No, I don't. & I'll tell you why: this channel is a Married Bachelor. Just because humans can say a thing doesn't mean it exists. You spend so much time worrying about which ism is the Correct Mindset that you don't realize that mindsets don't exist any more than married bachelors do. They're concepts. Every Single Last Federal Politician is openly accepting money from companies. Who on this planet would get paid for not doing the company's bidding? Yet you insist on continuing to imagine that politicians who label themselves 'liberal' or 'conservative' issue policies based on non-existent isms. This is a childish wish-fulfillment fantasy. Get back to me if you ever grow up
Whenever I feel like a failure for not getting the recognition I aim for, I remember my grandma saying "If only the most beautiful birds were allowed to sing, all the forests would be silent." You are a beautiful bird, and the MOST beautiful birds don't exist. Sing.
Birds don't just sing they hunt each other, eat each other and they'll absolutely will kill unprotected eggs and young chicks even from the same species. Birds are very far from the image of peace that Hollywood is telling you
I used to think I was a failure as even though I work hard on my craft every day and submit my work when I can, I've never been published or reached any fame despite being informed many times that my work is good quality. Now that I'm in my 40's, I see people who DID 'succeed' in my craft, they're miserable. I am free to work at my own pace and make what I want. I don't see myself as a failure anymore.
You are me, indeed. I've been making music for 24 years. I never thought about success and failure. I was just happy that I found a way to make music on my own. I am of the mind that success is relative. Who is anyone to really tell anyone else what success is? If you love doing your craft and continue doing it, that is more success to me than being famous and rich. We do what we want with our art because we don't have the boundaries of the industry and gatekeepers to hold us back. We don't have to be afraid to express ourselves authenticity and peacefully. If people see us and vibe with us for what we do, that is the best reward, at least to me. Thank you for what you do, and be proud of your talent. Everybody is a star in their own way. Keep shining your way!
@@stellviahohenheim The world hates smart people. It loves clever people who can play the smartest and those who own the most. Often times the most clever are the ones who own, so they just have to play the smart right
No, You make yourself feel like shit , You guys think "Smart" or "clever" people get by better but thats because they're not wasting energy and Focus on what doesnt serve them the world Is unfair but fair at the same time we all have disadvantages that are not ideal for out goals but we Also have Hidden talents waiting to be used
"there's more to life than this arbitrary notion of success. The staircase we're climbing leads to exploitation, guilt and burnout. (...) you are enough as you are and the only one who determines your self worth is yourself". In the constant chaos of the corporate ladder, this is just what I needed to hear and keep in mind. Thank you so much
i wish i was the only one who determined my self worth. but when your culture deemed you perpetually unworthy of any quality of life regardless of how many millions i would make for other people to waste, you physically cant think or feel anything other than the effects of being perpetually starved and looked down on. how can i value myself when the world i live in forces me to never be allowed to receive ANY of the fruits of my labor? why does usa government spend soooo much money subsidizing the lives of violent criminals but wont spend a single penny helping law abiding impoverished people? its almost like they want to make sure no one whos born poor will ever even have the option of good mental health due to being in immediate danger of death every second of your waking life...
@@saturationstation1446the fact that the government can provide for prisoners is proof that we need UBI for all - universal basic income so that everyone's basic needs are always met. The problem is that in a hierarchy, it's always easier to elevate yourself by harming others than it is to better yourself. Personally I see hierarchies themselves to be a crucial mechanism to fight. Equality is always the enemy of hierarchy.
As someone with ADHD, I can't wait to watch this video. This conversation is a huge deal given people often try to "remedy" ADHD symptoms through reinforcing productivity and notions of motivation and achievement attached to working hard for an ambition. Despite that being something ADHD inherently inhibits to an extent, as people with ADHD are working with a different sense of achievement and motivation, and different attributes that make it harder to participate in society that way. It reminds me how some mental diagnosis are partially defined by how bad you are at capitalism and socially constructed rules rather than your personal experiences (not saying ADHD doesn't exist, but saying people can only see it as bad if it makes it harder to "meaningfully contribute" despite it involving memory issues, focus issues, mental and emotional strain, and risk taking that exists outside of work or school).
big facts. I am undiagnosed by definitely have ADHD-like symptoms and this led me down the rabbit hole of productivity/motivation tricks until I realized, "wait, what am I even doing this for?" Rather than try and trick ourselves into being more productive, it's important to examine *why* we are unmotivated. In my case, it's nothing wrong with me, it was my work draining the soul out of me. I don't know if I actually have ADHD--it might just be focus issues brought on by all the distractions at our fingertips and the hyperactive compulsion (aka shiny active syndrome) from all the products and hobbies we can so easily get wrapped up in. So I certainly don't want to make any blanket statements, but regardless, the way we treat motivation/productivity makes those with ADHD or attention issues feel like shit.
[It reminds me how some mental diagnosis are partially defined by how bad you are at capitalism and socially constructed rules rather than your personal experiences (not saying ADHD doesn't exist, but saying people can only see it as bad if it makes it harder to "meaningfully contribute" despite it involving memory issues, focus issues, mental and emotional strain, and risk taking that exists outside of work or school).] Edit: I clarify some of my points. Now that's really interesting. He commented in this video, I think, that our view of a life full of achievements (on the material scale and our sense of productivity) is toxic. Cool. Like! at some point, there was a mental illness they diagnosed Black folks with in the USA, but really, they were running away from being enslaved. This is Drapetomania. I say, the medical system has been full of biases towards gender and race, but I have faith this can change in our future as we're brought to awareness.
I hate "because capitalism" trope that people like you just drop over and over and over again as if anything would be different let alone better in a non capitalist society. Its sooo annoying
A capitalist society is inherently ableist. Its so pervasive that it even teaches some folks that the disabled are a burden to society and opens their opinions up to adopt those of eugenicists. So long as productivity and wealth are seen as "noble traits" by this hellish society we're dealt with, disabled folks will continue to be marginalized.
We need to remember that we are not inherently exceptional or special. Every other organism on earth lives fruitfully in their mediocrity. Yet we are imprisoned by our need to be the exception, the best, the one. Somehow our culture accepted that our purpose is making as much impact as possible, and in this we have abandoned our peace. I often think of ancient nomadic cultures who refused to settle down and live in one place. Even when they had access and knowledge of infrastructure, they preferred the simple life of traveling with the seasons. They saw that tribes who settled had stable food, more people, and a legacy they could keep forever. They did not care, they were content in the life they had and had no desire for legacy. Because of this, we have very little record of them even existing. Many of them were eventually conquered by dynasties and clans that despised their “primal” lifestyles. But these tribes were free of complex war, classes, and oppression. They just looked out for eachother, living unimpactful lives in peace. I wish there was a way for us to live that way too; simple lives that don’t ask to be special. I envy the bird resting on my windowsill. Content in the shade and shelter given him, content with his single mate and family, content in the most unremarkable life. The only difference between me and that bird is that I cannot be content in just that, I am destined for more. I am destined to look for more and more until I die.
In this culture, if you are not exceptional, you are but a bug. And you know what we do to bugs. This is the reason I strived for "greatness" : the desire to escape being treated like a bug (as I used to be in my childhood)
I think it ultimately comes down to whether you view the State of Nature (what you're describing here) as an idyllic place, or as a hellscape. Locke thought it was awesome, Hobbes thought it was hell. I'd push back on the idea that tribes didn't have war, classes, or oppression. Of course they did. Even chimpanzees have these things. It sucked then too, just a very, very different kind of suck to the suck of modernity. Very different set of problems. We're creatures blessed and cursed with the relentless pursuit of "more", "more" far beyond our ability to actually use the stuff we think we need. Wishing you all the best as you pursue a life of greater freedom/letting go of this stuff that binds us.
hell even if you earn money it's hard to let it go unless you have "safe" amount of money so you know if problems arise you are not fucked. A high salary is not great if you still have a mortage and no savings. Hell earning a lot to simply be free of ambition way before retirement would be perfect.
I will never get sick of tpab interpretations. An album that is forever repayable, where you get a new meaning, pick a new detail out with every listen, with a brilliant and luscious jazz production. It is the first album and first rap album I listened to, and is still what I consider to be the best piece of art I've ever experienced. This is a great video, and I hope for more.
I really hope Kendrick experiments with jazz/funk sounds more in the future. I love Mr. Morale, but sonically TPAB is head and shoulders above his other work, for me.
so much of the time i find myself consumed by a never ending drip feed of media. movies, books, shows, the news, TikTok's, Instagram reels. even watching this video i was like, "damn, i need to watch whiplash". i consume a lot of the media i do under the guise of educating myself, but I'm not actually doing the work, taking the time to chew on what I'm consuming. it's something i need to work on. i went outside this morning and picked up the trash that was all over my neighborhood. i went for a walk with some music, and just enjoyed the fresh air. i think i wanna make something like that a part of my life. taking an hour to clean, go on a walk, and just be with myself. i could apply that method on a smaller scale after watching something, or reading a book.. I'm so prone to finding the next big distraction. thank you for this video. it's opened my eyes to something I've been avoiding for a while now i think.
Always criticizing yourself will never lead to anything but exactly the opposite of what you are trying to do. Loving yourself is a must if you want to have a great life.Everyone needs to watch this video.Great job man
This kind of reminds me of Kanye’s career. I think of this all the time … of how he’s a shell of himself … ruined by the fame and the influence. He became one of the greatest and most influential artists of all time … but at what cost ?
Kanye definitely went downhill after the death of his mother. Everything after 808's was a different Kanye to me. Although the album went into a completely different direction, I'd consider this a transition album. Looking back at him now, his lyrics from his first four albums were so real, down-to-earth and thoughtful.
From my childhood till now, people have always asked me if I wanted to be an artist, why wasn't I an artist, why wasn't I selling my art? Watching this video finally gave me words for it, adding money to it feels like I'm defiling it. It's the one joy I always had that has nothing to do with work. People sometimes get angry with me because I'd rather make things for free, I realize now because they saw it as me "not reaching my potential". Their ambitions for me essentially.
Same with my writing. Yes, I've written a ton of perfectly-publishable novels. Will I publish? No. Not unless I need to scrape every last penny, then I might consider it. They exist to reflect on my experiences & to be read to close friends. Maybe I'll post a fanfic someday. But I really don't want my internal life & emotions chained to a profession. I did what I wanted: learn to write really well. But I did it for me and now? Eh.
the quote where you said something about 'are they really your dreams, or are they just your dreams because you were told you needed to have one' really struck me to my core. I've been having thoughts like this and what my passion in life may be in relation to going to school right now. And that in combination with one of my classes discussing Aboriginal land management and your reaction and connect to the land that we occupy is leading me toward a path of mindfulness. My class discussing inhabitation on the land as participating in the land and existing within her, and just existing within a relational context and I think this video has really driven home the fact that I don't want to continuous reach for the next best thing for me to be doing. But to existing as an active participant in life ( Life in the indigenous perspective of everything is alive including the rocs, the sky, the water, the soil, the plants etc.) But also I don't think I'm quite ready to break free from that ambition because I want to finish my education.
@@makennamaxwell8856 it’s great that you’re thinking about this already. I didn’t have this realization until i was 25 or 26. Definitely finish your education! The class you mentioned sounds far more interesting than anything I studied in college (I studied marketing lol)
one of my favourite passages in a book and something to think about it's enough to exist in the world and marvel at it. You don't need to justify that or earn it. You are allowed to just live. in saying that I do agree, chase the education if you're not wanting to let go of that.
When I paused I sat there with no thoughts…then cried. I think more than anything the saddest part for me is the time that went by, and within the time, the relationships turned sour by ambition. My insecurity with myself is the main reason I’ve been addicted to working so hard; “you won’t find one that will love you for who you are until I’m financially there”, “I can’t bring a kid into this world without financially and occupationally being there”, “I’ll be considered good at what I do once I can financially live off what I do”. Even broke up with my last girlfriend because I wanted her for who she could be instead of who she was. Time to learn acceptance lol
I don't have dreams or desires. I dont feel like a failure for not having them. But not having them has made me directionless and jaded. And THAT weighs on me immensly
That’s funnily enough a fairly normal thing (as in there is a good amount of people who feel the same). One way you may find direction in life is just doing small things. Everytime you do something, just go “I’ll do this”. Literally could be cleaning your room, or going to the shop to buy that juice you like. And everytime you do. Just think what’s next. Is it just another thing your day to day life routine, or something a bit different? If you drink at a cafe before something, why not go “let me go to all the cafes around my area within this week”. Whatever it is, just make it a thing you’re gonna do. Doesn’t even have to be productive. “Screw it. Today, watching the whole Harry Potter movie series in on sitting”
@@akshayde You don’t need to force yourself- you are inherently not satisfied with a directionless life. So part of your journey will be about finding your purpose. It’s good that you don’t let societal expectation or pressure affect you, but you’re starting to realize that finding things, ideals or principles to aspire to everyday is for your own sake of a healthy life in balance
I am 24 years old, and I have spent the past decade writing. I have always tried to be a writer who composes ideas creatively, and not someone who just wants to express himself, and thus I've been heavily focused on my craft. I'd like to point something else about great ambition. It somehow causes you to sacrifice a lot in life. And it's not even intentional. It's not like you know you're sacrificing moments and opportunities because you're like a child who wants to play with his toys. It so happens that the love, the passion, the ambition makes you too self involved. Though looking at all the work that I've done fills me with gratitude. I can be depressed, lonely and miserable at a particular moment, but when I look at the bigger picture, the journey that I've travelled, I can't help but be happy. Great video, man!
I think this is an interesting point. To really master a skill takes hard work and sacrifice. And I believe that’s extremely valuable (I say this a fellow writer). For me it’s all about finding the right balance and making sure I prioritize other important things in life, and constantly checking my intentions. Thanks for sharing ❤
I appreciated the reminder that your self worth is decided by YOU. I’m currently a college student, and I’m not very good at it. I prioritize my social life over homework, and I’m failing a class. I watched this 40 minute video instead of working on my final essay that I haven’t even started, and I’m very proficient at procrastinating. I think part of the reason it’s hard for me to be good at college is that I don’t attach my self worth to my grade. I love myself, and I am proud of who I am and know my worth as a human, and I forgive myself for failing a class and not trying hard enough to fix it. In the other hand, I haven’t been giving myself space to think. I overload my brain with content, and in pausing the video I had a hard time piecing my thoughts together. I realized that I’m out of practice with thinking for myself. One of my best procrastination techniques is watching UA-cam. Perhaps if I consumed less content I would have more time to think for myself, and that would make me more intrinsically motivated to write essays and expand my mind in ways that I’m proud of.
bro I was the exact same in college. Constantly distracting myself to do anything but study. I realized it was what I was studying that was part of the problem, but mainly that came from me not thinking enough about what I wanted out of life. I would encourage you to start a mindfulness practice. 30 minutes a day just sit with your thoughts, no distractions, phone out of sight. You will gain clarity and perspective and hopefully it can help you break out of your rut. Also, don't report me but psychedelics can help with this. Therapy, too. DM me on Substack or insta if you want more info about this.
I always felt like Kendrick did what Mac couldn't in order to save himself. Two indisputable greats, but only one that chose himself and managed to save himself from the battles he was fighting. So to see Mac pop on the screen after listening to you dissecting the journey of Kendrick hit me like a ton of bricks. Thank you for this video, thank you for appreciating the artists, those who could save themselves and those who couldn't
The idea that we should have a goal for our life, an end point when life can continue on after achieving it or death can cut it off at any moment feel a bit ridiculous. Working towards things in life is a constant, validation is a moment, a picture. I think our achievement society is shooting us in the foot when it asks us what we want to be when we grow up, as if our entire adulthood will comprise of one thing. One of the reasons i think people will hone in so much on one aspect of life is that they genuinely believe they will never acquire validation through any other means or learn to how to process it.
the reason im so interested in Kendricks next work is Mr Morale, to me, felt like the perfect way to say goodbye. maybe not finally. maybe not forever. but for a while. and we'll see Kendrick explore other expressions like film, creative design or something else with pglang but with his recent battle with Drake, he shook up all my expectations. because no matter how he said "not about who the greatest, its always been love and hate" the battle to me felt like Kendrick finally going and actively seeking the #1 spot that he has always claimed and i'd argue achieved through his work, but never directly pursued through competition he said hes turning away from the culture to follow his heart, but in the battle he very much acted as a champion for his culture. Kendrick is so interesting and his unpredictability only enhances that
Initially I was kinda confused why he even engaged with this beef. But I think there might be something bigger to it that he explores with his next project. Idk we'll see
@@TheStoriesWeTell303 imo he hates Drake because he represents all the fakeness in the rap genre, people talking about murder and money and the street life just to make themselves seem cool while the original rappers were venting to each other about the pain they felt as a result of that lifestyle. Kendrick’s just a natural hater
@@TheStoriesWeTell303 As a rap listener since the late 90s, it was an inevitable course that usually happens in hip hop. Tupac Vs. Biggie (90s generational king battle), Nas vs. Jay-Z (2000s generational king battle), etc. Rap usually has a generational King, and one can argue that Kendrick displayed being heir through his works alone. Yet, he was always missing the actual battle ritual for 2010s generational king(even though it can be questioned whether people actually wanted J.Cole or Drake as a true contender is up for debate).
and in turn with his characteristic unpredictability, he drops GNX out of nowhere - an album where is he championing the next wave of artists through features on pretty much every song and reflecting on his image, position of influence, and the current state of cultural affairs
It's the first time in my life that the algorithm presents me with a piece of content that is this timely. I'm currently in a very unique point in my life. My business that I dropped out of school to build doesn't exist anymore after 7.5 years of pure dedication, neglect at times, blissful ignorance, and ultimately growth. Today, I find myself alone. Not one friend besides my best friend who became my business partner. All because of my ambition. I gave 808s & Heartbreak two listens today, and there's a phrase in 'Street Lights' where Kanye says "Seems like, street lights, glowing happen to be Just like moments, passing, in front of me So I hopped in, the cab and I paid my fare See I know my destination, but I'm just not there" I feel that the destination that Ye reference is the staircase of ambition referenced in this video. This resonated with me to the point that I for the first time in my life opened up my notebook and just wrote. I didn't write for clarity, I didn't write to serve as a reminder, but I wrote to express. I wont share everything that I wrote, but the first lines was "A slave to your own ambition" After I finished writing, I took a walk to clear my mind and get fresh air. I got back home, checked UA-cam and this video popped up as a suggestion. It couldn't be more timely. Thank you for taking the time to create this video and share your thoughts. You have a new subscriber here.
Thank you for sharing; I'm glad to hear that my video affected you like this. In my experience, times of struggle like you're experiencing have ultimately made me a better person. It might take years to realize this, but you'll come out the other side stronger. I talk about this a bit more on my Little Miss Sunshine video, in case you're interested. ❤
Great video, I’ve been struggling with my professional career for a long time (I’m a graphic designer). I’ve been thinking what I do wrong, how to be more productive and earn more, however this only brought me to burnout. After keeping a slower life pace for few months I realised that I still love design and I want to express myself in creative field, so I started to make something for myself again, rather than only for money. These soul projects are not even seen by anyone, but they bring me so much joy.
This video struck a chord in me. I find that the neoliberal ideology dictates an incredible amount of decisions in my life lately. As a Senior in College graduating with a degree that I have absolutely no passion for, I told myself that video editing - something that I found out I love to do - should be what I strive to do for a career. I packed this semester with projects and films so much so that I can barely keep my head afloat, and I've pushed people away from myself to achieve this dream that I told myself I had. While I do still love video editing, and I don't think that this will go away, I've been saying yes to things for the wrong reasons. I look at many things as "an opportunity" to grow my prospecting career, rather than seeing them as things I want to do just because I WANT to. Being recently diagnosed with OCD, I notice that "success" or "purpose" is something that I fixate on and think about constantly, and it can be incredibly destructive. I've lost track of what's important to me lately, and with it being at such an incredibly volatile time in my life (college ending, "the rest of my life" ahead of me) This video guided me into re-recognizing that taking things slow is ok. Actually, it's likely the healthiest thing I can do. Remove expectation, and life becomes so much simpler, so much calmer. So much more real. Thank you for creating such a thought provoking and beautiful video. You've helped me more in 37 minutes than the last 2 months of circular journalling have done for me.
The last part rlly did something , ive been binge watching constant self help since the pandemic. It’s a vicious cycle and as a visual artist the constant need to be great has been so high ever since the emergence of AI art. For a while I’ve been caught up with the idea of “to be great or nothing” but really all it did was pressure me. Thank you for opening up my eye somehow. I really would love to just take a step back more often. To walk without music and just embrace nature, to eat and just enjoy the food and be grateful. My constant need for a” how-to “ or a concrete tutorial on how to live my life has been so overwhelming. I forgot what’s it’s like to explore life and how I want to approach life. I have this constant need for other people to tell me what to think and how to live for so long that it often keeps me up at night. I’ll try to make small changes to incorporate mindfulness and i know Ive failed so many times but this is a reminder to try again. Thank you for this video !
Love this. Self-help, in my opinion, is often self-defeating. Everyone is different and there's no prescriptive answer that can teach you "how to live". "One can convey knowledge but not wisdom. One can find wisdom, one can live it, one can be borne by it, one can work wonders with it, but one can neither speak it nor teach it." - Siddhartha by Herman Hesse My next video is about self-reliance; hope you enjoy it :)
My fear of failure has led to procrastination in many of my assignments. Understanding that you don’t have to be perfect or great greatly has improved my day to day happiness. Being happy in the going of the day is far more valuable than arbitrary success. The people who are worried will judge you, are probably not happy themselves.
I couldn't have seen this video at a more perfect time in my life. I'm an illustrator and lately, I feel like I don't know why I do any of this. So much, if not all of the work I've made in the last few years has either been to make money or to propel my career forward in some way. I've made so much progress, I even landed my first studio gig recently. There has been so much progress, so much growth, and despite the occasional bouts of pride. I can't help but feel empty, and disconnected from my work. The fact that I even call it work feels disheartening. In the 10 mins I took to reflect after the video. I began to cry. There were so many quotes that stuck out to me in this video. I honestly felt glued to the screen and hung on every word that was spoken here. I just, really appreciate what you've made here. And It was the kick I needed to lean into the change I'd been avoiding for so long. I'm going to take some time to be still. Time to observe and ponder. And with time I want to create again. Not because I'm seeking an end result, but to find things along the way. I no longer want to pimp my Butterfly.
4:03 i love kendrick lamar and i love this video so far, but i will say that it is infinitely easier to reject the staircase when you've already climbed so high
Ambition almost had me living a dead life,I was very out of shape and I love working out I went to the hospital for heart murmur not even my family knows this I quit all three jobs in 2015 I was fresh out of highschool, I traveled and now I’m engaged,happy,no more running from gangs ,no more tears or fears from blind ambitions Life is good Money,sex,anything else,will not fill that void ,there is no void to fill ,everything you need is within you friends.
I was cracking up when you said take a minute. Brudi, I have been pausing like every thirty seconds of this video to process :). On that note and thoughts, the closing of the inner butterfly was one instance of pausing. It reminded me of my Grandmother. She passed away early last year but it feels like a second ago. The last five or so years have been brutal for me. I nearly dropped out of law school. I lost my relationship from caretaker burnout. I was reduced to the fetal position. My Grandma passed away without ever seeing me become an attorney. I was abused as a child. I remember her taking me to the butterflies at Selby Garden. The peace and the colorfulness of it all. You will never feel the joy of the world if you can't think on it.
When it comes to job unsatisfaction, you typically think of office jobs or the like. But I think that artistic pursuits (if too much emphasis is placed on the results) can become just as dehumanizing. We often think that pursuits like art or music are exempt of being stressful because it’s something that we want to do, but as an artists myself I find that when you continuously exploit yourself it really just ruins the entire experience and to me it makes me not want to keep drawing. What’s helped is to try to make the experience as enjoyable as possible and to focus on the intention that pushed me to draw rather than the finished pieces I’ll have after I’ve finished.
I love that UA-cam actually pushes smaller channels like yours. I love it, i just remembered that the last days i saw more smaller channels and checked. The Quality of this video is so good, i would have never guessed that your under 100k subscribers. Love it
I'm on a journey to regain who I am and heal the wounds I amassed in my childhood. Watching this video has allowed me to rediscover what my passion actually is and how i lost it in the pursuit of recognition and acceptance. Thank you.
As a former "gifted kid", this hit home. Oh the many things I have offered at the altar of ambition - connection, authenticity, joy. I still have goals, but now they are closer to directions, to where I want to be - than things I must do to see myself as someone remotely "worthy". Thank you for this.
Amazing video. I recently lost my job. Got a big enough pay out that I don't need to rush into anything new, but watching this has helped me to realise how frantic I have been between jobs. I have been listening to podcasts and watching educational videos while studying for some new qualifications ready for my next career and I think your points on silence and space have really hit home in that context. Time spent thinking is time I'm not improving myself and if I'm not improving myself then I should be looking for a job and being productive. The idea of going for a walk without a podcast or something to listen to feels like agony. How could I ever do something so boring? Thank you. Thank you for letting me be kinder to myself and give myself even just half an hour of space to exist, without needing to justify it. A lot of Kendrick's work looks at these issues reflected from a religious view point. With that in mind I'm reminded of one of the most interesting interpretations of the 1st book in genesis, or the Jewish/Christian creation myth. It was pointed out that if you believe Genesis was written by the Jewish nation after leaving slavery (Historians can debate if or where this took place). Then the narrative is that the nation of Israel left enslavement and came to found their own nation in a holy promised land. For these people the focus of Genesis and the creation of the world could in fact be not the how or the why of creation, but the fact that once the universe was made, God rested. He took the 7th day and did nothing. He just existed with his creation, and importantly mankind should too. In this way the creation myth stands out as the world wasn't born out of conflict or death, or war (like many other creation myths) but by a creator who sees value in just existing, in resting, in being. Anyway, thought it was an interesting counterpoint to some of the other philosophical view points. Just how many of the world's religions and philosophies have this focus on the need for rest and reflection? How have we known the importance of this for thousands of years but also completely forgotten its importance?
thank you for sharing, and best of luck with the next step of your career. I was recently laid off as well, and took the opportunity to do a complete 180 with my career. I would recommend using the time as an opportunity to examine what you really want out of life, and try your best to make that happen.
As an avid UA-cam watcher/enjoyer, one of my favorite things to witness on this site is when a creator that I love comes to the revelation that they themselves have "pimped their own butterfly". The story typically goes like this: a small to mid-level creator goes viral for a certain (oftentimes hacky) trend/premise/video idea and they gain a ton of new loyal followers. This increased popularity coupled with an ambition for more and more views leads the creator to continue to replicate that viral video style, much to the admiration of their new fan base who are hungry for more and more. Sometimes though, the creator has enough self-awareness and artistic integrity (much like Kendrick) to realize that they have essentially pimped themselves and that they no longer feel the passion that they once did when making videos that were "less successful". When the creator tries to correct this error and un-pimp their butterfly, they are often met with intense dissatisfaction from their once loyal fans who don't want them to change and would rather see the creator's butterfly remain pimped out. I find this to be incredibly disheartening but at the same time uplifting because it's amazing to see creators change and even stumble to figure out their own unique artistic vision without the need for cheap trends, flashy thumbnails, or viral gimmicks. UA-camr Steezy Kane is a perfect example of this phenomenon with his viral "jumping off the pier" or "singing songs in public" videos. Thank you for addressing this and I hope it inspires more people, as it has with me, to refrain from pimping your butterfly just so you can climb a couple more steps higher on a never-ending staircase.
I also have the impression that even if you continue to copy a formula over and over again, the loyal audience ends up getting tired of it and moving on to something else. that's why success is always ephemeral: either you repeat and people get bored, or you innovate and people no longer understand.
i started learning programming a few months ago, it seems i like it. but since the start it has been driving me crazy. my desire to excel which is like being on a boat with a map of the pacific ocean, the desire which intensity was built up by being the excellent student at school, it is killing my passion by upsetting me, devaluing my tiniest steps.. i heard another yt-er quoting perfection is enemy of passion. so true, so so true. add big c's ambition hype and you get burning people like me
24:51 that ain’t hyperbole at ALL- I felt and said that after the first listen… I sat, mouth open and tears just flowed… and our community, we are in desperate need of collective therapy and healing- that album -in fact his entire discography is a good start…
another banger kendrick and whiplash video essay! this def made me reflect and remind myself of how I can spare a few mins of my day just by myself without noise, especially in the chaotic fast paced world we're in today.
thanks so much for making this. i’ve wrestled for so long with my loops around ambition and self-worth, the drive for “greatness” and the pain that it masked. again: much much gratitude for you and for the effort you put into making this!! thank you!!!!
This is genuinely such a great video. So many think pieces are just a bunch of fluff but you really made some amazing points here and the editing is soooo top notch. Thanks for dropping this my dude, I appreciate the effort you put into this.
I hope I start treating myself better when it comes to following my dreams of making music. In the beginning I fell in love with the expression of myself. It felt more true than any other way I could express how I was feeling. Over this year I've gotten caught up in improving and always pushing to get better at technique and that's caused a bit of a rift in my relationship with the art. But I think the most important thing now is to just be in love and stay in love with the art. I am enough as I am right now.
“Be able to express my creativity, and make money in the process. Something rare in today’s age.” You say this as if it’s not the least rare it’s ever been. We are in the golden age of creativity and the ability to live off it. This is where these critiques largely fall flat for me. But a very well done video
Fair enough. Perhaps I emphasized too much that it is a "today" problem, but my point was more about how once I got a taste of success, my mind immediately went to money. Which is a reflection of the world we live in. Even something as pure as creativity ultimately feeds the capitalist machine.
@@TheStoriesWeTell303 100% & don’t get me wrong i totally agree. Mindchatter has a line that says “tell me the difference between ambition & insecurity”
@@DueceBandithi, just had an off the cuff thought scrolling through comments Ambition is proving to yourself that you are something ideal or desirable Insecurity is proving to others that you arent something undesirable
Pretty sure ambition is wanting to achieve something for the sake of that achievement. Ambition can be influenced by insecurity, which would be the feeling of not being in control of one's environent or self. But ambition by itself is simply the desire to achieve something through effort. There is not necessarily compulsion or negative connotation. One can have the ambition to actualize themself in a healthy way, etc. insecurity also can be neutral, as in feeling insecure in an unsafe environment, but compulsive insecurity and compulsive ambition require the adjective to mean what this video is discussing. Imo @@DueceBandit
i appreciate the point you brought up at the end about how our society consumes without contemplating. I finally decided to tackle my screen addiction and now i find it really sad when i look around and everyone in my family is glued to a screen for the entire day, consuming mindlessly. great video, glad i found your channel
Whenever I take interest in anything creative, I tend to burn out and move on. I fall in love, but fall into a habit of striving for perfection. Creating not because I want to, but because “I should”. I exploit any passion and disregard creativity and process for results and grind. Though some artists make it through ambition or “greed”, such as Kanye who moved to New York to live off his beats. In his song spaceship he talks about making 5 beats a day for 3 summers. This to me is ambition and Kanye trying to “exploit his butterfly”. I honestly don’t know whether ambition or greed is a total good or bad. I hope there is an in between where we can strive to be better and love ourselves.
The humanity vs greatness section... just everything about that felt important for me to hear. One of my favourite lines of the video was asking whether or not the dreams we have are our own, or if we're told to dream. I've felt shackled by feeling like I'm not "living my life to it's fullest" because I don't have those dreams; I like doing my hobbies, and pursuing my objectively boring but extremely fulfilling career.
As a math major student I was a victim of abuse, although we never got to physical violence, my professors abuse me and my classmates for 4 years, everyone was on the same page so it was like a cult. After graduating while pursuing my phd I hurt myself in a lot of ways just like Andrew and finally had the courage to look inside me and realized what had happened. I am still recovering from the trauma. Thank you for your video
by the way just to make sure, this is very dangerous, I had PTD , burnout, depression, I am glad I came out alive but still I am worried for the students those professors have right now.
My pause thought revolved around the Kendrick interview with Rick, specifically when Kendrick talked about how fast life moves.... "and one day you wake up and you're 29." Celebrated my 29th last September. I've been feeling life moving too fast a lot lately. Practicing mindfulness is one of the few things able to slow down my days and help me see all of the little things I could be missing as time flies by. Just wanted to thank you for the video and definitely for the pause at the end. I needed that one.
This video was very well done. I don’t comment on videos, but this one made an impression on me. I hope you continue to do this good work, the World needs it
This felt like an English class in the best way possible. I feel enriched as i leave this video and I’m so glad you took the time to make it. I think something that resonates with me heavily is the ends not justifying the means when it comes to success and our goals in life. Maybe instead of traditional goal setting I’m gonna practice character-growth kinds of goals. “I want to be the type of person who enjoys their work” rather than “i want to be the best at my job.” It’s a subtle change but i think it’ll help me focus on what matters
Thank you for making this video sir, it spoke to me and I feel it’s the right length to let the conclusion arrive when there’s a place for it in the mind. First video from you that I find, so I’ll stick around, thanks!
I recently watched the film Didi and the themes in this video reminded me of the mother in the film, who I resonated with the most. She had a dream of being an artist and never ended up finding success. Having to raise a family weighed her down and made her question if she went down the wrong path, if she made a mistake and she would’ve been happier without her family, pursuing her goal of being an artist instead. Throughout the film she is still working on her craft, and the subject of her art is centred on her family- those she loves and finds joy and purpose in. She even submits her art in a competition and fails, yet it doesn’t phase her. She’s just happy making her art and finding purpose in her family and the little things, realizing the dreams of grandeur she had when she was young wasn’t necessarily what she needed to truly be happy in life.
One of the best UA-cam videos I've seen in a long time. You really acutely honed in on a number of things I've been struggling with and haven't really tried or given myself the opportunity to resolve. Honestly it's difficult to see solutions when I'm so steeped in a lifestyle that generates those very problems, but I sincerely appreciate you making this video and thereby getting me to think about them. I think for that alone, I'm better off for having watched this, so thank you and wishing you the best!
I have to say the quality of this video is actually insane! The amount of effort and research put into your work is noticeable and I absolutely loved the result. Thank you for offering your perspective on this topic and the use of stillness to combat the feeling of failure. As someone who often thinks negatively about myself whenever I get the chance to reflect on my life and overall achievements, I realize that the only way to challenge these thoughts is to sit and observe them closely; no podcast, music, or noise distracting me. I aim to practice mindfulness more often because as much as we like to convince ourselves that being dissatisfied with our current lives will lead us to a better future, it ultimately has the opposite effect. Keep up the good work man!
True genius is utter connection to the world around you. Although often seen through a narrow lens, so small you cannot see the world shift around you as you crack the mountains standing in the way of others. This is a musing I had whilst pausing the video to reflect. Appreciate the video man, really helped consolidate a few things going on in my mind recently. Keep it up!
I am very ambitious. So ambitious that I despise and devalue normality. I admire successful, respected people who take risks and do something extraordinary-those who stand out from the crowd because of their career. People who don't follow the conventional path but dare to be different and true to themselves. For exactly this reason, I despise myself so deeply. I feel like I'm normal and take no risks in my life. I feel like I have this ambition within me to live an artistic life, but I’m too lazy or too afraid to put in the effort and pursue these fantasies. This makes me feel unauthentic. However, these fantasies change so often and are always just dreams that eventually fade away. I indulge in them until they lose their appeal, and then I need to find something new to fantasize about-a new path to greatness. Then I feel unhappy with myself because I’m not doing anything to develop myself in that direction. Instead, I’m moving toward a scientific career through my psychology studies, even though I have to force myself daily to learn the material and continue with the program. This makes me deeply unhappy with myself.
this really resonates with me. especially at the end with the nietzche quote with loving butterflies and how u said are they your dreams just because u were told u needed to have one. over the past 2 years of my life i’ve constantly been chasing recognition and remarkableness and i’ve utterly failed at my goal and even when i did it never made me happy. it only subdued me further. so i’ve basically had a 4 month period of burn out and really an intense one of 2 months. it’s really caused me to realize that i can’t keep going on like this, as u said, sacrificing my humanity in order to be great. I think i still want to be good at the things i do but i don’t really want it to consume me anymore. I want to learn to “love the butterflies” and to be content with being me. not having to justify my existence through external means.
Thank you for sharing; I hope you find the right balance ❤ it’s very unfortunate how hustle culture takes things we love and turns them into objects of pain
My job is as a sort of social worker helping people to find jobs. I write CVS and applications with them. Most of them are long term unemployed people, those who are deemed the vermin of society. I'm actually completely against defining people's worth in their jobs or lack thereof. But somehow, I ended up in this position, where I try to help the city push people into jobs so that the stats look better. I try to always find the balance between telling them "you don't have to work if it sucks out your spirit" (because most of them are completely without education and can only do shitty jobs) and pushing them to maybe take a shitty job for a few months until they can finance a course to qualify for their dream job. All the while my project manager pushing us to get more people into work, no matter what kind of job. Having a job can really help your self esteem. And yeah, sure, we should all question this notion. But it's the reality in our system. I wish it was enough to just be. But living is expensive, and even if you don't define yourself by your job but by hobbies, you still need money for hobbies. It's a weird position to be in as a really lefty leftist haha
What hit me harder was the simple "learn from others and from yourself" I noticed how lately I haven't been learning even from myself. Repeating ancient mistakes. Felt dumb AF. I still don't know how to fix it. But mindfulness looks a lot like the first step.
I am contemplating life as I write this, trying to be more mindful of what I do and all, I feel like we all need to stop and take a good look at ourselves metaphorically. Socrates put it well, "An unexamined life is not worth living". I've been going off on my life like a train that never stops. I haven't been the kindest person ever. I haven't exactly been grateful for what it is that I have. I hope I can be more mindful of the things that I do, and I hope I can become more grateful for what I have.
Great balanced exploration! It gets especially tricky when people are hustling because they want to genuinely contribute positively to their society. I suspect the best way to do this is to find a way to sustainably do your work, and set an example for what a healthy relationship with your craft can be.
great video. thank you. i find i cannot meditate enough. allowing my focus to rest on one point produces so much more peace everywhere else in life, allowing creativity to come in.
Correction: Typo during Black Swan clips. It should say Darren Aronofsky and 2010
edit: Peep the new discord server 🫡 discord.gg/ahY43NQR
No, I don't. & I'll tell you why: this channel is a Married Bachelor.
Just because humans can say a thing doesn't mean it exists. You spend so much time worrying about which ism is the Correct Mindset that you don't realize that mindsets don't exist any more than married bachelors do. They're concepts.
Every Single Last Federal Politician is openly accepting money from companies. Who on this planet would get paid for not doing the company's bidding? Yet you insist on continuing to imagine that politicians who label themselves 'liberal' or 'conservative' issue policies based on non-existent isms. This is a childish wish-fulfillment fantasy.
Get back to me if you ever grow up
Can you share or redirect me to a playlist with the music from this video?
@@ChewsCarefullyoof. Harsh. it sounds like you're angry at something larger than just this creator. Do you make your own video essays.
Whenever I feel like a failure for not getting the recognition I aim for, I remember my grandma saying "If only the most beautiful birds were allowed to sing, all the forests would be silent."
You are a beautiful bird, and the MOST beautiful birds don't exist. Sing.
love this
That’s a bar
Birds don't just sing they hunt each other, eat each other and they'll absolutely will kill unprotected eggs and young chicks even from the same species. Birds are very far from the image of peace that Hollywood is telling you
🔥
Your grandma was a poet!
I used to think I was a failure as even though I work hard on my craft every day and submit my work when I can, I've never been published or reached any fame despite being informed many times that my work is good quality. Now that I'm in my 40's, I see people who DID 'succeed' in my craft, they're miserable. I am free to work at my own pace and make what I want. I don't see myself as a failure anymore.
thank you for sharing. What is your craft if you don't mind me asking?
@@TheStoriesWeTell303 I write and draw comics :)
You are me, indeed. I've been making music for 24 years. I never thought about success and failure. I was just happy that I found a way to make music on my own. I am of the mind that success is relative. Who is anyone to really tell anyone else what success is? If you love doing your craft and continue doing it, that is more success to me than being famous and rich. We do what we want with our art because we don't have the boundaries of the industry and gatekeepers to hold us back. We don't have to be afraid to express ourselves authenticity and peacefully. If people see us and vibe with us for what we do, that is the best reward, at least to me. Thank you for what you do, and be proud of your talent. Everybody is a star in their own way. Keep shining your way!
@@TheMightyPikaWhere can people see your work?
@@TheMightyPika Dope and always been a dream of mine since a jit. Keep going up 💪🏿
This world makes us feel like shit, then we wonder why we feel like shit.
The world is very kind to smart people or the ones with the most resources. So if you're neither one i suggest you give up
@@stellviahohenheim The world hates smart people. It loves clever people who can play the smartest and those who own the most. Often times the most clever are the ones who own, so they just have to play the smart right
@@mikebrueggman6666
True. Smart people are great and important, but sly clever people always seem to get by
The call is coming from inside the house.
No, You make yourself feel like shit , You guys think "Smart" or "clever" people get by better but thats because they're not wasting energy and Focus on what doesnt serve them the world Is unfair but fair at the same time we all have disadvantages that are not ideal for out goals but we Also have Hidden talents waiting to be used
"there's more to life than this arbitrary notion of success. The staircase we're climbing leads to exploitation, guilt and burnout. (...) you are enough as you are and the only one who determines your self worth is yourself". In the constant chaos of the corporate ladder, this is just what I needed to hear and keep in mind. Thank you so much
i wish i was the only one who determined my self worth. but when your culture deemed you perpetually unworthy of any quality of life regardless of how many millions i would make for other people to waste, you physically cant think or feel anything other than the effects of being perpetually starved and looked down on. how can i value myself when the world i live in forces me to never be allowed to receive ANY of the fruits of my labor? why does usa government spend soooo much money subsidizing the lives of violent criminals but wont spend a single penny helping law abiding impoverished people? its almost like they want to make sure no one whos born poor will ever even have the option of good mental health due to being in immediate danger of death every second of your waking life...
@@saturationstation1446the fact that the government can provide for prisoners is proof that we need UBI for all - universal basic income so that everyone's basic needs are always met.
The problem is that in a hierarchy, it's always easier to elevate yourself by harming others than it is to better yourself.
Personally I see hierarchies themselves to be a crucial mechanism to fight. Equality is always the enemy of hierarchy.
As someone with ADHD, I can't wait to watch this video. This conversation is a huge deal given people often try to "remedy" ADHD symptoms through reinforcing productivity and notions of motivation and achievement attached to working hard for an ambition. Despite that being something ADHD inherently inhibits to an extent, as people with ADHD are working with a different sense of achievement and motivation, and different attributes that make it harder to participate in society that way. It reminds me how some mental diagnosis are partially defined by how bad you are at capitalism and socially constructed rules rather than your personal experiences (not saying ADHD doesn't exist, but saying people can only see it as bad if it makes it harder to "meaningfully contribute" despite it involving memory issues, focus issues, mental and emotional strain, and risk taking that exists outside of work or school).
big facts. I am undiagnosed by definitely have ADHD-like symptoms and this led me down the rabbit hole of productivity/motivation tricks until I realized, "wait, what am I even doing this for?" Rather than try and trick ourselves into being more productive, it's important to examine *why* we are unmotivated. In my case, it's nothing wrong with me, it was my work draining the soul out of me.
I don't know if I actually have ADHD--it might just be focus issues brought on by all the distractions at our fingertips and the hyperactive compulsion (aka shiny active syndrome) from all the products and hobbies we can so easily get wrapped up in. So I certainly don't want to make any blanket statements, but regardless, the way we treat motivation/productivity makes those with ADHD or attention issues feel like shit.
[It reminds me how some mental diagnosis are partially defined by how bad you are at capitalism and socially constructed rules rather than your personal experiences (not saying ADHD doesn't exist, but saying people can only see it as bad if it makes it harder to "meaningfully contribute" despite it involving memory issues, focus issues, mental and emotional strain, and risk taking that exists outside of work or school).]
Edit: I clarify some of my points.
Now that's really interesting. He commented in this video, I think, that our view of a life full of achievements (on the material scale and our sense of productivity) is toxic. Cool.
Like! at some point, there was a mental illness they diagnosed Black folks with in the USA, but really, they were running away from being enslaved. This is Drapetomania. I say, the medical system has been full of biases towards gender and race, but I have faith this can change in our future as we're brought to awareness.
“I can’t wait to watch this video” is so real. I’m scrolling through comments instead of actually watching
I hate "because capitalism" trope that people like you just drop over and over and over again as if anything would be different let alone better in a non capitalist society. Its sooo annoying
A capitalist society is inherently ableist. Its so pervasive that it even teaches some folks that the disabled are a burden to society and opens their opinions up to adopt those of eugenicists. So long as productivity and wealth are seen as "noble traits" by this hellish society we're dealt with, disabled folks will continue to be marginalized.
We need to remember that we are not inherently exceptional or special. Every other organism on earth lives fruitfully in their mediocrity. Yet we are imprisoned by our need to be the exception, the best, the one. Somehow our culture accepted that our purpose is making as much impact as possible, and in this we have abandoned our peace. I often think of ancient nomadic cultures who refused to settle down and live in one place. Even when they had access and knowledge of infrastructure, they preferred the simple life of traveling with the seasons. They saw that tribes who settled had stable food, more people, and a legacy they could keep forever. They did not care, they were content in the life they had and had no desire for legacy. Because of this, we have very little record of them even existing. Many of them were eventually conquered by dynasties and clans that despised their “primal” lifestyles. But these tribes were free of complex war, classes, and oppression. They just looked out for eachother, living unimpactful lives in peace. I wish there was a way for us to live that way too; simple lives that don’t ask to be special. I envy the bird resting on my windowsill. Content in the shade and shelter given him, content with his single mate and family, content in the most unremarkable life. The only difference between me and that bird is that I cannot be content in just that, I am destined for more. I am destined to look for more and more until I die.
This is poetry
Well said bro ...thanks for the knowledge
Well said
In this culture, if you are not exceptional, you are but a bug. And you know what we do to bugs.
This is the reason I strived for "greatness" : the desire to escape being treated like a bug (as I used to be in my childhood)
I think it ultimately comes down to whether you view the State of Nature (what you're describing here) as an idyllic place, or as a hellscape. Locke thought it was awesome, Hobbes thought it was hell.
I'd push back on the idea that tribes didn't have war, classes, or oppression. Of course they did. Even chimpanzees have these things. It sucked then too, just a very, very different kind of suck to the suck of modernity. Very different set of problems.
We're creatures blessed and cursed with the relentless pursuit of "more", "more" far beyond our ability to actually use the stuff we think we need. Wishing you all the best as you pursue a life of greater freedom/letting go of this stuff that binds us.
It's hard to let go of ambition when you have no money.
hell even if you earn money it's hard to let it go unless you have "safe" amount of money so you know if problems arise you are not fucked. A high salary is not great if you still have a mortage and no savings. Hell earning a lot to simply be free of ambition way before retirement would be perfect.
I will never get sick of tpab interpretations. An album that is forever repayable, where you get a new meaning, pick a new detail out with every listen, with a brilliant and luscious jazz production. It is the first album and first rap album I listened to, and is still what I consider to be the best piece of art I've ever experienced. This is a great video, and I hope for more.
I really hope Kendrick experiments with jazz/funk sounds more in the future. I love Mr. Morale, but sonically TPAB is head and shoulders above his other work, for me.
@@TheStoriesWeTell303 100%
Also as you grow and mature, you get more out of it too.
It was my first album too; it’s the best album to start with
Lmao
so much of the time i find myself consumed by a never ending drip feed of media. movies, books, shows, the news, TikTok's, Instagram reels. even watching this video i was like, "damn, i need to watch whiplash". i consume a lot of the media i do under the guise of educating myself, but I'm not actually doing the work, taking the time to chew on what I'm consuming. it's something i need to work on. i went outside this morning and picked up the trash that was all over my neighborhood. i went for a walk with some music, and just enjoyed the fresh air. i think i wanna make something like that a part of my life. taking an hour to clean, go on a walk, and just be with myself. i could apply that method on a smaller scale after watching something, or reading a book.. I'm so prone to finding the next big distraction. thank you for this video. it's opened my eyes to something I've been avoiding for a while now i think.
The pure irony of me scrolling down to read comments like this one, before even consuming the video itself. Ouch 😩
Always criticizing yourself will never lead to anything but exactly the opposite of what you are trying to do. Loving yourself is a must if you want to have a great life.Everyone needs to watch this video.Great job man
This kind of reminds me of Kanye’s career. I think of this all the time … of how he’s a shell of himself … ruined by the fame and the influence. He became one of the greatest and most influential artists of all time … but at what cost ?
Kanye definitely went downhill after the death of his mother.
Everything after 808's was a different Kanye to me. Although the album went into a completely different direction, I'd consider this a transition album.
Looking back at him now, his lyrics from his first four albums were so real, down-to-earth and thoughtful.
Today's Kanye is the dude the old Kanye used to talk shit about--and was scared of becoming.
@@emberman535 too accurate 💔
His wife ruined him
From my childhood till now, people have always asked me if I wanted to be an artist, why wasn't I an artist, why wasn't I selling my art? Watching this video finally gave me words for it, adding money to it feels like I'm defiling it. It's the one joy I always had that has nothing to do with work. People sometimes get angry with me because I'd rather make things for free, I realize now because they saw it as me "not reaching my potential". Their ambitions for me essentially.
Same with my writing. Yes, I've written a ton of perfectly-publishable novels. Will I publish? No. Not unless I need to scrape every last penny, then I might consider it. They exist to reflect on my experiences & to be read to close friends. Maybe I'll post a fanfic someday. But I really don't want my internal life & emotions chained to a profession. I did what I wanted: learn to write really well. But I did it for me and now? Eh.
the quote where you said something about 'are they really your dreams, or are they just your dreams because you were told you needed to have one' really struck me to my core. I've been having thoughts like this and what my passion in life may be in relation to going to school right now. And that in combination with one of my classes discussing Aboriginal land management and your reaction and connect to the land that we occupy is leading me toward a path of mindfulness. My class discussing inhabitation on the land as participating in the land and existing within her, and just existing within a relational context and I think this video has really driven home the fact that I don't want to continuous reach for the next best thing for me to be doing. But to existing as an active participant in life ( Life in the indigenous perspective of everything is alive including the rocs, the sky, the water, the soil, the plants etc.) But also I don't think I'm quite ready to break free from that ambition because I want to finish my education.
@@makennamaxwell8856 it’s great that you’re thinking about this already. I didn’t have this realization until i was 25 or 26. Definitely finish your education! The class you mentioned sounds far more interesting than anything I studied in college (I studied marketing lol)
one of my favourite passages in a book and something to think about
it's enough to exist in the world and marvel at it. You don't need to justify that or earn it. You are allowed to just live.
in saying that I do agree, chase the education if you're not wanting to let go of that.
When I paused I sat there with no thoughts…then cried. I think more than anything the saddest part for me is the time that went by, and within the time, the relationships turned sour by ambition. My insecurity with myself is the main reason I’ve been addicted to working so hard; “you won’t find one that will love you for who you are until I’m financially there”, “I can’t bring a kid into this world without financially and occupationally being there”, “I’ll be considered good at what I do once I can financially live off what I do”. Even broke up with my last girlfriend because I wanted her for who she could be instead of who she was. Time to learn acceptance lol
It’s a long journey my friend but you’ll come out the other side a better person ❤
Keep accepting, you'll get there
Well, second point with the kid is pretty reasonable
I don't have dreams or desires. I dont feel like a failure for not having them. But not having them has made me directionless and jaded. And THAT weighs on me immensly
That’s funnily enough a fairly normal thing (as in there is a good amount of people who feel the same).
One way you may find direction in life is just doing small things. Everytime you do something, just go “I’ll do this”.
Literally could be cleaning your room, or going to the shop to buy that juice you like. And everytime you do. Just think what’s next. Is it just another thing your day to day life routine, or something a bit different?
If you drink at a cafe before something, why not go “let me go to all the cafes around my area within this week”.
Whatever it is, just make it a thing you’re gonna do.
Doesn’t even have to be productive. “Screw it. Today, watching the whole Harry Potter movie series in on sitting”
@@pian-0g445 dont have issues with those things. more big things like work money etc
The truth is somewhere in the middle. You can’t live life on either extreme. It’s just not the way
@fr5229 agreed. But how do you force yourself to have dreams and desires? Aren't they supposed to come from within and be genuine?
@@akshayde You don’t need to force yourself- you are inherently not satisfied with a directionless life. So part of your journey will be about finding your purpose. It’s good that you don’t let societal expectation or pressure affect you, but you’re starting to realize that finding things, ideals or principles to aspire to everyday is for your own sake of a healthy life in balance
I am 24 years old, and I have spent the past decade writing. I have always tried to be a writer who composes ideas creatively, and not someone who just wants to express himself, and thus I've been heavily focused on my craft. I'd like to point something else about great ambition. It somehow causes you to sacrifice a lot in life. And it's not even intentional. It's not like you know you're sacrificing moments and opportunities because you're like a child who wants to play with his toys. It so happens that the love, the passion, the ambition makes you too self involved. Though looking at all the work that I've done fills me with gratitude. I can be depressed, lonely and miserable at a particular moment, but when I look at the bigger picture, the journey that I've travelled, I can't help but be happy. Great video, man!
I think this is an interesting point. To really master a skill takes hard work and sacrifice. And I believe that’s extremely valuable (I say this a fellow writer). For me it’s all about finding the right balance and making sure I prioritize other important things in life, and constantly checking my intentions. Thanks for sharing ❤
it's like you made a video on my two favorite things ever and wrapped it up in the exact topic i've been thinking about recently.
thanks for this.
i’ve been watching your videos for years, hope you’re doing good fr man love your passion🩷
dude you are literally the reason I watched Whiplash 😂
THIS IS ART PERIOD
Everything is art, and art is everything. :)
I appreciated the reminder that your self worth is decided by YOU. I’m currently a college student, and I’m not very good at it. I prioritize my social life over homework, and I’m failing a class. I watched this 40 minute video instead of working on my final essay that I haven’t even started, and I’m very proficient at procrastinating. I think part of the reason it’s hard for me to be good at college is that I don’t attach my self worth to my grade. I love myself, and I am proud of who I am and know my worth as a human, and I forgive myself for failing a class and not trying hard enough to fix it. In the other hand, I haven’t been giving myself space to think. I overload my brain with content, and in pausing the video I had a hard time piecing my thoughts together. I realized that I’m out of practice with thinking for myself. One of my best procrastination techniques is watching UA-cam. Perhaps if I consumed less content I would have more time to think for myself, and that would make me more intrinsically motivated to write essays and expand my mind in ways that I’m proud of.
Thank you for sharing 🙏
bro I was the exact same in college. Constantly distracting myself to do anything but study. I realized it was what I was studying that was part of the problem, but mainly that came from me not thinking enough about what I wanted out of life.
I would encourage you to start a mindfulness practice. 30 minutes a day just sit with your thoughts, no distractions, phone out of sight. You will gain clarity and perspective and hopefully it can help you break out of your rut. Also, don't report me but psychedelics can help with this. Therapy, too. DM me on Substack or insta if you want more info about this.
I always felt like Kendrick did what Mac couldn't in order to save himself. Two indisputable greats, but only one that chose himself and managed to save himself from the battles he was fighting. So to see Mac pop on the screen after listening to you dissecting the journey of Kendrick hit me like a ton of bricks. Thank you for this video, thank you for appreciating the artists, those who could save themselves and those who couldn't
I am considering a video on Mac. Not for a while and don't even know what I want to say, but his story is so powerful and tragic.
@@TheStoriesWeTell303I absolutely love Mac. His Balloonerism album is set to officially release soon. I just discovered the channel. Great stuff!
The idea that we should have a goal for our life, an end point when life can continue on after achieving it or death can cut it off at any moment feel a bit ridiculous. Working towards things in life is a constant, validation is a moment, a picture. I think our achievement society is shooting us in the foot when it asks us what we want to be when we grow up, as if our entire adulthood will comprise of one thing. One of the reasons i think people will hone in so much on one aspect of life is that they genuinely believe they will never acquire validation through any other means or learn to how to process it.
LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK 📣🔊
the reason im so interested in Kendricks next work is Mr Morale, to me, felt like the perfect way to say goodbye. maybe not finally. maybe not forever. but for a while. and we'll see Kendrick explore other expressions like film, creative design or something else with pglang
but with his recent battle with Drake, he shook up all my expectations. because no matter how he said "not about who the greatest, its always been love and hate" the battle to me felt like Kendrick finally going and actively seeking the #1 spot that he has always claimed and i'd argue achieved through his work, but never directly pursued through competition
he said hes turning away from the culture to follow his heart, but in the battle he very much acted as a champion for his culture. Kendrick is so interesting and his unpredictability only enhances that
Initially I was kinda confused why he even engaged with this beef. But I think there might be something bigger to it that he explores with his next project. Idk we'll see
@@TheStoriesWeTell303 imo he hates Drake because he represents all the fakeness in the rap genre, people talking about murder and money and the street life just to make themselves seem cool while the original rappers were venting to each other about the pain they felt as a result of that lifestyle. Kendrick’s just a natural hater
@@TheStoriesWeTell303 As a rap listener since the late 90s, it was an inevitable course that usually happens in hip hop. Tupac Vs. Biggie (90s generational king battle), Nas vs. Jay-Z (2000s generational king battle), etc. Rap usually has a generational King, and one can argue that Kendrick displayed being heir through his works alone. Yet, he was always missing the actual battle ritual for 2010s generational king(even though it can be questioned whether people actually wanted J.Cole or Drake as a true contender is up for debate).
and in turn with his characteristic unpredictability, he drops GNX out of nowhere - an album where is he championing the next wave of artists through features on pretty much every song and reflecting on his image, position of influence, and the current state of cultural affairs
It's the first time in my life that the algorithm presents me with a piece of content that is this timely.
I'm currently in a very unique point in my life. My business that I dropped out of school to build doesn't exist anymore after 7.5 years of pure dedication, neglect at times, blissful ignorance, and ultimately growth.
Today, I find myself alone. Not one friend besides my best friend who became my business partner. All because of my ambition.
I gave 808s & Heartbreak two listens today, and there's a phrase in 'Street Lights' where Kanye says
"Seems like, street lights, glowing happen to be
Just like moments, passing, in front of me
So I hopped in, the cab and I paid my fare
See I know my destination, but I'm just not there"
I feel that the destination that Ye reference is the staircase of ambition referenced in this video.
This resonated with me to the point that I for the first time in my life opened up my notebook and just wrote. I didn't write for clarity, I didn't write to serve as a reminder, but I wrote to express. I wont share everything that I wrote, but the first lines was "A slave to your own ambition"
After I finished writing, I took a walk to clear my mind and get fresh air.
I got back home, checked UA-cam and this video popped up as a suggestion. It couldn't be more timely.
Thank you for taking the time to create this video and share your thoughts. You have a new subscriber here.
Love that song!!!! My favorite on 808s- Oanye created a perfect mood ( again 🙄) with that track
Thank you for sharing; I'm glad to hear that my video affected you like this. In my experience, times of struggle like you're experiencing have ultimately made me a better person. It might take years to realize this, but you'll come out the other side stronger. I talk about this a bit more on my Little Miss Sunshine video, in case you're interested. ❤
@@TheStoriesWeTell303 Thank you, I'll check it out.
0:34 Bravo my man that intro was 🔥
Great video, I’ve been struggling with my professional career for a long time (I’m a graphic designer). I’ve been thinking what I do wrong, how to be more productive and earn more, however this only brought me to burnout.
After keeping a slower life pace for few months I realised that I still love design and I want to express myself in creative field, so I started to make something for myself again, rather than only for money. These soul projects are not even seen by anyone, but they bring me so much joy.
This video struck a chord in me. I find that the neoliberal ideology dictates an incredible amount of decisions in my life lately. As a Senior in College graduating with a degree that I have absolutely no passion for, I told myself that video editing - something that I found out I love to do - should be what I strive to do for a career. I packed this semester with projects and films so much so that I can barely keep my head afloat, and I've pushed people away from myself to achieve this dream that I told myself I had. While I do still love video editing, and I don't think that this will go away, I've been saying yes to things for the wrong reasons. I look at many things as "an opportunity" to grow my prospecting career, rather than seeing them as things I want to do just because I WANT to. Being recently diagnosed with OCD, I notice that "success" or "purpose" is something that I fixate on and think about constantly, and it can be incredibly destructive. I've lost track of what's important to me lately, and with it being at such an incredibly volatile time in my life (college ending, "the rest of my life" ahead of me) This video guided me into re-recognizing that taking things slow is ok. Actually, it's likely the healthiest thing I can do. Remove expectation, and life becomes so much simpler, so much calmer. So much more real. Thank you for creating such a thought provoking and beautiful video. You've helped me more in 37 minutes than the last 2 months of circular journalling have done for me.
I love this and I'm so glad you found my video impactful
I’ve watched UA-cam videos for 10+ years of my life, and this is easily one of the top 5 greatest videos I’ve ever seen.
The last part rlly did something , ive been binge watching constant self help since the pandemic. It’s a vicious cycle and as a visual artist the constant need to be great has been so high ever since the emergence of AI art. For a while I’ve been caught up with the idea of “to be great or nothing” but really all it did was pressure me. Thank you for opening up my eye somehow. I really would love to just take a step back more often. To walk without music and just embrace nature, to eat and just enjoy the food and be grateful. My constant need for a” how-to “ or a concrete tutorial on how to live my life has been so overwhelming. I forgot what’s it’s like to explore life and how I want to approach life. I have this constant need for other people to tell me what to think and how to live for so long that it often keeps me up at night. I’ll try to make small changes to incorporate mindfulness and i know Ive failed so many times but this is a reminder to try again. Thank you for this video !
Love this. Self-help, in my opinion, is often self-defeating. Everyone is different and there's no prescriptive answer that can teach you "how to live".
"One can convey knowledge but not wisdom. One can find wisdom, one can live it, one can be borne by it, one can work wonders with it, but one can neither speak it nor teach it."
- Siddhartha by Herman Hesse
My next video is about self-reliance; hope you enjoy it :)
Ok but what if failure isn’t even real and it’s all a learning experience
My fear of failure has led to procrastination in many of my assignments. Understanding that you don’t have to be perfect or great greatly has improved my day to day happiness. Being happy in the going of the day is far more valuable than arbitrary success. The people who are worried will judge you, are probably not happy themselves.
I couldn't have seen this video at a more perfect time in my life. I'm an illustrator and lately, I feel like I don't know why I do any of this. So much, if not all of the work I've made in the last few years has either been to make money or to propel my career forward in some way. I've made so much progress, I even landed my first studio gig recently. There has been so much progress, so much growth, and despite the occasional bouts of pride. I can't help but feel empty, and disconnected from my work. The fact that I even call it work feels disheartening.
In the 10 mins I took to reflect after the video. I began to cry. There were so many quotes that stuck out to me in this video. I honestly felt glued to the screen and hung on every word that was spoken here. I just, really appreciate what you've made here. And It was the kick I needed to lean into the change I'd been avoiding for so long.
I'm going to take some time to be still. Time to observe and ponder. And with time I want to create again. Not because I'm seeking an end result, but to find things along the way.
I no longer want to pimp my Butterfly.
4:03 i love kendrick lamar and i love this video so far, but i will say that it is infinitely easier to reject the staircase when you've already climbed so high
So glad UA-cam randomly recommended me this video! Excited to go through your prior videos and see what you make next!
Ambition almost had me living a dead life,I was very out of shape and I love working out
I went to the hospital for heart murmur not even my family knows this
I quit all three jobs in 2015 I was fresh out of highschool,
I traveled and now I’m engaged,happy,no more running from gangs ,no more tears or fears from blind ambitions
Life is good
Money,sex,anything else,will not fill that void ,there is no void to fill ,everything you need is within you friends.
I was cracking up when you said take a minute. Brudi, I have been pausing like every thirty seconds of this video to process :). On that note and thoughts, the closing of the inner butterfly was one instance of pausing. It reminded me of my Grandmother. She passed away early last year but it feels like a second ago. The last five or so years have been brutal for me. I nearly dropped out of law school. I lost my relationship from caretaker burnout. I was reduced to the fetal position. My Grandma passed away without ever seeing me become an attorney. I was abused as a child. I remember her taking me to the butterflies at Selby Garden. The peace and the colorfulness of it all. You will never feel the joy of the world if you can't think on it.
When it comes to job unsatisfaction, you typically think of office jobs or the like. But I think that artistic pursuits (if too much emphasis is placed on the results) can become just as dehumanizing. We often think that pursuits like art or music are exempt of being stressful because it’s something that we want to do, but as an artists myself I find that when you continuously exploit yourself it really just ruins the entire experience and to me it makes me not want to keep drawing. What’s helped is to try to make the experience as enjoyable as possible and to focus on the intention that pushed me to draw rather than the finished pieces I’ll have after I’ve finished.
I had this thought yesterday, but your ability to humanize and conceptualize this very important idea, is outstanding. Thank you.
THAT WAS A FUCKIN EDIT AT THE BEGINNING 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
the moment I had that idea was when I knew this video would slap
Concur!
Amazinggg video. The mention of this pressure being especially high amongst minorities was spot on
I love that UA-cam actually pushes smaller channels like yours. I love it, i just remembered that the last days i saw more smaller channels and checked. The Quality of this video is so good, i would have never guessed that your under 100k subscribers. Love it
I'm on a journey to regain who I am and heal the wounds I amassed in my childhood. Watching this video has allowed me to rediscover what my passion actually is and how i lost it in the pursuit of recognition and acceptance. Thank you.
absolutely nuts quality, keep going man you’re gonna pop off in popularity
You totally outdid yourself with this video. So good in every aspect and the edit was sharp bro!
As a former "gifted kid", this hit home. Oh the many things I have offered at the altar of ambition - connection, authenticity, joy. I still have goals, but now they are closer to directions, to where I want to be - than things I must do to see myself as someone remotely "worthy". Thank you for this.
Amazing video. I recently lost my job. Got a big enough pay out that I don't need to rush into anything new, but watching this has helped me to realise how frantic I have been between jobs. I have been listening to podcasts and watching educational videos while studying for some new qualifications ready for my next career and I think your points on silence and space have really hit home in that context. Time spent thinking is time I'm not improving myself and if I'm not improving myself then I should be looking for a job and being productive. The idea of going for a walk without a podcast or something to listen to feels like agony. How could I ever do something so boring?
Thank you. Thank you for letting me be kinder to myself and give myself even just half an hour of space to exist, without needing to justify it.
A lot of Kendrick's work looks at these issues reflected from a religious view point. With that in mind I'm reminded of one of the most interesting interpretations of the 1st book in genesis, or the Jewish/Christian creation myth. It was pointed out that if you believe Genesis was written by the Jewish nation after leaving slavery (Historians can debate if or where this took place). Then the narrative is that the nation of Israel left enslavement and came to found their own nation in a holy promised land. For these people the focus of Genesis and the creation of the world could in fact be not the how or the why of creation, but the fact that once the universe was made, God rested. He took the 7th day and did nothing. He just existed with his creation, and importantly mankind should too. In this way the creation myth stands out as the world wasn't born out of conflict or death, or war (like many other creation myths) but by a creator who sees value in just existing, in resting, in being.
Anyway, thought it was an interesting counterpoint to some of the other philosophical view points. Just how many of the world's religions and philosophies have this focus on the need for rest and reflection? How have we known the importance of this for thousands of years but also completely forgotten its importance?
thank you for sharing, and best of luck with the next step of your career. I was recently laid off as well, and took the opportunity to do a complete 180 with my career. I would recommend using the time as an opportunity to examine what you really want out of life, and try your best to make that happen.
One of the best written videos in this style I’ve ever seen. And I watch a lot of videos.
As an avid UA-cam watcher/enjoyer, one of my favorite things to witness on this site is when a creator that I love comes to the revelation that they themselves have "pimped their own butterfly". The story typically goes like this: a small to mid-level creator goes viral for a certain (oftentimes hacky) trend/premise/video idea and they gain a ton of new loyal followers. This increased popularity coupled with an ambition for more and more views leads the creator to continue to replicate that viral video style, much to the admiration of their new fan base who are hungry for more and more. Sometimes though, the creator has enough self-awareness and artistic integrity (much like Kendrick) to realize that they have essentially pimped themselves and that they no longer feel the passion that they once did when making videos that were "less successful". When the creator tries to correct this error and un-pimp their butterfly, they are often met with intense dissatisfaction from their once loyal fans who don't want them to change and would rather see the creator's butterfly remain pimped out. I find this to be incredibly disheartening but at the same time uplifting because it's amazing to see creators change and even stumble to figure out their own unique artistic vision without the need for cheap trends, flashy thumbnails, or viral gimmicks. UA-camr Steezy Kane is a perfect example of this phenomenon with his viral "jumping off the pier" or "singing songs in public" videos. Thank you for addressing this and I hope it inspires more people, as it has with me, to refrain from pimping your butterfly just so you can climb a couple more steps higher on a never-ending staircase.
I also have the impression that even if you continue to copy a formula over and over again, the loyal audience ends up getting tired of it and moving on to something else. that's why success is always ephemeral: either you repeat and people get bored, or you innovate and people no longer understand.
Great video! Can’t wait for your channel to blow up; excellent quality.
i started learning programming a few months ago, it seems i like it. but since the start it has been driving me crazy. my desire to excel which is like being on a boat with a map of the pacific ocean, the desire which intensity was built up by being the excellent student at school, it is killing my passion by upsetting me, devaluing my tiniest steps.. i heard another yt-er quoting perfection is enemy of passion. so true, so so true. add big c's ambition hype and you get burning people like me
i just wanna say, the video all by itself has great design, effects, font types, cuts, .. - its an experience you have created. great! +thank you
Just have to comment and say that intro was incredible! I really hope people appreciated how awesome that was to put together.
24:51 that ain’t hyperbole at ALL- I felt and said that after the first listen… I sat, mouth open and tears just flowed… and our community, we are in desperate need of collective therapy and healing- that album -in fact his entire discography is a good start…
another banger kendrick and whiplash video essay! this def made me reflect and remind myself of how I can spare a few mins of my day just by myself without noise, especially in the chaotic fast paced world we're in today.
I really needed this video today. Thanks for making this, keep on doing what you do.
thanks so much for making this. i’ve wrestled for so long with my loops around ambition and self-worth, the drive for “greatness” and the pain that it masked.
again: much much gratitude for you and for the effort you put into making this!! thank you!!!!
this is a work of art, keep it up!
This is genuinely such a great video. So many think pieces are just a bunch of fluff but you really made some amazing points here and the editing is soooo top notch. Thanks for dropping this my dude, I appreciate the effort you put into this.
I hope I start treating myself better when it comes to following my dreams of making music. In the beginning I fell in love with the expression of myself. It felt more true than any other way I could express how I was feeling. Over this year I've gotten caught up in improving and always pushing to get better at technique and that's caused a bit of a rift in my relationship with the art. But I think the most important thing now is to just be in love and stay in love with the art. I am enough as I am right now.
“Be able to express my creativity, and make money in the process. Something rare in today’s age.”
You say this as if it’s not the least rare it’s ever been. We are in the golden age of creativity and the ability to live off it. This is where these critiques largely fall flat for me. But a very well done video
Fair enough. Perhaps I emphasized too much that it is a "today" problem, but my point was more about how once I got a taste of success, my mind immediately went to money. Which is a reflection of the world we live in. Even something as pure as creativity ultimately feeds the capitalist machine.
@@TheStoriesWeTell303 100% & don’t get me wrong i totally agree. Mindchatter has a line that says “tell me the difference between ambition & insecurity”
@@DueceBandithi, just had an off the cuff thought scrolling through comments
Ambition is proving to yourself that you are something ideal or desirable
Insecurity is proving to others that you arent something undesirable
@@Swichmech well put, but both come from a feeling that your current state isn’t good enough
Pretty sure ambition is wanting to achieve something for the sake of that achievement. Ambition can be influenced by insecurity, which would be the feeling of not being in control of one's environent or self. But ambition by itself is simply the desire to achieve something through effort. There is not necessarily compulsion or negative connotation. One can have the ambition to actualize themself in a healthy way, etc. insecurity also can be neutral, as in feeling insecure in an unsafe environment, but compulsive insecurity and compulsive ambition require the adjective to mean what this video is discussing. Imo @@DueceBandit
i appreciate the point you brought up at the end about how our society consumes without contemplating. I finally decided to tackle my screen addiction and now i find it really sad when i look around and everyone in my family is glued to a screen for the entire day, consuming mindlessly.
great video, glad i found your channel
Bro your videos are like therapy for me
I really appreciate how much effort you put into this! Even the description has effort put into it.
Incredible mashup in the intro. I really loved this video, thanks for making it.
Whenever I take interest in anything creative, I tend to burn out and move on. I fall in love, but fall into a habit of striving for perfection. Creating not because I want to, but because “I should”. I exploit any passion and disregard creativity and process for results and grind. Though some artists make it through ambition or “greed”, such as Kanye who moved to New York to live off his beats. In his song spaceship he talks about making 5 beats a day for 3 summers. This to me is ambition and Kanye trying to “exploit his butterfly”. I honestly don’t know whether ambition or greed is a total good or bad. I hope there is an in between where we can strive to be better and love ourselves.
The humanity vs greatness section... just everything about that felt important for me to hear. One of my favourite lines of the video was asking whether or not the dreams we have are our own, or if we're told to dream. I've felt shackled by feeling like I'm not "living my life to it's fullest" because I don't have those dreams; I like doing my hobbies, and pursuing my objectively boring but extremely fulfilling career.
this was such a well-crafted, thought provoking video. thank you for creating it
Good stuff. I also appreciated that you mentioned your own situation because I considered that irony during the intro.
As a math major student I was a victim of abuse, although we never got to physical violence, my professors abuse me and my classmates for 4 years, everyone was on the same page so it was like a cult. After graduating while pursuing my phd I hurt myself in a lot of ways just like Andrew and finally had the courage to look inside me and realized what had happened. I am still recovering from the trauma. Thank you for your video
by the way just to make sure, this is very dangerous, I had PTD , burnout, depression, I am glad I came out alive but still I am worried for the students those professors have right now.
My pause thought revolved around the Kendrick interview with Rick, specifically when Kendrick talked about how fast life moves.... "and one day you wake up and you're 29." Celebrated my 29th last September. I've been feeling life moving too fast a lot lately. Practicing mindfulness is one of the few things able to slow down my days and help me see all of the little things I could be missing as time flies by. Just wanted to thank you for the video and definitely for the pause at the end. I needed that one.
What a great video, man, you're making great connections between these things!
Realizing my thoughts kept growing into the fact I’m pumping my butterfly and to ‘try to’ venture back to mindfulness each day
This video was very well done. I don’t comment on videos, but this one made an impression on me. I hope you continue to do this good work, the World needs it
This was amazing! Been thinking abt these ideas a lot
This felt like an English class in the best way possible. I feel enriched as i leave this video and I’m so glad you took the time to make it.
I think something that resonates with me heavily is the ends not justifying the means when it comes to success and our goals in life.
Maybe instead of traditional goal setting I’m gonna practice character-growth kinds of goals. “I want to be the type of person who enjoys their work” rather than “i want to be the best at my job.”
It’s a subtle change but i think it’ll help me focus on what matters
Thank you for making this video sir, it spoke to me and I feel it’s the right length to let the conclusion arrive when there’s a place for it in the mind. First video from you that I find, so I’ll stick around, thanks!
I recently watched the film Didi and the themes in this video reminded me of the mother in the film, who I resonated with the most. She had a dream of being an artist and never ended up finding success. Having to raise a family weighed her down and made her question if she went down the wrong path, if she made a mistake and she would’ve been happier without her family, pursuing her goal of being an artist instead. Throughout the film she is still working on her craft, and the subject of her art is centred on her family- those she loves and finds joy and purpose in. She even submits her art in a competition and fails, yet it doesn’t phase her. She’s just happy making her art and finding purpose in her family and the little things, realizing the dreams of grandeur she had when she was young wasn’t necessarily what she needed to truly be happy in life.
This is exactly what I needed today.
I took notes in a journal on this one. Excellent work! ❤
LET'S GO! You are killing it, my friend.
One of the best UA-cam videos I've seen in a long time. You really acutely honed in on a number of things I've been struggling with and haven't really tried or given myself the opportunity to resolve. Honestly it's difficult to see solutions when I'm so steeped in a lifestyle that generates those very problems, but I sincerely appreciate you making this video and thereby getting me to think about them. I think for that alone, I'm better off for having watched this, so thank you and wishing you the best!
I have to say the quality of this video is actually insane! The amount of effort and research put into your work is noticeable and I absolutely loved the result. Thank you for offering your perspective on this topic and the use of stillness to combat the feeling of failure. As someone who often thinks negatively about myself whenever I get the chance to reflect on my life and overall achievements, I realize that the only way to challenge these thoughts is to sit and observe them closely; no podcast, music, or noise distracting me. I aim to practice mindfulness more often because as much as we like to convince ourselves that being dissatisfied with our current lives will lead us to a better future, it ultimately has the opposite effect.
Keep up the good work man!
True genius is utter connection to the world around you. Although often seen through a narrow lens, so small you cannot see the world shift around you as you crack the mountains standing in the way of others.
This is a musing I had whilst pausing the video to reflect.
Appreciate the video man, really helped consolidate a few things going on in my mind recently.
Keep it up!
Two of my favorite medias to ever be created in one video? Absolutely amazing
You have given me a lot to think about and I am enriched by this wonderful essay. I am a better person for watching it. You are a blessing. Thank you.
Such a fantastic essay, excellently edited, wonderfully paced.
I am very ambitious. So ambitious that I despise and devalue normality. I admire successful, respected people who take risks and do something extraordinary-those who stand out from the crowd because of their career. People who don't follow the conventional path but dare to be different and true to themselves. For exactly this reason, I despise myself so deeply. I feel like I'm normal and take no risks in my life.
I feel like I have this ambition within me to live an artistic life, but I’m too lazy or too afraid to put in the effort and pursue these fantasies. This makes me feel unauthentic. However, these fantasies change so often and are always just dreams that eventually fade away. I indulge in them until they lose their appeal, and then I need to find something new to fantasize about-a new path to greatness. Then I feel unhappy with myself because I’m not doing anything to develop myself in that direction.
Instead, I’m moving toward a scientific career through my psychology studies, even though I have to force myself daily to learn the material and continue with the program. This makes me deeply unhappy with myself.
this really resonates with me. especially at the end with the nietzche quote with loving butterflies and how u said are they your dreams just because u were told u needed to have one. over the past 2 years of my life i’ve constantly been chasing recognition and remarkableness and i’ve utterly failed at my goal and even when i did it never made me happy. it only subdued me further. so i’ve basically had a 4 month period of burn out and really an intense one of 2 months. it’s really caused me to realize that i can’t keep going on like this, as u said, sacrificing my humanity in order to be great. I think i still want to be good at the things i do but i don’t really want it to consume me anymore. I want to learn to “love the butterflies” and to be content with being me. not having to justify my existence through external means.
Thank you for sharing; I hope you find the right balance ❤ it’s very unfortunate how hustle culture takes things we love and turns them into objects of pain
My job is as a sort of social worker helping people to find jobs. I write CVS and applications with them. Most of them are long term unemployed people, those who are deemed the vermin of society. I'm actually completely against defining people's worth in their jobs or lack thereof. But somehow, I ended up in this position, where I try to help the city push people into jobs so that the stats look better.
I try to always find the balance between telling them "you don't have to work if it sucks out your spirit" (because most of them are completely without education and can only do shitty jobs) and pushing them to maybe take a shitty job for a few months until they can finance a course to qualify for their dream job. All the while my project manager pushing us to get more people into work, no matter what kind of job.
Having a job can really help your self esteem. And yeah, sure, we should all question this notion. But it's the reality in our system. I wish it was enough to just be. But living is expensive, and even if you don't define yourself by your job but by hobbies, you still need money for hobbies.
It's a weird position to be in as a really lefty leftist haha
A VIDEO ESSAY THAT’S ACTUALLY AN ESSAY. And it’s a great one.
Honestly hard to come by these days.
30:20 I love this. No time to breathe, reflect. Like a sedation we're about to recover from, only to be dosed again as we fall back into the stupor.
I loved the meditation session. I truly enjoyed jumping into my own mind about what I learned ❤
What hit me harder was the simple "learn from others and from yourself" I noticed how lately I haven't been learning even from myself. Repeating ancient mistakes. Felt dumb AF. I still don't know how to fix it. But mindfulness looks a lot like the first step.
Hey, this was really cool and inspiring. Thank you so much for putting art out there
This video is so good I’ve sent it to friends through the week and am back rewatching it🔥💗
I am contemplating life as I write this, trying to be more mindful of what I do and all, I feel like we all need to stop and take a good look at ourselves metaphorically. Socrates put it well, "An unexamined life is not worth living". I've been going off on my life like a train that never stops. I haven't been the kindest person ever. I haven't exactly been grateful for what it is that I have. I hope I can be more mindful of the things that I do, and I hope I can become more grateful for what I have.
Great balanced exploration!
It gets especially tricky when people are hustling because they want to genuinely contribute positively to their society.
I suspect the best way to do this is to find a way to sustainably do your work, and set an example for what a healthy relationship with your craft can be.
I think this video actually changed the course of my life. Thank you.
Mannn wow this video is amazing .. creative to creative . I feel seen 🔥
great video. thank you. i find i cannot meditate enough. allowing my focus to rest on one point produces so much more peace everywhere else in life, allowing creativity to come in.
“Ambition is a staircase” and Chaos is a ladder. 😮