My 500-Day Journey from College Graduation to a Creative Career: Lessons Learned & the Reality of Chasing Your Dreams

Justin Shen

Introduction: From Rock Bottom to a New Beginning [00:00:25]

• The speaker recounts hitting rock bottom in January 2023, three months after college graduation, when he was fired from his first job.
  • This job was initially perceived as a life-changing opportunity.
• Childhood dreams of being an NBA player faded, replaced by a feeling of loss similar to being cut from his high school basketball team.
• Lesson 1: There are not enough opportunities for everyone's dreams. [00:01:22]
  • Many people have passions but are held back by fear of the unknown.
  • Success requires executing better than 99% of others.
  • Getting fired was a turning point, leading to the "best year of his life" after 20 days of rock bottom.

    

Early Creative Sparks and Discovering a Passion [00:04:04]

• From Minecraft to Filmmaking:
  • Realized creativity is universal at a young age.
  • NBA dreams died at 14, leading him to make Minecraft videos, learn 3D animation, and video editing, aspiring to be a famous YouTuber, which didn't pan out.

    

    

• Business School & Creative Isolation:
  • Felt like an outcast in business school, struggling with grades and traditional networking.
  • COVID-19 isolation during sophomore year led him back to video editing to express nostalgia and capture college memories.
  • Bought a camera, with parental support, to document life, finding "love at first sight" in photography and videography.
  • This creative outlet provided a sense of purpose and tore down the "walls of his world."

Embracing Curiosity and Purpose in College [00:06:10]

• Lesson 2: Let your curiosity lead you places. [00:06:17]
  • Documented life with friends, went on spontaneous photo shoots, and offered free work to the basketball team.
  • Networked on campus for freelancing gigs with businesses and organizations.
  • College life transformed from mundane to joyful and exciting.
  • Developed a strong sense of purpose by seeing the positive impact his work had on people.

Post-Graduation Reality: The Corporate Path vs. Creative Dream [00:07:04]

• After graduation, faced the choice between a stable corporate job and the uncertain creative path.
• Lesson 3: The universe will isolate you when it's trying to tell you something. [00:07:34]
  • Describes an unexpected job offer as a full-time creative director from a college client.
  • Despite the risks, trusted curiosity and accepted the creative director role, deferring a corporate return ticket for one year to prove himself.

    

    

The Struggles of a Full-Time Creative Career [00:09:05]

• Moved to Chicago, seeking opportunities in a big city to find his purpose.
• Post-college life brought isolation; struggled to connect with friends while pursuing a different path.
• Deterioration of the creative role:
  • Two months into the creative director job, the role diminished, and creative freedom was lost due to office politics.
  • Felt himself "falling out of love with the creative game" due to burnout from working on ideas with no control.
  • Was fired with nine months until his corporate return ticket, limited savings, and no creative spark left.
• Lesson 4: The way we view our past failures dictates a lot of the future decisions we make. [00:12:08]
  • Reflects on his past failure in basketball due to fear of losing and judgment.
  • Realized that everyone loses, and most people don't care about personal failures as much as one thinks.
  • The true failure is not trying hard enough.

Reignition and a New Perspective [00:13:36]

• Finding new inspiration:
  • Reviewed his old work, realizing how much he had improved and enriched his life through creative experiences.
  • Acknowledged being too focused on making his passion a full-time job, losing sight of bigger dreams (freelancing, music videos for big artists, working with favorite brands).
  • Being fired was not a failure but an opportunity to redirect his path.
• Embracing Freelancing:
  • With nothing to lose, decided to freelance full-time, refine his creative style, and travel as envisioned.

Creative Evolution and Unexpected Success [00:15:23]

• Lesson 5: Everything in life was made up by people no smarter than you. You can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use above you. [00:15:09]
• Utilized Chicago's creative scene, networking and taking on various gigs (events, clubs, shows, behind-the-scenes).

  

• Developing unique style:
  • Pushed creative boundaries, taking inspiration from favorite filmmakers but adding his "own original flare."
  • Embraced the "steal like an artist" concept, believing unique style is an interpretation of experiences, emotions, and consumed art.
• Growing opportunities:
  • Directed first music video in February, worked on film sets in March, shot for a major brand in April, and flew to California for an artist project in May.
  • Despite progress, was still burning through savings.
• Lesson 6: Your anxiety and fears are your superpowers. [00:17:15]
  • Corporate return ticket was delayed by four months due to a stagnant economy, causing more financial uncertainty.
  • Channeled this fear into his creative style, which became a reflection of his chaotic yet constant life in the city.
• Going viral with "Elements of Chicago":
  • His video "Elements of Chicago" garnered 5 million views, bringing widespread attention. [00:18:46]

    

  • The viral success led to a flood of opportunities and recognition from inspiring directors and creators.

    

    

    

Business Acumen and Burnout [00:19:32]

• Applying business skills:
  • Managed contracting, invoicing, negotiating, and accounting for his LLC, which became central to new opportunities.
  • Projects included "Elements of London" for the NFL, editing a music video for Metro Boomin, and covering major events like Lollapalooza.
• Lesson 7: Make the most out of opportunities. [00:20:12]
• Burnout and Self-Doubt:
  • The increased attention and workload became overwhelming, leading to self-doubt about his creative abilities.
  • The momentum turned into burnout, causing him to consider the corporate return ticket again.

Redefining Purpose and Finding Balance [00:21:33]

• Lesson 8: The more you know who you are and what you want, the less you'll let things upset you. [00:20:34]
• Ikigai and self-reflection:
  • Explored the Japanese concept of Ikigai (intersection of what you love, are good at, can be paid for, and what the world needs).
  • Despite achieving what seemed like his Ikigai, he didn't feel truly happy.
• Lesson 9: The object isn't to create art, it's to be in that wonderful state that makes art inevitable. [00:22:36]
  • Realized he was too focused on career advancement, neglecting personal well-being (healthy eating, sleep, friends).
  • Ikigai is a result of subconscious decisions and the journey's trajectory, not just reaching goals.
• Temporary return to corporate:
  • Took a break from the creative world by returning to a corporate role, not as a failure, but for a mental reset, to learn business skills, and reconfigure his creative path.
  • Corporate work provided structure and a renewed appreciation for being around people, helping him identify flaws in his own creative journey.

The Power of Connection and Future Dreams [00:25:01]

• Lesson 10: We can go far on our own, but we can go much further with the right people. [00:25:17]
  • Overcame loneliness in freelancing by realizing the importance of finding "the right people."
  • Attended Creator Camp, a retreat with 25 like-minded strangers, which provided comfort, understanding, and rejuvenated ambition.

    

    

• Future aspirations:
  • Plans to direct more music videos, work with favorite brands, and start a creative agency for ambitious projects.
  • Most importantly, aims to surround himself with more creative individuals, believing this makes his dreams possible.

Conclusion: An Evolving Journey of Self-Discovery [00:27:05]

• Initially wanted a "fairy tale ending" for his journey (never working a 9-to-5).
• Realized there's no perfect ending; life is unpredictable.
• True happiness comes from overcoming fears, discovering oneself, and pursuing desired experiences.
• Emphasizes personal growth, family connections, and building lifelong friendships through embracing challenges.
• Encourages viewers to take risks and embrace difficult paths in their 20s, as the biggest risk is taking none at all.