyle changes and receive tremendous gains.The problem with radical short-term lifestyle change is that it doesn’t stick, and the process sucks every single day. The vast majority of TBL participants, for example, end up gaining back all of their lost weight (with more weight on top of that1).Choosing to train for ANW was not a 12 month decision for me that involved cutting calories and going to to gym as often as possible. Becoming an American Ninja Warrior goes much deeper.Becoming an American Ninja Warrior is a lifestyle.Becoming an American Ninja Warrior is an identity.Yes I am much more careful about what I eat 6 out of 7 days per week. Yes I spend a lot of hours in the gym, and yes I’ve made a lot of personal (and financial) sacrifices to find the time and money to completely change my life over the next 12 months.But I’ve been very clear with myself that every single change I make has to be one I’m willing to stick with for a minimum of 3-5 years. If a specific dietary choice or workout routine is one that involves deprivation and misery, I won’t do it. I don’t care about short term gains, I care about permanent lifestyle change.I’m playing a game of chess, not a game of checkers.Taking a Saturday off to have pizza and ice cream with my kids might mean it will take a little longer to reach my weight and body fat % goals, but I’d rather my kids remember the fun Saturday afternoons when we all had ice cream together, not the Dad who munched on celery and peanut butter at the ice cream store because “He is always training.”I’d rather celebrate a successful Spartan Race binging at a BBQ joint with ribs, biscuits with apple-cinnamon butter, pulled pork on the side, and a giant dessert to chase it all down than not celebrate a short-term milestone because my stats might suffer for a week or two.Yes I’m 100% dedicated to becoming an American Ninja Warrior...but life is too short to live it without Snickers ice cream pie.IN SHORT: Radical lifestyle change is a slow process. Don’t choose behaviors that you’re not willing to stick with for a long time. Life is a game of chess, not a game of checkers.1 http://www.businessinsider.com/new-show-biggest-loser-winners-regained-weight-big-fat-truth-2017-6Further Reading & Listening:From ‘Dad Bod’ to...American Ninja Warrior?How to Develop ‘Obstacle Immunity’ | with Spartan Race founder Joe de SenaFinding Your ‘One Thing’ | with Jay PapasanDefining Your Purpose and ‘Living Large’ | with Tony Horton

Depression. Burnout. Imposter Syndrome.I’ll take “3 Things I’d Rather Not Admit That I’ve Experienced” for $1000, Alex!In today’s society we are conditioned to believe that we have to show up to work every single day, all day, for ridiculously long days, and always be able to perform at an equally high level. The expectation is that we should be able to summon creativity on demand, and while it is possible to learn how to do so on a more consistent basis, it’s just not realistic to expect that you can push yourself at 100% capacity all the time. Subsisting off Red Bull, M&M’s, and pizza definitely doesn’t help either despite that being the standard diet in most creative office spaces. And if you’re a woman in a male-dominated field, let’s just say the deck is not stacked in your favor either.I’ve shared my story more than once about the many times I’ve experienced depression, burnout, and imposter syndrome throughout my career, and in today’s episode I’ll be sharing more of my experiences alongside my guest Genevieve Malone, the founder of The Inertia Project who is also a civil engineer as well as a competitor in the sport of female bodybuilding, specifically as a figure competitor.Genevieve founded The Inertia Project to empower other women to take control of their lives and habits, but if you’re a guy listening today, don’t let that scare you away. Even though Gen specializes in working with women, she has plenty of killer tips & tricks for the men out there as well. She focuses on fun, quick, effective workouts and incorporates behavior change techniques to make the changes stick.If after listening you’d like to start taking real action, Gen has been kind enough to provide a bonus for this episode. It includes:A shopping list with healthy recipes using food to stay alert and focused all day long3 energizing workouts to sharpen your focus and prevent burnoutHer “Crystal Ball Technique” to harness the power of visualizationWant to Hear More Episodes Like This One?» Click here to subscribe and never miss another episodeHere's What You'll Learn:What burnout looks like, the ugly side, especially when dealing with "Imposter syndrome"Going from a civil engineer to a female body builderFraming failure as a learning experience, especially if it leads to depression and burnoutHabit stacking and visualization to go from unlikely behaviors to likely behaviorsDealing with common misconceptions around being a body builderProcessing depression in the midst of becoming a public figureEvaluating the standards you define yourself by in the wake of burnoutRelieving yourself of the obligation to help people and giving yourself permission to failThe simplest steps you can take to move towards health while in the throes of depressionUseful Resources Mentioned:The Intertia ProjectOur Generous Sponsors:This episode is made possible by Ergodriven, the makers of the Topo Mat, my #1 recommendation for anyone interested in moving more at their height-adjustable workstation. Listen, standing desks are only great if you’re standing well, otherwise you’re constantly fighting fatigue and chronic pain. Not like any other anti-fatigue mat, the Topo is scientifically proven to help you move more throughout the day which helps reduce discomfort and also increase your focus and productivity. And they’re really fun and a great conversation starter.Guest Bio:Genevieve founded The Inertia Project to empower other women to take control of their lives and habits. She focuses on fun, quick, effective workouts and incorporates behavior change techniques to make the changes stick. On top of running TIP, she works full-time in a demanding field – so she knows a thing or two about living the Side Hustle life while trying to not go insane. Genevieve put together a special bonus for the Optimize Yourself listeners to help them in their journey – [click here for more!]Show Credits:This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared and published by Jakin Rintelman. Special thanks to Krystle Penhall and Sarah Furie for helping to spread the love!The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).Note: I believe in 100% transparency, so please note that I receive a small commission if you purchase products from some of the links on this page (at no additional cost to you). Your support is what helps keep this program alive. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.