Burn yourself out

Hi friends,

I haven’t sent a newsletter in two weeks, and here’s why:

Wait, did you even notice? Probably not. Like everyone, I set goals for myself—some of which are unrealistic. For example, I once committed to posting one YouTube video a week, two short 60-second videos, and a weekly newsletter.

“Yeah, you’ll burn out,” a friend told me when I shared my plan with him.

I thought he was just a dream crusher, so I ignored him and went ahead, burning myself out. I couldn’t handle it, so I stopped sending the newsletter for months. I cut down from four long-form videos to two and recorded short-form videos only when I felt like it.

What’s the correct approach: committing to specific goals or doing things with a free spirit? For me, the answer is somewhere in the middle. I can still commit to sending a weekly newsletter, even if no one reads it, because it helps me reflect on my week and how I’m spending my time. But if I don’t get around to it because, you know, life happens, then… next week is another opportunity.

We can teach ourselves to hate the things we love if we don’t treat them with kindness—including ourselves.

📖 Books I’m reading?

I avoid craft books because they often feel too instructional. But I recently picked up Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody because it’s inspired by screenwriting, which I found interesting.

The book offers a clear view of story structure and breaks down story elements into manageable pieces. While it shouldn’t be seen as an ultimate guide, it’s a great jumpstart for anyone thinking about writing a novel and needing help with answering big questions before diving into the writing (it's helpful in other ways too but I haven't tested it yet).

💎 New From Me

My videos are starting to get some attention on YouTube, which feels a little validating. But I’m mostly excited about figuring out the puzzle of organizing information, recording it on camera, and getting feedback from people on the platform. I never thought I would become that guy, but here I am, stepping out of my comfort zone in ways I swore I wouldn’t years ago.

🔖 Quote I’m pondering

“Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakes.”

— Carl Jung

📸 Through My Lens

Please give me feedback on the newsletter by replying to this email. Do you find it worth your time? What do you want more or less of? Or other suggestions?

Thank you for reading!

Mohamed