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  • Videos are Awesome

    Videos are Awesome

    Question: I’m nervous to post videos on social media.

    You should be nervous about it, because people might not be happy with what you’re doing.

    I have a bunch of videos where I talk about things, experiences I’ve had, or sometimes just calling out people. I’m nervous to post that stuff. That does not make me comfortable to post those things.

    I have one video where I talk about a fantasy I have about going back to school and just confronting the teacher when the teacher asks me if I did my homework, and just getting all up in the teacher’s face about it.

    I wasn’t necessarily really comfortable posting that video. But, I did it.

    That’s one of these rules that I had. I guess I still have that rule. But at first, that was a rule I had to really follow. The rule of: if I make a video, and if I’m a little uncomfortable about posting it, then I have to post it.

    The discomfort is a sign that I must post this thing.

    Nowadays, I will refrain from posting things for other reasons, but if I have the discomfort, then no. I have to post it. Because, you’re training something here. You’re trying to build something.

    You have to transform yourself, and that means it’s not comfortable.

    It can’t be comfortable.

    Timeline

    1:00 How I got started with social media videos.
    2:00 Brief detour to talk about how closed-minded piano teachers are.
    3:45 The stress of making videos for my online piano course.
    6:10 Why I (reluctantly) started on Instagram.
    9:45 Making 58 videos in one single day.
    11:10 The power of the 60-second video.
    15:00 What videos have in common with meditation, drawing and piano.
    17:10 Benefits of posting videos publicly.
    18:30 How my videos made people angry.
    20:00 Why you must be doing this in 2020.
    21:45 I get nervous to post some of my videos.
    27:00 Why videos need to be entertaining.
    28:30 My course, Let’s Hear It.
    29:45 How videos changed my writing and communication in general.
    31:15 We all have stuff to say.
    33:40 Some more Jewish guilt.

  • This is more powerful than voting

    The best way to change the world is to speak your mind.

    You can do this on social media more easily than anywhere else. You don't have to confront anyone face-to-face, and you don't have to pay any money.

    You just sit here and type something. Or make a video.

    I'm a big fan of videos. I've made hundreds of videos over the past several months, expressing all kinds of ideas.

    Some of those videos were angry, some were nonsensical, and some were funny.

    I'm glad I made all of them, because they each had something important to say.

    I'm not an activist, but I do think the world should be different than how it is. With videos, I can express this easily.

    Yeah, some people get pissed off, especially about my angry videos.

    Someone even called the police in response to my social media posts back in June.

    That was annoying.  🙄

    Still, it's worth it. The angry videos have cleared up mental space which I can now use for other things. Highly recommended. Would do again. 100%.

    I know you have important ideas you want to express, too. Maybe you're not sure what, or maybe you don't know how to express them. That's why I made Let's Hear It, which will get you started in sharing your opinions on social media, especially if you're a little bit intimidated at the thought.

    (The cost is the same as what I paid for a parking ticket recently. I wish I could offer you 12 minutes of extra parking if you buy the course, but unfortunately I don't have that authority.)

  • #9 – Videos are Awesome

    #9 – Videos are Awesome

    Self-Defined Human
    Self-Defined Human
    #9 – Videos are Awesome
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    Question: I’m nervous to post videos on social media.

    You should be nervous about it, because people might not be happy with what you’re doing.

    I have a bunch of videos where I talk about things, experiences I’ve had, or sometimes just calling out people. I’m nervous to post that stuff. That does not make me comfortable to post those things.

    I have one video where I talk about a fantasy I have about going back to school and just confronting the teacher when the teacher asks me if I did my homework, and just getting all up in the teacher’s face about it.

    I wasn’t necessarily really comfortable posting that video. But, I did it.

    That’s one of these rules that I had. I guess I still have that rule. But at first, that was a rule I had to really follow. The rule of: if I make a video, and if I’m a little uncomfortable about posting it, then I have to post it.

    The discomfort is a sign that I must post this thing.

    Nowadays, I will refrain from posting things for other reasons, but if I have the discomfort, then no. I have to post it. Because, you’re training something here. You’re trying to build something.

    You have to transform yourself, and that means it’s not comfortable.

    It can’t be comfortable.

    Timeline

    1:00 How I got started with social media videos.
    2:00 Brief detour to talk about how closed-minded piano teachers are.
    3:45 The stress of making videos for my online piano course.
    6:10 Why I (reluctantly) started on Instagram.
    9:45 Making 58 videos in one single day.
    11:10 The power of the 60-second video.
    15:00 What videos have in common with meditation, drawing and piano.
    17:10 Benefits of posting videos publicly.
    18:30 How my videos made people angry.
    20:00 Why you must be doing this in 2020.
    21:45 I get nervous to post some of my videos.
    27:00 Why videos need to be entertaining.
    28:30 My course, Let’s Hear It.
    29:45 How videos changed my writing and communication in general.
    31:15 We all have stuff to say.
    33:40 Some more Jewish guilt.

  • Here we go again

    I'm trying to write an email to you all right now, because I want to send you something helpful.

    But, I'm not sure how to help you. Hmmm…..that's a little bit of a problem for me.

    I could explain my thought processes here, but then I run the risk of attracting messages of sympathy and reassurance. That, of course, is not the point.

    I, the cult leader, am supposed to be reassuring you, not the other way around.

    I could give you some helpful tips, but about what? I don't even know what you signed up for. So, if I give you a piano tip, those of you who didn't sign up for piano will rage-quit. If I give you a meditation tip, those of you who didn't sign up for meditation will also rage-quit. And so on.

    Quite a hole I've dug for myself here.

    And still, I'm writing the email.

    Will anyone benefit from it? I suspect a couple of you might, but I haven't quite articulated why. Oh well. Here we go again.

    (If you're interested in piano, you might find this useful.)

  • How to achieve consistent daily practice

    If it's easier, it's right.

    The easy way is always the right way.

    Seek instant gratification.

    The hard way is always the wrong way.

    Set a timer and practice. Follow those rules. See what happens.

    You won't know unless you try.

    It's your best shot at a consistent daily practice. I don't know of another way.

    (If mistakes while playing music are WAY TOO PAINFUL and make you want to curl up in the corner, or even just hesitation for a quarter of a second, I made How to Make Mistakes for you.)

  • I don’t care about your tiny boxes

    Humans are complex.

    (We don't exist.)

    The stuff we create exists, but we don't.

    Yeah, I know it's confusing when I talk about so many different topics. Don't know what to tell you there. I guess you have my condolences.

    Just talk about whatever. It doesn't have to make sense to other people. It probably won't.

    When you were a kid, don't you remember reading books that didn't fully make sense? I know I did a lot of skimming. Ignoring complicated, boring paragraphs.

    Who cares?

    (The teacher cares, that's who.)

    Oooh, I'm so scared.

    P.S. If you like drawing but you hate drawing and you won't let yourself do it or share it with anyone, I have a $5 drawing lesson for you.

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