40.2021 Edition

What's up Reader?

I'll probably turn this into a thread on Twitter because it's all I'm thinking about right now 👇

I don't know who needs to hear this...but if you've got it in your gut that you're doing the right thing, but you just aren't *there* yet...just keep going.

Back in 2017 when I left my sous chef position and committed to not getting another restaurant job, that decision left a massive void that immediately filled with doubt.

There was barely a precedent for a channel like mine, much less the style of content that I wanted to produce.

But I knew I wanted to help anyone who was like me when I started my career. Folks like you: hardworking, ambitious, and growth minded.

What would I have wanted to know back then? Back when I had to figure it all out myself, faceplant (a lot) and experiment at the risk of embarrassment.

It required a lot of choices that weren't sexy at the time.

✅Make content that was completely free to consume and "eat" the uncomfortable truth that I had to take on other video gigs to help pay my bills.

✅Say no to short-term partnerships with brands who I didn't support or use myself (some of those emails are hilarious).

✅Stare blankly at my YouTube dashboard where videos would barely crack 100 views.

This month, after almost 5 years of relationship building, confidence in the process, and a reasonble sprinkling of patience, I'm working to be the first creator that two brands that we know and love are going to work with in a formal capacity. Stay tuned on that news soon.

It aligns with a bunch of other goals I've been sharing in the Community about my ambition to become a full time creator. Most of you know I'm bad at giving myself a pat on the back, but I really feel this one; even though it doesn't seem real.

Success stories can sometimes feel like "dime a dozen" and motivation is one of the most perishable things on the internet. If you've done the work to really identify a goal for yourself with a sustainable process to get there, and it's just a matter of time...I'm standing here telling you that it's gonna be worth it.

Just keep going.

The best part now is that I know it's just the beginning 🙌

Highlights from the week to share 💥

To Read 📚

​Pete Wells lays into EMP - We knew this was gonna happen, right? I don't make comments on food I haven't tasted, but I'm curious what you folks have to say on this piece (join the Community and we can talk in the Industry News space). It's almost a new genre of "Journalist Drags Head Chef's Ideas/Execution While Applauding Staff" that we've seen multiple times from high-caliber kitchens.

​José Andrés is Launching a Media Company - Am I the only one who's genuinely excited to see what he creates, versus "seeing how he compares to Bourdain"? I think it's a disservice to really talented producers that they have to replace someone that had such a prominent voice. Let's let Bourdain be Bourdain and Andrés do Andrés.

To Binge 📺

​Logic's Masterclass in the Creative Process - I've made this link take you to the precise spot in the interview that I'm referring to (the whole conversation is phenomenal and vulnerable). It's mastery on multiple levels - the ability to talk about the theory, the process, to execute on the art in real time, and to have so many hits that he barely remembers how the verse starts. I hope to have that ability with my food someday...

​One way to find "Meaning" - Daniel is so good at getting to the "core" of a concept and to find wisdom in it. Again, the entire interview is incredible, but this piece might help you if you're feeling stuck because it suggests that you might be evaluating things incorrectly.

To Peep 👀

​PacoJet Junior in stock at JB Prince- I know, they aren't cheap, but it's one of the best places to buy online where you can get free canisters with your purchase. Plus, this is your PSA that they announced a 6% price increase across almost their entire catologue of imported products that's starting November 1st.

​DarkHardt is having a sale on their IG - As of writing this, it's 20% off purchases over $150, but they had a set of IG Stories yesterday that were selling "imperfect" products with dings, scratches, or errors for some pretty sweet discounts.

​Nenohi Show K-Tip Petty - A new addition to the line that I reviewed a few weeks back just dropped. Here's to hoping they've found success with the line and you folks can get your hands on it easier if you're US-based!

Current experiment I'm running 🧪

I'm coming off of a few days on the east coast and now that I'm back in Seattle, can't help but wake up at 4:30am-5:00am.

Instead of trying to fight it, I've managed to squeeze in an hour of reading every morning so that I can catch up on my backlog of email newsletters that I'm subscribed to.

Sure, it's nice and very "productivity lifestyle" to say, "I'm waking up at 5am", but I think the bigger lesson is to control how you respond to situations.

I could be upset that I got incredibly drowsy at 9pm all week, or I could run an experiment to see how it feels to get my reading done in the morning.

My sleep schedule inevitably gets reset, so I'm not expecting this to last forever. However, I find it helpful to keep a set of "experiments to run" in your back pocket so that when changes happen, you can be excited about them because "you finally get to try this experiment" versus beating yourself up or agonizing over the changes.

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Quote I'm Pondering 🤔

If you got value from me this week, I'd appreciate...

...a share of this newsletter! Links are below and I'd love to provide some value to a friend or colleague you think this would be perfect for.

👊Justin

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