I’m rebooting my newsletter. Again.
The last time I rebooted my newsletter it was because I had a realization. Well recently I had another realization. I think I became too serious this past year.
In the famous words of the Joker, “Why so serious?”
Why?
Why is the fundamental question of life. It’s the question that I’ve been trying to figure out for myself for over a decade. I thought I had my answer when I wrote about Realizing My Why.
But a clever dude named Dan commented on that letter saying that he thought My Why was just the tip of the iceberg, and Dan, if you are reading this. You were right. You were so right. More right than I even knew at the time.
Let’s get into the layers of that ole onion.
While I think there are a few reasons for why I became so serious, I think my old motto and what I thought was My Why is majorly to blame. I got wrapped up in the identity I was building around it and I became constrained by it. I was on the right direction but it was only the tip of the iceberg and I felt like I could only show people that tip.
I want to be able to show people the whole iceberg.
My old motto which I’ve been internalizing for the past couple of years was “Awake with Wonder.” It was meant to express how important I believe it is to be curious. Curiosity is still a primary aspect of my why, but it’s not the only aspect.
The part that was missing was Play.
Play is to be free from constraints. Play is experimentation. Play is creativity. Play is fun. Play is learning. Play is being alive.
I use to play a lot. From short films to comedy sketches, I had a lot of fun.
I had to get serious in 2023 though. I had to focus on my business and make a living. Because of this focus, I had a great year with some really satisfying work projects. But I got too serious. The more serious I got the more stuck I got.
There was much more that I wanted to share last year with my newsletter readers, but because I was stuck in my seriousness I felt like I couldn’t share some things. I felt like everything that I shared had to be serious and I couldn’t share anything fun.
All work and no play makes Zach a dull boy.
Life is too strange and too magically to take too seriously. Curiosity shouldn’t be a serious thing. Curiosity and play are like two sides of the same coin. Both require living in the flow of life with an open state of mind and fearlessness.
When we are curious we take a risk. We take a risk asking a question that might make us sound stupid or crazy.
When we play we also take a risk. We take a risk doing or saying something that might make us look weird or silly.
But it is only by taking these risks that we are able grow and create.
So here’s to the crazy ones who aren’t afraid to ask questions. Here’s to the silly ones who aren’t afraid to play.
My new motto is “Play with Curiosity.”
I think I really got My Why this time.
And the new name for my newsletter is Tune In With Tannar.
Tune in for stories. Tune in for thoughts. Tune in for play and creativity. Tune in for curiosity and wonders.
The fun is just beginning.
Happy new year!
Stay tuned. Stay curious!
- Zach
PS: If you missed it up above then go and watch the video!
Anything new with you this year?
New Year, New Motto, New Name For My Newsletter