Hey friends, Chase here. Here's an important reminder: you'll never feel ready to start. But you've got to do it anyway. And the operative word there is "do." Just start. This episode is the kick in the ass you need. Too often we get bogged down in the dreaming, the research, and the preparing - without the DOING. Feel me on this? It's a common excuse that most of use…that we just need a little more planning … Wrong. This is not to say that planning isn't necessary, just that it shouldn't be the...
Nov 05, 2025•8 min
In this week's episode, we're revisiting a powerful conversation that originally aired back in 2015 — one that feels even more relevant today. Brené Brown joined me to talk about courage, connection, and what it really means to find true belonging in a divided world. Her insights on creativity, loneliness, and the power of standing alone have only become more urgent as we navigate today's culture of comparison and noise. Since our original conversation, Brené has continued to expand this body of...
Oct 29, 2025•1 hr 35 min
Hey friends, Chase here. If you've ever found yourself hesitating to start a project because it didn't feel "portfolio-worthy," this one's for you. I've fallen into that trap more times than I'd like to admit — obsessing over whether something I'm making is polished enough to represent me. The irony? That mindset kills the very creativity that fills a portfolio in the first place. The Portfolio Trap Somewhere along the way, we started treating our portfolios like prisons instead of playgrounds. ...
Oct 22, 2025•12 min
Hey friends, Chase here. I'm back with a little reflection that's been brewing for a while—one that hits right at the heart of what it means to be a creator right now. Lately, the number one question in my inbox (and probably yours too) goes something like this: "What happens to creativity now that AI can do so much?" If that question sounds familiar, you're not alone. We've seen this movie before. Back in 2006, I wrote a post responding to photographers who were terrified that point-and-shoot c...
Oct 15, 2025•15 min
In this week's episode, we're revisiting a powerful conversation that aired back in 2021 — one that's just as relevant today as it was then. Mel Robbins has continued to inspire millions with her practical, science-backed approach to behavior change and personal growth. Since our last chat, she's released a brand-new bestseller, The Let Them Theory , which builds beautifully on the ideas we explored together in this earlier episode. Whether you're new to Mel's work or a longtime fan, this replay...
Oct 09, 2025•1 hr 19 min
Hey friends, Chase here. I'm writing you today from the south of France, where I've been taking a little breather before a busy fall. This episode is a reflection on some of the most popular questions that came up around the launch of Never Play It Safe . In the particular lies the universal — and the questions from our community reflect challenges so many of us face. Burnout, Side Hustles & Tiny Experiments Matt asked about starting a coaching/consulting side hustle. My answer? Don't try to...
Oct 01, 2025•21 min
Hey friends, Chase here. At the height of my career—awards, startups, celebrity collabs—my wife stopped me cold with one question: "How much is enough?" I didn't have an answer. From the outside, life looked perfect. But inside, I was chasing "more" without knowing why. The Illusion of More The culture around us says: keep climbing, keep grinding, keep stacking. But more for the sake of more eventually costs you—your health, your relationships, even your sense of self. Without defining what "eno...
Sep 24, 2025•23 min
Hey friends, Chase here. If social media feels heavier than it used to, you're not imagining it. Infinite feeds, algorithm whiplash, and the pressure to post "one more thing" can drain the very creativity we're trying to share. Here's the shift: treat social media like a stage you step onto with intent—not a sofa you collapse into by default. Social Media as a Stage, Not a Sofa A stage has purpose: you arrive prepared, you deliver, you connect, you step off. A sofa invites scrolling, numbing, an...
Sep 17, 2025•13 min
Hey friends, Chase here. If you're feeling anxious about money right now, you're not alone. Shrinking budgets, AI headlines, and general chaos have a lot of us questioning our value. The default move? Grab the nearest paycheck. But here's the truth: trading your dreams for short-term security is the fastest way to kill the life you actually want. Don't trade your dreams for security. Paying the bills matters—we've all been there. I waited tables in the early days of my photography career just to...
Sep 10, 2025•11 min
Hey friends, Chase here. I'm writing this from the beach, staring at the ocean, and I've got one big reminder for you today: You are your future. Sure, AI is everywhere. New tools pop up daily. You've probably seen the tweets: "Anyone can type a prompt and become a world-class designer, writer, photographer." Sounds nice. But let's be real—that's not how this works. You make the work. Not the tools. AI is powerful. No doubt. But it's still just a tool. A $10,000 camera won't make you Ansel Adams...
Sep 03, 2025•12 min
In this episode, Jim Murphy shares how training your mind for inner excellence leads to peace, confidence, and extraordinary performance. Jim is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and Performance Coach to some of the best athletes and leaders in the world. He began his career as a professional baseball player in the Chicago Cubs organization, later coaching with the Texas Rangers and the South African Olympic baseball team. Jim has worked with world champion golfers, FedEx Cup champions, and...
Aug 27, 2025•57 min
Hey friends, Chase here. If AI has you wondering whether your work will still matter—you're not alone. The pace of change is dizzying. New tools drop daily. "Good enough" work is getting automated before you can even refresh your feed. But here's the good news: This is not the end. It's the beginning—if you choose it. The future belongs to those who lean into what machines can't replicate: your taste, your story, your weirdness, your voice. In this episode, I unpack what it takes to stand out ri...
Aug 19, 2025•10 min
Hey friends, Chase here. If AI has you wondering whether your work will still matter—you're not alone. The pace of change is dizzying. New tools drop daily. "Good enough" work is getting automated before you can even refresh your feed. But here's the good news: This is not the end. It's the beginning—if you choose it. The future belongs to those who lean into what machines can't replicate: your taste, your story, your weirdness, your voice. In this episode, I unpack what it takes to stand out ri...
Aug 13, 2025•8 min
In this episode, Ben Uyeda shares how chasing purpose instead of scale can transform your creative career — and your life. Ben is a designer, entrepreneur, and creative force who left behind a successful architecture firm and an Ivy League teaching gig to bring high-design concepts to the masses through media. His free, widely shared designs have reached over 50 million people and are being built around the world. We dive deep into the tension between scale and meaning in the creator economy — a...
Aug 06, 2025•1 hr 14 min
Hey friends, Chase here. Will your work still matter when everyone else is using AI to create? It's a real question. And let's be honest—it's one a lot of us are quietly asking. Every day, new tools drop that make it easier (and faster) to generate content, art, writing, music—you name it. The machines are learning. Fast. So where does that leave you? If you're a creator, this moment isn't the end. It's the beginning—if you choose it. Because here's the truth: AI can copy the *output*. But it ca...
Jul 30, 2025•10 min
Hey friends, Chase here. Ever feel like life's just… happening to you? You wake up, check your phone, go through the motions. Weeks blur into months. You're busy but not fulfilled. Productive but not progressing. Here's the hard truth: If you're not intentional about what you're building, you'll drift. And drift leads to regret. But here's the good news: You can choose to stop drifting—today. You can start building what actually matters most to you. In this episode, I break down 10 core principl...
Jul 23, 2025•19 min
Hey friends, Chase here. Ever feel like you're waiting for someone to hand you the map? You know—the step-by-step plan for building a creative life you actually want. The rules for how to get unstuck. The playbook for doing meaningful work without burning out or selling out. Here's the truth: That rulebook doesn't exist. No one's coming to hand it to you. Not your boss. Not a guru. Not even me. And honestly? That's a good thing. Because if there's no rulebook… you get to write your own. In this ...
Jul 16, 2025•12 min
Hey friends, Chase here. Ever feel like you're working your ass off but not really getting anywhere? You're putting in the hours. Practicing. Grinding. But the needle isn't moving. Here's the truth: The best in the world aren't just clocking more time—they're practicing differently. They're ruthless about the basics. They've fallen in love with the process. And most importantly? They've built their identity around their craft. In this episode, I break down the 3 pillars of practice that separate...
Jul 09, 2025•19 min
In this episode, Rory Vaden shares how your past pain may hold the key to your future impact. Rory is a New York Times bestselling author and co-founder of Brand Builders Group, where he's helped shape some of the most influential personal brands in the world—including Lewis Howes, Ed Mylett, and Amy Porterfield. We explore why so many people chase fame and followers but still feel empty—and how shifting your focus to serving others can radically change everything. Rory opens up about his own jo...
Jul 02, 2025•53 min
Hey friends, Chase here. Ever scroll through social media and feel like you're falling behind? You see someone crushing it—their work looks flawless, their videos are sharp, their life seems effortless. And then that voice creeps in: "I'm not doing enough." "I'll never catch up." Yeah. That feeling? That's comparison doing its thing. But what if I told you the scroll doesn't have to suck the life out of you? What if it could do the opposite? Here's the truth: Social media is one of the most powe...
Jun 25, 2025•13 min
Hey friends, Chase here. Ever feel like failure means you're broken? You messed up. You launched something and it flopped. Maybe you put your heart on the line and it didn't go your way. That sting? It's real. No quote on Instagram is going to make it magically go away. But here's the truth: Failure isn't the opposite of progress. It's part of it. We live in a world that either glamorizes failure like it's some kind of badge of honor—or tells us to avoid it like the plague. But neither story is ...
Jun 18, 2025•16 min
Hey friends, Chase here. Ever feel like life is happening somewhere else? You're in the room, but your mind's a thousand miles away—replaying something you said, stressing about what's next. It's normal. It's human. But it's also how we miss the best parts of life. The past is over. The future isn't real yet. All we ever really have is right now. It took an avalanche—yes, a literal one—for me to fully understand this. In those few terrifying seconds, time slowed down. I was completely present. F...
Jun 11, 2025•14 min
Hey friends, Chase here. Ever feel like your mind is all over the place? Emails. Notifications. News. Noise. We live in a world designed to hijack our attention, and it's working. Attention Is a Superpower In a world this noisy, your ability to focus isn't just helpful. It's everything. Viktor Frankl found purpose in the darkest of places by choosing where to direct his mind. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi discovered flow while surviving war by focusing on a single game of chess. Louis Zamperini endure...
Jun 04, 2025•11 min
In this episode, Chris Guillebeau shares how time anxiety affects nearly everyone—and why naming it might be the first step to freedom. Chris is a New York Times bestselling author known for books like The $100 Startup and The Art of Non-Conformity, and the founder of several beloved communities and events, including the World Domination Summit and Neurodiversion. We dive into his latest book Time Anxiety: The Illusion of Urgency and a Better Way to Live, exploring why productivity often leaves ...
May 28, 2025•49 min
In this episode, Soren Gordhamer shares how to find what really matters in a world full of noise. Soren is the founder of Wisdom 2.0, a global movement bridging mindfulness, compassion, and technology. He's also the creator of the new conference Wisdom + AI and co-leads Wisdom Ventures, a fund investing in companies that combine profits with human-centered purpose. We talk about what it means to live with intention in a time of constant distraction. Soren shares hard-won lessons from teaching me...
May 21, 2025•53 min
In this episode, I share how not playing it safe can be the most powerful decision you make—for your creativity, your career, and your life. I open up about scrapping a nearly finished book to write something bolder and truer, and why embracing discomfort is the path to fulfillment and impact. This is a syndicate episode from the LinkedIn Speaker Series, where I sit down with Ashley Levy, Senior Director of Brand Marketing at LinkedIn, for a deep conversation about my latest book Never Play It S...
May 14, 2025•48 min
Hey friends, Chase here. Ever feel like you're taking life a little too seriously? Wake up. Work. Hustle. Repeat. Somewhere along the way, we stopped playing—and started grinding through our days like machines. Why We Get Stuck in Serious Mode We were taught that being serious means being responsible. That fun is a distraction. That joy is something we earn. But let's be real—seriousness without joy just leads to burnout. Play Isn't the Opposite of Progress Play is where creativity begins. It's ...
May 07, 2025•14 min
In this episode, I share how putting your creative work into the world—no matter how small—can lead to massive, unexpected impact. I open up about my early days as a self-taught photographer, the pain and joy of learning through film, and how a backpacking trip with my wife turned into the start of an unconventional creative career. This is a syndicate episode from the B&H Photography Podcast , where I sit down with Derek, Jill, and Mike to trace the arc of my journey—from building the Best ...
Apr 30, 2025•1 hr 29 min
Hey friends, Chase here. Ever get a gut feeling—but second-guess it because it doesn't "make sense"? You're not alone. From a young age, we're taught to value logic over instinct. To follow the rules. To ignore the quiet signals coming from within. But science shows that your body—especially your gut—is constantly processing more than your conscious mind ever could. That inner knowing? It's real. And it's powerful. Why We Lose Touch With Intuition In this post, we'll talk about why so many of us...
Apr 23, 2025•11 min
In this episode, Debbie Millman shares how to begin—even when you feel unready, unqualified, or full of doubt. Debbie is a designer, author, educator, and host of the pioneering podcast Design Matters. She's also the chair of the Masters in Branding program at the School of Visual Arts and editorial director at Print magazine. We talk about the creative risks Debbie took later in life, why fear and shame shaped her early path, and how she found fulfillment by making deeply personal work—without ...
Apr 16, 2025•55 min
