Some photographers call themselves artists, some photographers only think they’re photographers. Regardless, we all aspire for success. Maybe that means finding your work in galleries or gracing the cover of Vanity Fair. Even if you aren’t a photographer (how did you get here?), everyone strives to succeed. It’s different for everyone, that’s why it’s a difficult thing to chase. It’s tough to advise someone on how to succeed if you don’t have the same dream. There is, however, some common ground. Casey Neistat, the master Youtuber, shares his mantra, his guide, and what seems to be his daily lifestyle for pursuing his dreams and succeeding.
Neistat, to me, is one of the greatest creatives of our time. That is because he is always creating. Everyday, he releases a vlog to the world. Clocking in at at least seven minutes, these vlogs follow Casey through his day, showing his work, some entertaining moments, and a hell of a lot of fantastic anecdotes. You may say that not every vlog he posts is good, interesting or remotely important. So what? He is creating every single day. That is what matters. I firmly believe that creativity is a muscle that must be exercised constantly. If you want to be the Mr. Olympia of the visual arts, you have to use every minute you have to create.
In one of his latest videos titled ‘Follow Your Dreams,’ Neistat instills the idea that we can do anything we want to. Essentially, we will either achieve that dream or we will die trying. While that may seem very black and white, I don’t think there is much of a grey area. There is a level of commitment required to achieve personal success. Some people will never bring their dreams to reality because they feel lazy or they may become complacent with dreaming. Others will get out there and give it all they have until they have nothing left to give. I sure hope that this video inspires you to dream and to achieve.
I think what these exhortation/ encouragements miss is that while they state a truism, the people who are actually going to commit to a field (of any sort) are those who are so obsessed/interested that they need no encouragement.
We see outstanding people in many fields but what we don't see is the path that brought them there. The many years of work/ practice/education needed to be at the top of the field. This level of effort is remarkable in that few would choose to do it. Those that do it are unconcerned with the effort. It is their delight.
For most it is a slog they don't want to do. Fair enough, but they wont get to the peak.
I understand where you're coming from, Mark, but many of Casey's viewers are adolescents who may not have decided what to do with their lives and don't understand some of these basic ideas that many people only learn after it is too late. I would argue that this is a good reminder for everyone but for some it is more than just stating the obvious.
The other thing is that I'm sure this comes across differently to folks who aren't familiar with Casey. He's a pretty exceptional person and this message is not a one off; it's the way he lives his life. He's just focusing on it in this vid.
I really enjoy Casey's vlogs. He is always so upbeat and has a great outlook on life.
http://www.charlesbradleyfilm.com/ this is a great and inspiring documentary to...