What's Calling You Knows More Than What's Keeping You Comfortable
10 thoughts, ideas & creative finds on telling your story, financial prosperity and having more time, money and leverage.
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The Rundown 3: The Ideas That Continuously Enter Our Field Are Not By Accident, They Are Our Reminders
The Rundown 4: Don’t Be Afraid to Be the Exception… Life is About Being an Anomaly, Not Fitting In
The Rundown 5: It's Going to Feel Ridiculous Until it Feels Miraculous... Do it Anyway
Hey Everyone,
The Rundown — Here’s what I found over the course of this week that has helped me, inspired me or gave me some creative pushes…
On creative fulfillment & financial prosperity — “We’re allowed to build a life that aligns with our values, talents, creativity and financial goals. Having a portfolio of “businesses” is not about doing more for the sake of more… it’s about having more autonomy, creative fulfillment and financial prosperity. On the contrary to ‘old belief systems.’ they’re not mutually exclusive.” (— )
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Traditional, ‘outdated’ models = overworked, undervalued, micromanaged, outdated systems, corporate hierarchies, stifled creativity, “business as usual” crowd, one income stream—
Creator Founder models = autonomy, intentional work, integrating skill stacks with creative pursuits, community building, project discernment, fulfillment, multiple income streams
—
I’ll be dedicating an entire section of my Substack to “Creator Founder Models” — how to rethink your approach, build more leverage and creative fulfillment… and become more financially lucrative in the process.
On choosing the “calling” over the fear… “The more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it.” (—Steven Pressfield)
On telling your story — “The most powerful person in the world is the story teller.” (—MiddaySquares) — Your story has to be told… and only by you. As I grew up helping brands with their digital, the one thing they struggled with the most was the ability to simply tell their story authentically and vulnerably. The future of business is the person who can connect their story and relate to everyone they serve. I do it with all of you now… that’s why we’re here… and there’s a lot more to come.
On ambition and hype — “You don’t need more ambition or more hype — you need unshakable pride in what you create, a deep connection to your craft, and a quiet confidence that comes from knowing it matters.” (—Anu Atluru)
1— Pride in your work creates an unshakable foundation for long-term success. The more you immerse yourself in the work, the less you need anything, or anyone else to validate you. The consistency of your work fuels resilience, allowing you to stay motivated even without constant recognition.
2— A deep connection to your craft fuels passion and keeps you grounded. This connection ensures that you find joy and meaning in the process, not just the outcome. When you’re truly connected to what you create, it shows in the quality and impact of your work.On unfinished progress over distraction — “Being immersed in your work—even if it's unfinished—is more productive and fulfilling than being distracted by unrelated tasks.” (Based on the Zeigarnik effect) — Your anxiety, fear and worry goes drastically down the more you’re in the “work” that you want to do. That’s because you’re moving in the direction of intention so the outcomes you want are inevitable over time. When you’re distracted is when you feel most disconnected and the nervous system will tell you… Listen to this podcast episode for more — (APPLE, SPOTIFY)
On having more time, money and leverage — “It’s not about outworking everyone as much as it is about redistributing efforts in a multitude of ways.” (—George Sidiropoulos) — This is George… he and I meet on occasion every month or other month to talk about creative entrepreneurship, building intentional businesses and creating more leverage through digital and social media. A big part of my Substack and upcoming videos will be talking about this, but for the mean time, be sure to check out what he has to say about building more time, money and leverage for yourself.
On honing your craft as a sign of respect… to you and your audience — “Your unique perspective, ideas and curiosities are what people are most interested in… don’t look at everyone else to decide on what to speak about… look within you to share what’s important… the world will feel it and you’ll be living on purpose.” (— )
On obsession with your work and you pursuits — “Something amazing happens when a person speaks passionately about their craft. It doesn't matter what the craft is. When someone lives between the lines, picks apart details that most never see, and explains them with enthusiasm. That obsession is contagious.” (—Zach Pogrob)
I agree! The obsession I have for my work is the constant curiosity and devotion I have for it… devotion to my craft is devotion to God… taking my talents and seeing how far they can be pushed for the purposes of what I’m here to do… is there anything more fulfilling?
On your prayers being answered — “Your discipline will teach you love. Your consistency will teach you trust. Your showing up will teach you faith. All 3 will answer your prayers. (— Me again) — I recently posted this again on my Instagram and I think it’s vital you understand this concept… When you hear these words, please do not think of them as a painful process to getting what you want… I want you to think of them as a way of loving on yourself enough to build your life and others around you… all 3 of these will bring you more freedom, direction and abundance than you could ever imagine.
Playlist — Evening Jazz 100-120bpm JAZZ HOUSE MIX - By Yuna — A great playlist from @twilight411 on YouTube of Chill House to work to… great for creating, designing, writing, computer work.
If you ever feel the pull between what you know you should be doing and...
what you’re currently doing…
just know that the former is expanding on your gifts and abundance,
while the latter is keeping you constricted.
It’s not that you’re comfortable, although it may feel like it… it’s that you are familiar with what you’re currently experiencing even if it doesn’t serve your higher purpose.
Your battle between uncertainty and familiarity is what you’re needing to conquer.
The “uncertain” is only “uncertain” because it’s not known yet.
Allow yourself to experience the unknown so you can create a life worth knowing.
I’ve had to let go countless times when “seasons” ended and new beginnings were upon me.
I took the skill stack with me and leveraged them into God’s calling over my life and continued forward.
Was it difficult to let go? 100% — I’m human. lol
Was it worth it once I did? Its unbelievably worth it…
As I always say, “don’t let the human in you talk you out of the soul in you.”
Follow the call.
Go create!
Matt
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In the meantime, tell your friends!
Yes! "The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller."—that hits deep. Every time we write, we’re not just sharing our perspective; we’re shaping worlds, inviting others into a unique experience only we can create. It really does feel like holding the keys to the universe, setting the tone, and guiding others through a narrative that’s ours alone. Powerful stuff—thank you for that reminder!
“Your discipline will teach you love. Your consistency will teach you trust. Your showing up will teach you faith. All 3 will answer your prayers.” << that part 🙌🏽