What is the greatest source of inspiration and motivation in life? Ambition.
The tools
The best MacBook laptop (the fastest, smallest, lightest, most powerful) you can afford.
In-ear monitor headphones (I don’t like bluetooth headphones nor the airpods — not enough bass and high fidelity for music)
Great sleep the night prior
A bunch of coffee
Powerlifing at least once a week.
Don’t use your phone or iPhone. Lock it up when you don’t need it.
Life without music would be a mistake.
Make music that bangs, and also listen to music that bangs and gets your body moving.
Don’t care too much for your self preservation
In order to become more ambitious, and to attempt more, we must become anti-self preservation. For example, the mistake that a lot of people make in the gym is that they only work out in order to “maintain†their health. This is very boring. Far more interesting to strive to figure out the limits of your body, and supersede them.
For example, my personal curiosity is how physically strong I can become. I don’t take any supplements, no protein powder, no creatine, only coffee and meat.
Therefore, it seems that the source of ambition is fulfilling a personal curiosity about yourself, your limits, and what you’re capable of.
Keep filtering down
In order to maximize your impact on the world, you must be very selective. For example, I think it is good to pursue all of your interests, but at the end of the day, you cannot do 1 million things. You cannot care about 1 million things, nor care about 1 million issues.
This is the big problem with politics and news: my personal reservoir of physiological energy I could spend on caring about the external world or people is limited.
For example, let us assume that your limited time on earth is 120 years, and you must sleep at least eight hours a night. And given the day, any sort of thing you do or attempt will deplete you of some of your physiological energy resources. Then the question:
Given your limited energy, how do you want to best leverage your energy, in order to maximize your impact on the world?
For me, during my waking hours, I first care about taking care of Seneca, and training him. Then, my attention and energy towards Cindy. But after that, it is energy for myself. There is nothing much else I could care for.
Even a personal realization: as much as I love going to the gym, there is a lot of wasted time. There is the time I must walk or drive to the gym, be stuck in traffic, and then once I actually do get to the gym, having to warm up, and often the equipment I want to use like the deadlift platform for the squat rack is taken, which means a lot of wasted time. At least one of the biggest advantages of just doing heavy kettlebell swings at home, with my 105 pound kettle bell, is that I could literally finish the whole workout in less than 30 seconds. Maybe if you strive to maximize your time, just buy a bunch of (very heavy) kettle bells. Maybe this is even a better investment than spending money on a car, a home, etc. 
Why did Elon Musk sell his house, and get rid of all his physical possessions?
This is the funny irony: everyone wants to become a billionaire in order to buy a bunch of stuff. They want to buy the really really nice house, in a very great location, do you want to buy the very very expensive car, and they want infinite money to travel the world indefinitely, and stay at all the nicest hotels.
But, stuff and time is a commodity. Any physical thing you purchase, or even a home you purchase, or real estate you buy has a hidden cost. For example, even if you have the worlds nicest home, there is maintenance you must do. Even if you hire a bunch of people to do it for you, you must maintain them.
It took six months to get the Maybach all matted out
And my assistant scratched it soon as he backed it out (Kanye)
Or, let us say that you have the worlds nicest Lamborghini. Do you still need to get it serviced every once in a while. Even if you had a personal assistant to take it to the mechanic to get serviced, there would still probably be a little bit of concern or anxiety if your assistant scratches your car. Even if you had a Rolls-Royce, you would still probably need to pump your own gas, which is very annoying. Or, if your assistant pump your own gas, the stress or concern about giving them your credit card, or having to always fill up a gas card.
Just use the Internet
What is the best technology which exist for us as entrepreneurs? The internet. Funny enough, I think the Internet is still very underrated in terms of what you can do. For example, one of the upside of COVID-19 is that they switched a lot of learning to online via zoom. And this is 1 trillion times more effective than going to learn in classroom. Consider that you don’t need to live in a dormitory, or you don’t need to commute to class, or wake up for the dreaded 8 AM class. Being able to just wake up in your pajamas, and attend class is much more efficient.
But what about the socialization? Just go to the local coffee shop, gym, marketplace, or cafe and chat with folks.
Scale yourself
The difficult thing is that you as one human being is not infinitely scalable. For example, even if you wanted to, you cannot answer 1 billion emails a day.
This is why I think publishing on the Internet is so great: in theory, you can have 1 billion people look at your one thing on the Internet at the same time. This includes a blog post, photos, videos, podcast, YouTube, etc.
Yet, why are we still stuck in this antiquated notion of the in-person gallery, or the printed book? I think it has a lot to do with people who have fragile egos. They feel that in order to feel “successful“, they need certain old-school markers of success, which include a printed book, preferably hardcover, a solo exhibition, etc. It is funny because I even look at a lot of very very successful Silicon Valley entrepreneurs who are trying so hard to become famous and well regarded, that it actually feels a little bit sad.
The number one advice I could give to you: create your own self hosted website. bluehost.com, and install wordpress.org, and start publishing.
Actually, I’m starting to think that perhaps coding is overrated, and blogging is very underrated.
Just have fun with it, and don’t take yourself too seriously
Some of the funniest innovations that I’ve personally made, whether on YouTube, my blog, etc. is actually very unserious. For example, my recent obsession with blogging and recording me cooking food, or eating food, with my GoPro. Or recording my workouts. Or just recording other random parts of my life.
Even with my early very viral videos of me shooting Street photography gopro POV, it was out of a personal sense of curiosity, and unseriousness.
Even our obsession with Elon Musk and his Memes is very fun, because Elon Musk is just having a fun time with it. He actually doesn’t take himself too seriously.
The same goes with Kanye West: in the early days he tried to hard to be serious, and well regarded, but now, he has taken a more playful turn, which I think is good. For example, his innovation in “dad“ fashion. In the past, it was regarded as very lame to dress like a dad, but Kanye West thought to himself: what if we just lean into this aesthetic? And does he innovated with his Yeezy sneakers, to make cool looking “dad shoes†(the 700 series)
And therefore, in order to become more ambitions, perhaps it is better to be adventurous and fearless like a child. No regard for social norms, or cultural norms.
On becoming a more ambitious photographer
Photography is our craft. How can we leverage our ambition in the context of photography? I see it as simple: strive to become more ambitious to innovate a new aesthetic, a new approach, new techniques, and always strive to make new images. This involves infinite travel, and infinite genres.
What is the most limiting thing you could do for yourself as a photographer? To just limit yourself in one genre. For example, it is very unfortunate that Trey Radcliffe has pigeonholed himself into the HDR genre. Also, Henri Cartier Bresson also pigeonholed himself too much into the street photography genre, even though it seemed that Henri was actually more passionate about making portraits.
One for for who has done a good job of escaping being pigeonholed is Joseph Koudelka. For example, he got famous for his Gypsies project, shooting with a very wide 25 mm lens on a film SLR camera, and then soon he realized he had to move on, and just got a Leica and 35 mm and 50 mm lens, and kept traveling. Then, eventually he started shooting panoramics and epic landscapes.
All great artists and entrepreneurs in the past have always allow them self to encroach on different genres. For example, even though we know Picasso as the painter, he also did sculpture. Or, Andy Warhol not only did paintings, but photography. Even the great innovation of Kanye West is that even though he started off as a music producer, he got into rapping, and fashion, and now technology (His very innovative STEM player).
Even Steve Jobs: even though Apple was his primary pursuit, he also greatly innovated with Pixar.
I know for myself personally, the worst thing I did for myself was pigeonhole myself in street photography. Now, I just pursue all photography, all video, and all forms of recording, whether a screen recording, or life recording, or life vlogging.
Unlearn the notion that selfish is evil
What is the worst thing that holds us back as entrepreneurs and innovators? Morality. A lot of the morality of America is based on Puritan and Quaker ethics, protestant ethics, Judeo Christian notions, Catholic guilt, etc. all of these religions say to be selfish and focused on yourself is evil, and will cause you to burn in hell. Even a lot of Caucasian Americans who grew up without religion still feel this guilt, for uncertain reasons.
Therefore, in order to become more ambitious, prune away a lot of these antiquated, self limiting morality.
For example, I think actually being selfish is the most virtuous thing you do. Why? You focus on yourself, without blaming or praising others. Also, in today’s world, to pursue selfish ends can also be very altruistic. For example, even if you devote your life to altruism and helping others, there is a certain personal ego boost you get from helping others, less fortunate than you. And I don’t think this is a bad thing. It is a good thing. If there was no personal ego boost that we got from helping others, a lot more poor and suffering people would be in a bad position.
Therefore, moving forward, I say become more selfish, yet, don’t hoard things for yourself, just share it openly and widely. When in doubt just open source it. 
Self speculation
Self speculating yourself. Self speculation funds. Spend your money based on your physical fitness, health, diet (get a Costco membership, and go to the Costco business center and buy lots of beef brisket and beef ribs), eat more grass fed beef, purchase pasture raised eggs. Buy more kimchi, without sugar added (look at the list of ingredients on the jar).
Invest in your own personal travels, accommodations, lifestyle experimentations, and yourself.
Don’t track progress
The worst modern idea comes from Peter Drucker, the notion that in order to improve, or to feel progress, you must track things. I say this is bad. Why? The grandeur of the human being is a quadrillion times more important than mere numbers. It is man who invented numbers, not the numbers who invented man.
Spread the wealth
Share your thoughts and personal findings in your blog posts
If you prefer, just make a podcast out of it, or upload it to YouTube.
Send your own email newsletter. I recommend using a self hosted option like sendy.co instead of mailchimp
Never stop posting: the goal is to become like a stream of water: never stop flowing.
For example, I’m glad I held out and did not buy the MacBook Air with the M1 processor, nor the 14 inch MacBook Pro with the M1 max processor. I’m glad that I waited for the second generation M2 processor, on the new MacBook Air.
Similarly speaking, it seems that a lot of first generation Tesla model S cars required a lot of updates, to the LCD screen, and also the battery pack.
A thought I had: how great is it that I can make photos, dump my SD card, download and process my photos, upload them, reformat my SD card, and just re-charge my camera?
I recall as a child how bizarre it was that with disposable film cameras, you couldn’t just open it up again, and stick in another cassette of film.
And I remember my insanely epic enthusiasm in high school when I first saw the Canon “ELPH” digital camera (1.3 megapixels) that had an LCD screen on the back… how you could *INSTANTLY* see and review the photos you just shot!!
It seems too much of the talk nowadays is trying to find your strength, in order to maximize your money earning potential. I say, instead, just think about what you are internally motivated about.
For example, study children. They are internally motivated by curiosity, learning, discovering the world, and discovering physics — input and reaction.
I think it is impossible to pursue your life passion without first being physiologically healthy. When I talk about physiological health, I mean sun exposure, time outdoors, fresh air, interaction with fellow human beings, great sleep, and physical strength.
A simple life experiment: just rent an ideal Airbnb or a hotel somewhere desirable for a week or two, and see how it affects your health and your mood.
Also, get into powerlifting. A single one rep max sumo deadlift attempt once a week is key.
4. Zen
Sublime morning
Rather than chase the arbitrary notion of “happiness“, I say instead, pursue your own personal Zen. Zen means, empty mind.
For example, get rid of any mental or physical irritants which bother you. This could mean, toxic people, toxic ideas, toxic social media, toxic news, etc.
Also, spend some time for yourself, by yourself. Disconnect from email, your phone, social media, etc.
5. Discovery, and re-discovery
I like this notion of rediscovery, which means that when you rediscover something old, it is almost like discovering it new.
For example, just think about the insane joy and elation of re-discovering your wallet hidden behind your couch, when thinking that you lost it, and the joy of discovering it again.
Always be thinking, and searching.
6. Philosophy
In order to discover deeper life meaning and purpose, study philosophy. Or ask yourself WHY? at least ten times.
What does “master†or maestro mean? It literally just means “teacherâ€.
I like the saying, “When one teaches, two learn.â€
The easiest way to share your thoughts and learnings is just on your own personal blog, on YouTube, or make your own podcast (I like the “Anchor†app).
The biggest upside of making your own personal blog is that you have 100% freedom. You cannot be censored.
8. The meaning of your life just might be photography
My number one thought today is that after all of this, my number one Archimedes lever is photography. It is that which I am most interested in and curious about, passionate about, and can never tire of. For me, making photos is akin to breathing, or eating meat.
9. Turbocharge your photography
So assuming that photography is your life mission, how to maximize it? I say go on more trips, adventures. Travel more, whether internationally or domestically. It doesn’t have to be expensive, far, or inaccessible. You can just go on a simple road trip, rent a nice Airbnb, or even go tent camping.
10. What is the end?
The end is your own personal death. But I say, while you’re still alive, keep building your legacy.
First, start with strengthening your legs. Then your sleep, then your meat consumption, then deleting social media, then blogging it, then just having fun with it!
Also anti “high frequency†trading. Low frequency trading (just once a year or every other year) as better.
With food consumption, less frequency is better. Better for your metabolism and hormones to just eat one massive meal day, instead of 3 square meals a day, or even worse, 5-6 small meals a day. Anti “snackingâ€.
In principle, I should really like Ethereum. I like the idea of a programmable Blockchain, or a programmable Internet.
The problem: Ethereum is too hard to pronounce, and too hard to remember by most people.
On the contrary, bitcoin is easy to pronounce and remember. Even Cindy‘s mom and my mom, both of whom are English second language learners, can pronounce and remember it.
What is the most important muscle for us photographers? Our legs. As a simple thought: if you could squat 400 pounds, this should make you a stronger and more motivated photographer. Similarly speaking, if you get deadlift over 500 pounds, with no belt or straps, certainly this will make you a more fearless Street photographer.
2. I need more meat
I cannot say for women, but for us men, it seems that the hormonal source of our motivation comes from our testosterone, or our testes (balls).
For myself, it seems that the more meat I eat, the better. The better I sleep at night, the more powerful I feel waking up in the morning, improved muscle mass, etc.
I wonder if I’m the first person to think this: perhaps if you want to become a better photographer, eat more beef liver, beef short ribs, instead of buying camera equipment or gear.
For example, instead of buying the new iPhone or Apple device or Tesla, use that money to go to the Costco business Center, and buy a shit load of the brisket, or beef ribs.
3. I’m off the grid
Get off of the photo grid. That means, get off of Instagram and Facebook. Instead, build up your own photo empire, with wordpress.org and your own self hosted website.
A question a lot of people asking me is this: what is the difference between a website and a blog?
Well, a website is just like having a plot of land on the Internet. And a blog literally means a web log of your thoughts, and digital artifacts. A log, is literally just like a log, like Captain‘s log in Star Trek.
In the early days of blogging, it was more like a public diary. You just said what you did during the day, and posted some photos. Then when Web 2.0 came along, became more about writing insightful articles. And currently, it seems that blogging is quite dead, instead, public opinion is run by Twitter, the news, and big corporate media empires.
What should one do about this? I say take back the keys. Build your own blog.
4. Break free of routine
Certainly some routine is good, but 100% routine is bad. I say, even if you’re stuck in the same neighborhood, city or area, take slightly different routes. For example, if you plan on driving somewhere, every time you go to the place, just take a different route, even though it may take a little bit more time. I found that even while driving, taking a different route stimulates different types of thought.
The same thing with walking. Strive to break free of your routine to walking. This is one of the best things that learn for my sociology class, that when walking somewhere, always take a different route.
5. If possible, walk to the gym
Always have your Ricoh GR in your front right pocket. And I say, the supreme life is a life without a car. Or a life in which you could literally walk everywhere.
Walk to the gym. And on the way to the gym, make photos.
6. Opportunity cost and money
Let us say that you have $35,000, and you want to buy a new car, or a used car. I say, rather than dumping that money into a car, which will slowly lose value over time, invest in something which will gain value over time: experiences, and yourself.
Example, assuming that a round-trip flight is about $1000, $35,000 is 35 round-trip flight tickets.
Or, let us see you already have a car. I say use that money on gas, and go on a road trip, go camping, and stay at a nice Airbnb. And make photos along the way.
7. High contrast black and white
I love both color and black-and-white photography. Yet, for maximal motivation, it seems that monochrome is the way. Why? We don’t see the world in black-and-white, which makes monochrome more interesting. Also, the difficult thing about color is that if you see something that is not colorful, or the light is not good, aesthetically, the color photos will look ugly. Black and white is more robust to lighting conditions.
I’ve just been shooting extra small JPEG, on Ricoh GR 3X, in high contrast black and white mode, and I’ve literally been logging at least 500 photos a day.
8. Get constructive critique on your photos
Upload your photos to arsbeta.com
Also, it seems that as you give constructive critique to other photographers, you yourself learn. Why? A lot of us often make the same mistakes in photography, and by giving a constructive critique to another photographer, you yourself learn that lesson for yourself.
9. Real life is the best entertainment
A simple thought: I wonder if we will become more motivated human beings, and photographers, if we canceled all of our digital streaming services. Cancel Netflix, cancel Apple TV, Hulu, etc.
Also, instead of watching porn, just go on a walk around the city, go to a local bar or nightclub, or go to the gym.
The best entertainment is the one in which you’re an active actor. The reason why TV media is often so bad is that it makes us passive. Certainly media should just be a stimulant for us to actually go out into the real world, and do stuff.
10. Even if the thing is at least 1% curious to you, just shoot it
