Have you ever watched Joe Rogan’s first ever podcast?

It’s hilarious.

It’s from 2010. He’s with his friend. They’re filming on a webcam in his room. There’s no structure, no coherence. They’re just messing around, hanging out. Not thinking about an audience. Learning as they go.

In 2020, Joe Rogan sold the rights to his podcast to Spotify for $100 million dollars.

Watch any first creator’s video and you’ll laugh.

Same with a startup’s first website or a singer’s first song.

They’re all the same. All choppy and incoherent with no indication of future success.

Ideas are built on stumbling blocks.

There is no such thing as a wrong first move. The only requirement is movement.

Movement creates answers. So long as it’s forward. So long as you’re moving into the unknown. So long as you’re putting something out into the world.

All first moves come with a cocktail of fear and excitement.

They’re never good.

We live in a culture of final results. Of only seeing the perfect 20th take. A culture where the slightest slip up can get you exiled.

Of course we’re afraid. Of course we’re paralyzed by fear. If our decisions are based on likes, why would we risk trying anything new?

There will be something wrong with whatever you decide to do or whoever you decide to be. There will be people who don’t approve. People who judge and condemn you.

That’s why you don’t want to fall in love with your ideas. Your ideas are birthed by you, but they are not you. That distinction is essential. Your ideas will get bashed so if you think they define you, you won’t be able to handle it.

You are the excavator, not the mud or gold that you excavate.

So don’t obsess over your first draft.

Fall in love with the process instead.

Fall in love with wrong turns.

Fall in love with movement.

Love,

Matt

Gotta say it: Big shoutout to our 511 new paying subscribers! I can’t thank you enough for believing in me. Your support is too much for words. We’re going to be doing a Zoom together on September 12th so be on the lookout for that in the voice note next week. Can’t wait to meet y’all!!

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Song: It’s Gonna Rain by The Souljazz Orchestra

Photo: I’m back in LA for the week. While walking down Abbot Kinney I bumped into Oobah Butler. He’s the viral creator who inspired our videos Instagram Followers Control Our Lives and Turning Our Backyard Into the #1 Restaurant in Los Angeles. We ended up walking and talking for an hour. It was so serendipitous. I loved every second of it.

Make Your Meaning

Thursday Thoughts: Don't Fall In Love With…