I’m 35. Creators: Spare me 10 minutes, I'll save you 10 years

[@purplecyanblack3805]

Don't start when you're ready. Start because you're not. No better way to learn.

[@chetaaron]

Absolutely, love this

[@jakeypants_YT]

100 percent. I was brand new 18 months ago and sucked so bad!

[@biffmercury]

I like that advice. The most critical part of a journey is starting it. The rest will take care of itself if you’re persistent.

[@LagOfLore]

This really struck home with me. Will share it with my friends and I hope to come back to it in a year and see how much has changed.

[@Johnsenblog]

Best comment ever, thank you!

[@robinshood1268]

The perfect moment to start actually exists. It is now - and it always has been.

[@The.Almighty.Daltonious]

That shit was poetic bro, real talk

[@ValoriYT]

🗣🔥🔥🔥

[@pablodm9]

I had a revelation with this one day in physics class. We were talking about optimization. I had heard that theoretically, you get more wet in rain while running than by standing still. So my question was ¿what is the physically best way to avoid rain?, the answer? Teleportation. Light speed running. I mean, it's freaking basic, but I had so much noise from the "standing still is theoretically better", I forgot about the obvious thing, you can't keep in there forever

[@yu-gg]

the best time to start was 10 years ago, the second best is now

[@AaronGwynaireGameDev]

I’ve been developing a video game for over 6 years now. I went straight into it. I’m no programmer. I found an engine which worked for me. I had what I knew and used that, have learned a long the way, but I started building straight away! :) I might not do things right either, but I make things happen. That’s the important part! I now work full time on my game, funded by Microprose, and I release early next year :)

[@chetaaron]

Love that attitude and approach Aaron, good luck to you and the project!

[@danielarruda7413]

Dude, where can i see about yor game?

[@ZaiDrizzleDrop]

This reminds me of this disgusting comment I saw on pinterest that really pushes this idea that artists need to PERFECTLY know how to do EVERYTHING before they are ALLOWED to make what they want. The comment went something along the lines of "You need to know how the human anatomy works perfectly, otherwise you really shouldn't be drawing." Its that "You really shouldn't be drawing" thing that really ticked me off, someone can't just DRAW in their own privacy? Is there some grim reaper over their shoulder making sure all the skills to be a master artist are done perfectly? Why are we GATEKEEPING art?! Draw what YOU want, WHEN you want. Also I really needed this video. So many artists are stuck in the "practice trap" where they focus so much on practicing or mastering their craft, they don't actually draw the ideas they've been holding in because the ideas are so PRECIOUS, and DARLING to them. It's like handling a baby or a glass vase. They don't want to see their darlings ruined. I have the same issue. Every day I think of these characters that I really love in my head, but despite the years passing I've only made art of them less than 10 times. It worries me that I'll die before I make their story happen. I can't let that happen.

[@michalip1377]

Most likely, the person who made this comment is stuck learning anatomy without success. He/she blocked their joy until they wlearnedthe anatomy. Blocking the progress also.

[@ZaiDrizzleDrop]

@@michalip1377 Thats interesting, so it really is just projection then. Man.

[@michalip1377]

Yep.

[@nettorak]

Well, I don't know why that person posted the comment (multiple possible reasons), but I CAN however wish you the best of luck with your characters! I have a similar problem with writing. Characters come to me easily, but I struggle with plotlines, as I'm a pantser and don't like regular plots. We gotta sit down and enjoy our characters! I write short scenes with them, where I can have fun and explore plot possibilities. And you sit down and doodle yours, chose their clothes, the colours they are wearing, ask yourself why it's a fit for them, have fun with them! Ideas come to us naturally then! Best of luck to us! :D

[@ZaiDrizzleDrop]

@@nettorak Thank you!

[@Manjeetgenius2673]

i remember this one time i felt completely stuck, like no matter what i did, life just wasn’t moving forward. i tried everything-manifestation journals, vision boards, all that stuff-but it felt like i was missing something. then i stumbled across this book, Vibrations of Manifestation by Alex Lane, and it hit different. it wasn’t just about manifesting; it was about understanding the energy i was putting out into the world. honestly, it changed everything. if you’re feeling stuck too, you might want to check out this book.

[@sobiacsay2208]

"The real skill isn't mastery. It's adaptation" That should go on a T-shirt brother!

[@chetaaron]

Appreciate it Sobia!

[@iamvoicelessmusic]

Over a decade ago I started writing my first novel. 9 years ago I started producing music. Three years ago I started writing my cartoon. All of these are ongoing projects that I'm highly passionate about. Are they done? Some are and some aren't. But the best thing I ever did was to start each of them.

[@chetaaron]

Exactly this!

[@MrShazaamable]

How did you start doing music?

[@iamvoicelessmusic]

@@MrShazaamable Music runs in my family; my dad is a musician / producer / worship leader and my brother introduced me to dubstep.

[@sadepennbrook]

I am in the same situation right now. I’m also a creative director. Went to school in NYC, did what I did for close to a decade, but still didn’t feel “ready.” My twenties went by, my thirties…I’m now 40 with a young one I’m responsible for. Waited and waited and then…I got sick. Full career careened off a cliff and future redemption. I’m now: unemployed, physically disabled, in medical debt and aging. Lesson: Don’t wait and take care of your temple.

[@chetaaron]

Thank you for taking the time to check out the video and to leave a comment on your story to help encourage others, I (and it seems others) appreciate your vulnerability helping reinforce the message in the video. Wishing you the best, and hope you were able to get some value in the video to put into practice in some way!

[@AndreyMakarov-i7h]

True, health is literally everything. Money is a close second though.

[@Turtlpwr]

Glad I found you - I’m almost 40, was a session guy and songwriter for 10 years, fell out of love with music, had some tragedies and losses, lost my mind for a few years, and am now finally trying to create music again - but also for the first time for myself. Really appreciate everything you have to say here, subbed

[@chetaaron]

My pleasure! I really appreciate the comment and I wish you the best on the new journey! I also appreciate the sub and sentiment, my door is always open for topic requests as well

[@mrrubel8841]

Do you any channels?

[@DustyShayan]

I completely understand what you’re saying. I started my channel about 20 days ago after years of waiting because I thought I needed to be perfect before creating anything. Now that I’ve started, I sometimes feel a bit ashamed of how much of a newbie I am. The good news is, when you start, you’re forced to learn and grow. That pressure-knowing you might not succeed and that you have to push yourself-drives you to keep improving, even when you’re not fully ready. At the end of the day, I feel like I’m evolving and getting better with every step. Thank you for your amazing video-it’s going to help so many people!

[@chetaaron]

My pleasure and very well said! Like you mention that pressure once you've started to continually learn rather than prep is really at the heart of real growth. Congrats on jumping in!

[@SupineReverie]

Getting goosebumps from this is video. Thank you for sharing this! I’ve waited my whole life and am 32 and have promised myself to finish my novel by my birthday (or get as close as I can) by age 33. Also work in a marketing role and am just done putting my own creativity on hold.

[@chetaaron]

My pleasure, love to hear stories like this, looking forward to the update when you hit 33!

[@AlexKurilovMusic]

It's an important lesson that you raise in the second half of the video. After you started creating, you then also need to expand around your creation and start sharing behind the scenes etc. It's something I'm struggling with myself, because I've been making music as a hobby for almost 15 years now, but I'm only now realizing looking at successful creators that it's not enough to just post art online, but it's also important to post _yourself_ online and engage with people. And it's something I really struggle with, and I have a lot of thinking to do. Because as much as it's invigorating to create things and share them, it also feels a bit like a waste of time, because the internet is so loud these days that you might as well throw your hard work into the streets. Times of anonymous artists are over, it's now all about personal brand, if you want to keep growing your art and keep motivation for improvement.

[@chetaaron]

Thanks for checking out the video and sharing your thoughts Alex. Absolutely feel what you're saying, and I think that last sentence really does sum it up. With the way the web is going, artists and creators can really benefit from putting more of themselves out there and generating more of a brand around what it is they do. Yes it does require a significant shift in balancing focus and picking up new skills to round out what it means to be an artist or creative as they extend that into a one person business. But if we're able to get it right in turn it gives us more autonomy and resilience to shifting economics and dynamics in industries with employers. Easier said than done but hoping videos like this are able to both encourage and help others do the same. Best of luck to you and your journey this year!

[@JCGCompositions]

I've noticed by watching the Z-brush summit, that the people that are really good at creating things in Z-brush, aren't the best at actually using Z-brush (the software). They're just better artists.

[@officiallyenz]

I JUST made this decision in my mid 30s and made the first large purchase into my new life. I lost a decade because of my mental health and it took discovering a physical health problem for me to finally decide to fight back. I know I can't get that time back but I refuse to lose a second more that doesn't involve connecting and growing the way I want. I believe in my ideas. I want the world to see them. Thank you for the additional inspiration.

[@PhillipTimothy]

this is the very mentality that helped me animate a entire movie all by myself ! 🙏 Great advice!

[@The-Labbed-Life]

I love that video ! That's exactly what i want to do with my channel. I started because I wanted to show my journey of learning the guitar and now I want to share more and more! Don't let your mind tell you some excuse, just do it! Accept that it's going to be bad at the beginning and that's okayyy! Appreciate the learning process

[@chetaaron]

Thank you for checking out the video and I appreciate the comment and extra encouragement you're passing on to others here! Best of luck to you and your channel this year!

[@dallinjc3]

The problem is I have too many interests and don't even know what type of thing i want to create. I have zero direction and lose interest in projects within weeks

[@TheXrythmicXtongue]

When it comes to passion, and not interest, it's the subject that KEEPS coming back to your brain to focus on. Interests are as fleeting as flipping the channel. Think about what feels like a fire in your chest, THAT is what you work on daily. Interests will always come and go, friend.

[@gr8b8m85]

Try to find something that involves the majority of your interests. Writing + Art could be a comic or an animation for example.

[@dallinjc3]

@@gr8b8m85 I have this issue though, nothing can hold my attention for more than like a month before I get bored of it and obsessed with something else totally different, wish I could just lock in on a project and get excited about it but when I try it always falls through after a few weeks

[@Keenomutt]

thank you for making this video chet! ive started to work on my skills and being productive a year ago and i believe ive made alot of progress, coming from someone who played games all day and was struggling in college. i sometimes wish i was going faster, or being more efficient with my time, but what matters to me is that ive taken the step forward, and ive been more consistent than i have ever been! videos like yours here help me remember to stay on track and to not lose hope. thank you for taking the time to share your experiences and teach others to do better!

[@chetaaron]

My pleasure appreciate you checking out the video and sharing your thoughts. I'm glad to hear the video helps, you're absolutely right just taking that first step, and then the step after is all that matters today - you got this!

[@BrightLightAudio]

Building that base audience is crucial before taking it to the next step, like you mentioned. I just passed my first 100 subscribers and while this isn't very many, I am so excited to see the progress!

[@chetaaron]

Hey man that's awesome appreciate you sharing, keep at it and let's see how far we can both get this time next year!

[@YoungBoomer.T]

Don't you think people are more impatient than ever? I wonder how you haven't used any effect but are so good at holding my attention. Invaluable insights! Subscribed!

[@chetaaron]

Thanks and glad to hear it helps! I'm definitely still learning this whole KZbin thing and testing out different storytelling methods to get my thoughts across as effectively as possible given the platform mechanics like you refer to. Appreciate the feedback that it seemed to flow well here for you!

[@michaelfitzpatrickjr]

22 yo filmmaker here and you got a new subscriber! Wise words, and very well put - Getting back to my screenplay :)

[@chetaaron]

Thanks Michael appreciate it, and awesome to hear on the screenplay you got this!

[@VincentForDesign]

We have similar experience, and I'm same age as you, this is what i needed to hear, I thank you for that. Wishing you an extraordinary 2025!

[@chetaaron]

Appreciate the kind words and you taking the time to leave a positive comment, I'm glad to hear the video helped and best of luck to you this year Vincent!

[@iszyiszard]

This is exactly what I needed to hear. I’m on the right track methinks!

[@chetaaron]

Glad to hear it appreciate you watching!

[@LordHydra0]

I'm fumbling right now with my channel because I still have no clue what I'm doing, but the last few days I decided to just start pumping out the best I can and try and make each video feel like the best I've made. Pair that with livestreams, I've almost made 100 subs in the past 3 days! This is good advice. Like shae said, JUST do it.

[@chetaaron]

Ah man yeah that's a common place to be in and I'm glad to hear you're just pushing forward. For people like us 2025 will be a big year of progress!

[@BakercalledGhost]

the paralyis is real. so much i want to do, I feel panicked, like I need to rush and do it all. but I need to sleep,, eat, wash clothes, shower, make money, job search, fix my resume, don't forget about family, friends invited me out, life just keeps coming and coming and time waits for not a single soul. somedays, I wish it could stop, just for a little while, so I can smile and create whatever I want. draw, make stories, itd be sooo happy. regardless, I guess the time is now, right ? before I'm older and no longer feel relevant

[@chetaaron]

Those feelings are so incredibly common, you're far from alone here! Really hoping to explore that more in my upcoming videos, the one going up this weekend is actually on this exact topic. If you get a chance to check it out, I sincerely hope that it helps!

[@BakercalledGhost]

@ I’ll definitely tune in thank you 🫶

[@justinuriahphoto]

Subscribers, in my opinion, do matter if you want to work with brands. When I had 50k subs nobody would work with me. As soon as I passed 150k subs my email started getting flooded with requests. I now work with tons of brands and affiliate companies all around the USA. I can't keep up with all the work as there are products being delivered to my house 3-4 days out of each week. At this point I need to hire a team. Keep uploading and be consistent. It WILL grow your channel if you do.

[@chetaaron]

Thanks Justin I really appreciate the response, what you say here is extremely validating and reinforces my first video on the channel about the importance of subs despite the trend on KZbin to claim otherwise due to algorithmic changes in discovery. Thanks for dropping by and sharing the insights from your experience!

[@four-en-tee]

Just make stuff. Make it for yourself, and don't worry about making mistakes when you're starting off. Whether it blows up or not is irrelevant, just focus on getting better with each project. It certainly helps if you make something that other people would know about, but you want to have to make it first.

[@katherinealvarez7917]

This is awesome advice, adapting is especially crucial in our current climate. I would say I'm stuck in that waiting phase, I'm a bit overwhelmed with the expectation to pick up all these new trends/skills quickly and coming out of fashion school landing my first design job was NOT a breeze and humbling, so I can only contemplate the setbacks if I were to try to start something of my own. Thanks for your insights, the time to start certainly is now!

[@chetaaron]

Thanks for watching and the comment Katherine. Definitely a wild time to graduate and hit the job market especially as a creative, hope the video/channel helps!

[@mitchelhernandez2843]

I did not knew about you before this video, and I still don´t know how you are after watching it, but I just want to say THANK YOU So Fu**ing Much For Creating This Video, this was exactly what I need it to hear, I´m starting TODAY and I´m gonna keep doing it until the end, thank again sr. Liked and Followed.

[@chetaaron]

No problem Mitchel glad to hear the videos are helpful, let's make this a good 2025!

[@actualsizevoice]

Published my first book this year. finished two more books this year (waiting on edit), started painting this year. Just getting started already feels way better than overthinking all of it. Get started now.

[@PikaPetey]

I spent my entire 20's creating thinking it would pay off sometime.. Problem is that now my skills are obsolete, and I didn't market myself that well... so im still at square one.

[@taherpour.6499]

I wanna thank you. You inspire to finally start sharing my work and try before giving up. You will hear from me in the future sincerely, O.J.

[@jamienotamy]

You have no idea how perfectly timed this is. I just finished a manuscript for a children's book. The climax of the book is the heroine deciding to set forth into the world even though she isn't ready.

[@chetaaron]

Glad to hear it Jamie, wishing you good luck with the book!

[@AMightyStorm]

It's so hard to start when every corner of the internet will ridicule your work if it's not "perfect"

[@chetaaron]

I have an upcoming video planned that somewhat addresses this and how I was able to overcome it in my case. You're not wrong though, negative comments carry so much more psychological weight than positive ones and its difficult to get past. There's no perfect answer or antidote but I hope that video and perspective will help

[@dimon.digital]

be the first person who ridicule your work with objective critique and this problem will gone 😅 You give too much attention to LOOKS LIKE "the best person in the room" and not enough attention to BE that person. Change the focus from your persona to the work

[@DEERCRACKERLOVER]

The truth is people who often ridicule you are just losers who can't break their comfort zone or being open minded. Let em stay like a rock

[@AMightyStorm]

@@chetaaron Thanks for your response and I look forward to it!

[@vladole4176]

I wanna say - just do it no matter the hate, i post my arts and I dont think they are the best, but had to overcome that thinking - its not worthy.. it is worthy and you can see over few years progress and its great journey, dont hesitate.. just do it

[@RAYROD]

Thank you for making this. You have no idea how much i needed to hear this from a peer. I knew this deep down but somehow hearing it right now did the trick. Many thanks to you.

[@chetaaron]

Glad to hear that Ray appreciate the comment!

[@LunarBoomMusic]

I agree a lot with your points. Especially the compounding growth aspect which I have been looking into studying more with numbers

[@chetaaron]

Appreciate it!

[@HappyKumar-uu1sr]

so there was this period in my life when i kept attracting the wrong people, wrong opportunities, everything just felt…off. i couldn’t figure out why it kept happening. then one day, a friend mentioned a book called Vibrations of Manifestation by Alex Lane, saying it helped them see the patterns they didn’t even realize they had. i decided to give it a read, and wow, it opened my eyes to how much my own energy was shaping my life. seriously, this book is something else.

[@Dongfang_Qingcang]

this is the best video I've seen today...... no, maybe even this year. thank you so much for this

[@chetaaron]

Thank you for the kind words I really appreciate it!

[@mr.person1219]

Thanks Chet, I needed this. Been almost 7, 8 years. I wanted to do it back in 2017. Now I feel like I'm ready, but I wasted time instead of building things myself and ran to people scavenging for that next payment. Start now people, or be like me.

[@chetaaron]

Thank you for the comment and passing along the experience, it reflects my exact journey! The important thing is we finally woke up to this realization and are starting now, not next year or in a month or in 5 more videos. Best of luck to you!

[@brun0silva938]

Well thank you Chet Callahan, for sharing your experience and your vision, it has great value. Right now i feel like, i'm not ready until i learn "everything". But i really like that domino effect reference, and insight about the exponential improvements that comes after we finally start the process. The better time to start is now! Im on a journey to become a good Video Editor and spend the entire 2024 studying, practicing and learning everything i could, from the basics to the more advanced tecniques, and now im on the deadline to start, still have 2 or 3 courses (focusing on the market and the business nich of video editing) to finish on that plataform. But already thinking in learn the basics of Photography and Filmaking as extra resources, but well i will not "waste" one more year on that.

[@chetaaron]

Bruno I appreciate your comment and I'm glad to hear the video helped! You're exactly nailing the points I was getting across in the video, I love it. Even in your video editing, I recently picked up Resolve after having used Premiere for years. There is so much opportunity to pass on simple things you learn as you go, so don't wait to pass on what you learn. Anything that you had to search for or that didn't click right away, that you had to dig into a Reddit thread for, pass that along immediately as content. While you write your script or your tweet or whatever it is you'll have to look up 1 or 2 additional things, or find a quote in the documentation, there were always be one extra bit of something you'll need to pass that knowledge along which will reinforce what you learned in a stronger way and make you a better editor. Best of luck on your journey!

[@kmjgsdkmjgsd]

There are too many stupid, yet creative people, that yap about how "AI is so good, I don't want to pursue this *recreational, personally-fufilling* hobby anymore", despite raw AI requiring plenty of human input to become salvagable, and human """soul""" art still fufilling endless possibilities an AI cannot do yet. Thank you for speaking straight fax and spelling it out to everyone. A tone-deaf, hand-wobbling, muscle-atrophied, even AI-generating newbie will always beat the all-bark-no-bite NPCs of the internet.

[@GRINDPLAYLISTS]

I need to master my producing skills, but i already started producing. I love music, and i lovemaking videos, i love making music, and i love expressing myself throughout it.

[@shelbyjackson6903]

I'm a victim of my own self doubt. I'm constantly thinking "I want to start this, I want to do this" but then I talk myself out of doing anything by saying that I'm not ready yet or now is not the right time. But, will I ever actually be ready..? Likely not. So maybe I _should_ start now...

[@themarekch]

I failed as a filmmaker over 10 years ago. Now I'm getting back into it.

[@shelbyjackson6903]

@themarekch good luck to you then!

[@themarekch]

@shelbyjackson6903 thank you.

[@chetaaron]

@@themarekch You got this Marek!

[@chetaaron]

Thanks for watching and the comment Shelby, 100% the time to start is now!

[@ArcLucius]

Thank you, I experiencing thus so many times.. Theres always voices in me that said " with your current skill ? Not good enough ! You're not ready "

[@chetaaron]

My pleasure thanks for watching!

[@Norfand]

The best choice I could have ever done was starting. It's been 2 months and I have learned so much, and still much more to learn. Growing as a content creator/person is the biggest benefit of this, the results come on their own later!

[@chetaaron]

Love to hear it Norfand appreciate the comment!

[@papajaigaming4369]

The algorithm gods lead me to you! more power sir!

[@chetaaron]

I'm glad you found your way here, welcome!

[@SL2797]

If you are creating as a hobby, then you can start publishing your work even when you are a complete beginner who doesn't know what he's doing. Who cares, I guess. But if you intend to create something, and actually make some money from it, a baseline level of high quality is expected by a paying audience. Therefore, of course don't wait doing nothing - but DO spend a few years actually developing your craft, and THEN actually create that something that is going to make at least some money. Nobody wants to waste their hard-earned money on mediocre, amateurish stuff.

[@RadiumGhost]

You will never be ready. Let go, and take the leap of faith. JUST GET THAT PROJECT STARTED ALREADY!

[@chetaaron]

Absolutely this!

[@canthandlenohandle]

I appreciate that you put emphasis on the importance of storytelling and sharing your journey as a creator- connecting with your audience on a human level. I love that you stress how vital it is that you begin what your project is NOW and in the present. The thing that confuses me is *why* you choose to use AI for this? With AI image generation, it removes that very humanity from the thing that you're sharing- the whole purpose of creating art. It saddens me that people forsake their own potential for making things just for the sake of engagement- like somewhere along the way we lost touch with ourselves. What story is worth telling if it isn't your own? You might as well just start a repost page at that point

[@thelemmallama]

> It saddens me that people forsake their own potential for making things just for the sake of engagement- like somewhere along the way we lost touch with ourselves. It's not for the sake of engagement; it's for the sake of being able to actually finish my projects before I die and without getting carpel tunnel. I'm fine with my soul not being infused into every little inconsequential background detail of my work that people won't even notice. I use AI alongside actual drawing, so I can focus my Real Human Efforts (TM) on the actual central of parts of my work, the focus points, the parts that actually matter. (just speaking for myself ofc; I'm not the creator of this video or representative of AI users as a whole. But I dare you to check out my work and tell me you see no humanity in it :P)

[@pishachas]

You can still tell a story that is your own with some assistance from AI. I feel like it's acceptable if it's a tool that bridges a gap one person wouldn't be able to cross on their own creatively. Obviously people are going to have different perceptions on it which is fine, but I wouldn't necessarily say injecting some use of AI strips away all of your work's human components.

[@nattheanimator]

Thanks for sharing this! After many years, thinking about it, I finally made a youtube channel dedicated to share my work and thoughts about art. I don't know were is gonna take me, but I'm happy about it. I have so much to learn and I'm excited because I really want to tell stories and share silly little animations. The only thing stopping me was that stupid perfectionist mindset (that I still kind of have, but I wont let it stop me).

[@chetaaron]

Nat that is a huge step and you absolutely nailed it, you really never know where its going to take you at first, it will feel like nowhere, then suddenly however many steps or videos into the project suddenly you will taste a bit of traction or momentum in a direction and dots will start to connect. I'm excited for you 😃

[@presicion25]

I literally just started a few days ago. Been watching KZbin for nearly 20 years, created my channel in 2008 (KZbin went online December 2005, I started watching in early 2006) and finally decided to start sharing knowledge, regardless of how many others are doing the same. My channel literally has 1 subscriber but I plan to keep going because I enjoy sharing knowledge and there's always someone that needs help. (Content Logic Dynamics is the channel).

[@chetaaron]

Appreciate you checking out the video and sharing your story, despite both of us having waited so long we're finally here and doing it. Looking forward to what 2025 brings!

[@mlscribe7274]

The most perfect moment to start was yesterday. The second most perfect moment to start is today. If there is something you really want to do, then don't wait until you're skills are "better." Start now!

[@chetaaron]

Absolutely!

[@kathy_r0se]

I'm glad that even before this video was recommended to me, I was already thinking of animating more next year to really delve into my making my dream animation series come true. I already had so many dear friends online offer help to make my biggest goal happen, and it made me realize that I don't have to wait to make things happen. Thank you for creating this video. It has not only boosted my inspiration, but it has further encouraged my decision to continue doing bigger and better things for me and the people that support me.

[@chetaaron]

My pleasure Kathy, appreciate you watching and dropping a comment. Really glad to hear the video helps, hearing stories and comments like yours is a huge motivation to keep making similar/helpful content for other creatives!

[@malikgwandu]

I needed to hear this, uploaded my first youtube video 2 days ago. Thanks for the motivation!

[@chetaaron]

Glad to hear it helps, congrats on getting started! Keep at it, momentum comes through iterations. Even if no one sees those first videos, when you look back at your first videos in 3 months you won't believe how much you've improved by just getting in those reps

[@LoneBagels]

If you work hard without AI, you will become successful. And if you work hard with AI, you will become successful. Hard work and working smart will never go out of fashion.

[@chetaaron]

Well put and agreed!

[@Caldinovin]

Wanted 15 years ago to start as a animator on the internet Its only now I actually "started proper" but its cause I simply in the past already wanted to be great at what I did but this leading to me creating stuff and then only a little later always deleting. By doing this this only led me to grow only slower cause of not accepting any faults or errors. What makes it worse was me also not being able to feel nostalgia of what I create since there was little to nothing to look back to. At this point though whenever I make something I don't like I now learned to just stash it in a folder, just so even if its not good enough to post I can still look back to it, and maybe still post it someday anyway. I would probably be able to laugh at my old content, instead of be annoyed about it. However thanks to what I experienced I have since developed a very unique style that I probably wouldn't have had if I didn't go the way I did. So atleast there is something positive about it. Its just important now to keep going and run with what you have and of course keep growing. All and all its not good to do something you have no experience with and expect the best immediately. Something I had to learn the hard way.

[@chetaaron]

"Its just important now to keep going and run with what you have and of course keep growing." Exactly this, appreciate you watching and dropping the comment. Wishing you the best with your animation journey!

[@MrBooone]

I started making video essays because I was tired of being really bad on camera, since I'm primarly a video editor at heart. I wasn't sure if I was the right guy for making video essays since writing was never my strong point. But fast forward a year now since I made that pivot and my channel has been blowing up as I teach myself new skills and learning to speak and write

[@chetaaron]

I love this story and big props for making that jump. As someone who spent 99% of my career behind a camera I also found it an uncomfortable shift being in front of it at first but have since learned so much about my craft by placing myself in front of that lens that I've been able to inform my traditional work as well. Funny how that works, glad I also made the jump :D

[@suryakrishna4662]

hey, thank you for making this video! i'm glad i stumbled upon your content now, ending 2024 watching this video.. looking forward to start putting out my workout there asap. thanks again, hope you have a great year ahead!

[@chetaaron]

My pleasure, appreciate you checking out the video and leaving a comment!

[@markgreen2170]

i'm going to start, right after i take a nap,

[@yeahokben]

thanks for saving me 10 years - i owe you one

[@DriventoDraw]

Really nice video and message. Completely agree with you!

[@chetaaron]

Thanks Arvind I really appreciate you taking the time to check out the video and leave the comment!

[@RodTejada502]

Just came to a similar realization due to a chronic illness: thanks for this video, I needed it as well.

[@chetaaron]

No problem Rod happy to be here and glad it helps!

[@enditend2]

as a 33yo this resonate with me , my biggest challenge to start would be: 1) How to represent myself 2) Which passion I should choose to make content on, that if you have multi 3) Buying that perfect gear to make unique videos

[@chetaaron]

Appreciate the comment and checking out the video! Quite honestly both of those first two questions are incredibly common so you're definitely not alone there. Funny enough they are quite literally two chapters in my guide "The 80K Artist" which is my reflections on building my audience the first year (free). If you haven't checked it out already here is the link www.futurefamiliar.com/the-80k-artist/ As far as 3, there really is no easy answer since it always case by case but I'd recommend going with less than you think you need at first. An entry level Sony or Fuji, a wide angle lens, a single light and softbox, and something like a Rode Podmic would be an amazing setup for quite some time. If your budget is less than that you could grab an older camera/iphone and drop the Podmic and go with something like an Elgato Wave. In my experience having a decent key light/softbox and Podmic or better microphone is more important than a high end camera. Here is my gear list if you're curious futurefamiliar.notion.site/f0bece5063d74c65b3cbca748df0c0cb?v=f951379c801949579a5f6fbd5359dbf6&pvs=4

[@enditend2]

@@chetaaron thanks alot for the insightful and detailed reply, if you have time make a short about your setup as how light is postioned and camera setting and few editing tips how to color in davinci resolve , that would be great

[@DylanKowalskiArtwork]

Thanks youtube algo for the recommandation I'll say, and also, 2 videos, 2 crazy source of motivation, thks for that

[@chetaaron]

Really appreciate the comment Dylan! Great timing as well, just uploaded the third video right now, hope its as helpful as the first two!

[@Faith.Life.Living]

I just had this conversation with my close friend. I had her review my first KZbin video and I realised I didn't correct the ratios when editing and I was all over the place with my points but that's what it means to be a beginner. No one is born an expert - it takes years practice and lots of failures to be even considered a pro in your niche. Also, there's no such thing as perfect-just showing up consistently and staying eager to learn (that's the real thrill)

[@chetaaron]

Thanks for sharing Kay. I think what is wonderful about your story is that you created a KZbin video THEN had your friend review it. You just did the thing and were brave enough to put yourself out there and accept the feedback. Now all you need is reps. That is the energy more of us need, take the leap then learn as you go. Failure and mistakes ARE the practice! Best of luck to you this year!

[@vinricvannorth5495]

I don't think you don't miss anything important if you have to be afraid that it will run away from you. The desire for peace, honesty, self-reflection, and faith is needed as the foundation for all good and essential works. You don't have to be a creator to live the right life. Only when you realize that performance is not everything will you be satisfied with what every day brings you, when you learn to take advantage of your opportunities in life, without pressure, fear, or competitiveness. When you know who you are and where life is supposed to lead you per se, you gradually understand what eternity means. Being convulsively in an unfair race with the winners sucks your life force and keeps you from the straight path. Letting go of that may be hard work and challenging, but it has more worth than anything. Creating illustrations and stories taught me that I should not participate in the competition in this world, instead I should achieve eternal happiness so that all the toxic worries of this world turn out to be null and void. We are in good hands if we follow the Love and Order of God, if we say 'yes' to it.

[@Lets.Talk.About1]

I find that starting is difficult because its a first time, and by nature of it being a first time, it will always be strange and unfamiliar. But that is also part of the adventure's charm!

[@MusikHippie7]

I've been waiting to create my own stuff also, I have wanted to make my own music but I didn't know anything about music production and now i am learning to edit videos in da Vinci resolve. I Just posted my first short and working on a full video right now. I'm happy that I just decided to start even though I know almost nothing about what I'm doing but I'm having fun doing it.

[@KnowleDJ]

Thanks for this! Needed to hear it today.

[@chetaaron]

Glad to hear it, appreciate you watching!

[@LeonSilver23]

I started a channel days ago, this is perfect advice! Appreciate it ❤

[@chetaaron]

My pleasure, you got this!

[@AlessandroPacifico]

The real skill isn't mastery, it's adaptation. Well said!

[@stephaniemthoma]

I love this call to follow the nudges to create, even imperfectly, NOW.

[@chetaaron]

Absolutely Stephanie, thanks for the comment!

[@Trevor_Brown_]

As a fellow 35 year old creator I approve, second, and support this message

[@chetaaron]

Thanks Trevor!

[@Frankenstalex]

Well, I'll turn 33 soon. Nice to found this one. Thanks for the advice

[@chetaaron]

No problem appreciate you watching!

[@КрутиПедали-с7ш]

I’m 35 to. Thanx!

[@Subject98]

Agreed. I think it is important to spend time focusing on the fundamentals and technicals but if you're not putting it into practice and trying to apply what you're learning toward what you really want to create, you'll unwittingly put self limiting beliefs on yourself that will make you afraid of the freedom to create without training wheels, and wont want to take them off and get some real work done. It's much healthier on a mental level to interweave the learning and creating process, because you'll feel like you're evolving more evenly and naturally.

[@evan_dood]

I'm not even a minute in yet and I paused the video to make this comment. I am basically in the same boat as you. I turn 33 in a few weeks, and I've spent the last 10 years "trying out" different careers, all of which I've hated, while I've been thinking "I'll write that novel someday" or "I'll take my KZbin Channel more seriously someday." In the last six months, it's felt like I've finally started to wake up. Several non-fiction books I've read last year all basically have the same message: YOU have the power inside you, it has always been there, and it always will be. A lot of us just don't realize it (or NEVER realize it) until it's too late. It sounds cheesy and silly because everybody says it, but you never really realize how true it is until you've wasted that much time: you can do or be anything you want. It is up to you. Don't blame society. Don't blame your parents. Don't blame anything or anyone; just focus on the now. I'm kind of rambling now but here's a relevant quote by Captain Picard from Star Trek The Next Generation: "Seize the time... Live now. Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again."

[@minirobotca]

2025 is my year, I'm trying to build confidence to get behind the camera!

[@yu-gg]

The best time to start was 10 years ago... the second best is now.

[@chetaaron]

100% this!

[@zakross]

I needed to hear this. I'm so sick of working in the agency world and I wanna do something else.

[@chetaaron]

Glad to hear it helps, new year, new moves!

[@endlessnomad]

Thank you so much!!!

[@chetaaron]

My pleasure I'm glad it helps!

[@ajustvision]

THIS WAS DOPE, THANKS!

[@chetaaron]

No problem thanks for checking it out!

[@TheDeviantWitchEtsy]

This was SO inspirational! Thank you so much! I was right on the edge of something, and this was EXACTLY what I needed to hear to push me over. Thank you!! ❤❤🤗🤗

[@chetaaron]

My pleasure, appreciate you checking out the video and leaving the comment. Glad it helps and good luck with your project/venture!

[@Thelegendaryskunk]

I waited to relaunch. I’ve had a small business since 2010 that hasn’t really went anywhere because I allowed negative comments from others keep me from taking it seriously. So I felt like I had to have everything right first. It wasn’t until recently I decided I didn’t want to wait anymore. Now I’m just making content out of making for others who’ve appreciated me and making for myself which isn’t something I’m known for. Don’t ever wait to be ready. Do what feels right for you instead.

[@chetaaron]

Hey Ashley, thank you so much for watching and sharing your journey. It’s amazing to hear that you pushed past that negativity and decided to just dive in, there’s so much power in not waiting for everything to be “perfect.” Trust me, even with a big audience (125k+ on IG) and tons of positive support, one negative comment can still throw me off. It’s wild how deeply those moments can affect us! I’m really glad you’ve found your stride in creating for yourself and for the people who appreciate you. Keep doing what you love, and thanks again for opening up about your experience. I might just have to make a video about why those negative voices stick with us so much at some point

[@Thelegendaryskunk]

@ I realized no one will fight for me like I will. No one will create the life I want to live. And no one has to understand it for me to be happy. Thank you for your kindness. You absolutely should make that video ✨🖤

[@octosalias5785]

I would definitely give the same advice, doing it early even if youre bad is better than waiting. Though my greatest fear is finally publishing and no one cares

[@chetaaron]

I worried about the same, and completely deflated when that happened. Then a few weeks later after creating and releasing more, looking back at those first posts... I could not be more thankful that no one saw them because I had improved so much. But it was only because I had released that first one to no one that I was able to create the better ones down the line. Enjoy the early days when no one sees anything, takes a LOT of the pressure off

[@briraj.-vm1zc]

keep going man!

[@eccentric_freak]

To me, all that matters is fun. Don't create for the world, just create for your own personal enjoyment. I just love creating my "Citter World" and yeah, it's VERY unpopular, but oh well, I'm having a good time. =)

[@chetaaron]

That's absolutely valid and if that's what you're searching for absolutely don't let content like this video distract you. If you end up wanting to pursue it more as a career or to build some economic structures around it and to be able to spend more time doing it as your business then hopefully there is some value here for you to make use of when/if that time comes!

[@eccentric_freak]

@chetaaron Oh, of course! Drawing for a living would be paradise! I apologize, I worded it terribly. What I meant was don't create what the world expects of you, but to be original. So I totally agreed with you, and this video was very inspiring. =)

[@sd5k_]

I needed to hear this message. Thank you!

[@chetaaron]

My pleasure appreciate you checking it out!

[@chetzar]

Hey, another Chet! I started my current career as a fine artist at age 33 also.

[@chetaaron]

haha we're few and far between, glad to connect!

[@GOATiology]

Amen! I love the passion! Guys it’s possible! I’m making ridiculous KZbin money talking about basketball.

[@chetaaron]

Absolutely, thanks for the comment and checking out the video!

[@daustuff]

im almost 34. just started my storytime animation this year. keep grinding guys.

[@chetaaron]

Starting is the hardest part, welcome to the journey!

[@PradeepSoreng-e2b]

i used to think manifesting was all about repeating affirmations and hoping for the best. i tried it for months and…nothing. i was so frustrated. then i heard about this book, Vibrations of Manifestation by Alex Lane, and how it breaks down the science and energy behind manifestation. it’s like it flipped a switch in my brain. once i started applying what i learned, things started falling into place like never before. worth checking out if you’re serious about manifesting.

[@CinematicTale]

You learn as you grow

[@warrenbradford2597]

I have already shown my original and fan artworks to people in Devinart, Pixiv, and even real life. I started doing that when I was 26 years old. Have I started my creative journey yet?

[@toriigatedigital]

you still look great man

[@chetaaron]

haha thanks :D

[@trebotski]

Damn, I really needed to hear this today. Thanks for the video, man

[@chetaaron]

Glad it helps appreciate the comment!

[@arpaddesign]

Great video! Creative professional here, started my content journey as well. I think in time we will find each other here on youtube, and start collaborating on bigger projects. We are evolving with the industry, and the new Hollywood is being built from the ground up here online.

[@chetaaron]

Most definitely, we share that same vision of the coming years. Appreciate the comment!

[@ministryofanimationofficial]

It's crazy how the universe seems to just send you opportunities once you TAKE ACTION!

[@chetaaron]

You got this!

[@Astryca]

I'm trying to follow this principle somewhat. I started drawing the comic i always wanted to make. The art and story is not going to live up to standards, however its a foundation i can build upon, exposing all my weaknesses so i may better divide and conquer. Sometimes i find stuff i never knew i had to know. Taught myself to animate with Live2D

[@chetaaron]

This is absolutely the same journey I've been on as well , keep at it, that foundation continues to pay off and interweave in the most unexpected/surprising ways down the line

[@Astryca]

@@chetaaron thank you! that is very encouraging to hear!

[@quaffie]

the best time to start was yesterday. the second best time to start is now.