Hi I'm Zack, and the purpose of my work is to help you find meaning and purpose in yours (without burning out...or selling your creative soul).
If you've built your entire career around your creativity like I have, you may be asking the same question I am: Is there a future for us “creatives,” Or is it game over? I can't promise that I know what the future brings, but I do promise few are more dedicated to helping you find the answers than I am.
You're in the right place if:
Whether you identify as introverted or neurodivergent (or both, like me)...
No matter if you're a misfit, a rebel, an outlier, or a troublemaker...
If you've been called weird, nerdy, dorky, quirky, or awkward...
Or if you’re an over-thinker, procrastinator, or perfectionist…
You are welcome here. 😊
Come join me as I have honest, authentic, and candid conversations with NYT bestselling authors, Oscar and Emmy winners, experts across many different industries, and ordinary humans achieving extraordinary things.
Daniel Arnold, is a world-renowned NYC street photographer who has been hailed by Gawker as ‘The best photographer on Instagram,’ by Wired as ‘Instagram’s ultimate street photographer,’ the New Yorke…
Natalie Asatryan is the youngest female in the country to be certified as a yoga instructor. If you’re not terribly familiar with the process of becoming a yoga instructor, trust me...it’s not easy f…
Dr. Jason Wersland is a chiropractor, athlete, and the founder & inventor of the TheraGun, a revolutionary neuromuscular percussive therapy device...or in laymen’s terms, the most badass massage powe…
Scott Bahneman is the creator of the SitTight (use coupon code 'OPTIMIZE' for 10% OFF), an active sitting chair which has become my new #1 recommendation for anyone looking for “the best ergonomic de…
This bonus episode is a raw recording of my recent appearance at the wonderful event Editfest in Los Angeles where I was on a panel sponsored by Avid Technology titled, “The Extended Cut: How to Surv…
Kevin Bull is an obstacle course racing athlete and an American Ninja Warrior superstar who has appeared on 5 seasons of the show, as well as other competition shows such as Spartan: Ultimate Team Ch…
Two weeks ago I released the article Dear Hollywood: We Create Entertainment For a Living...We're Not Curing Cancer, and it was shared over 3000 times in the first 48 hours. Clearly the idea of inhal…
The following is a reading of my article '5 Things Every Editor Can Do to Build Trust With Clients' available at Frame.io Insider.
» Click here to read this article at Frame.io Insider
Avid Media Com…
Summer is officially here which means the first season of the Optimize Yourself Podcast has come to a close (don't worry...I'll be back right after Labor Day). I cannot express enough how grateful I …
Author’s Note: In the wake of the possible IATSE strike I wanted to share my two cents specifically regarding turnaround times and overall hours. I know the pension plan is the headline of negotiatio…
Click to Download Audio Summer is officially here which means the first season of the Optimize Yourself Podcast has come to a close (don't worry...I'll be back right after Labor Day). I cannot expres…
“Why.”
It’s an incredibly simple word that carries tremendous power when used correctly. But unfortunately ‘why’ is a question we are often afraid to ask of others because we don’t want it to look lik…
It definitely wasn’t the first time I had asked myself this in the last six months since declaring that my #1 goal for 2018 was transfor…
Depression. Burnout. Imposter Syndrome.
I’ll take “3 Things I’d Rather Not Admit That I’ve Experienced” for $1000, Alex!
In today’s society we are conditioned to believe that we have to show up to work…
On a weekly basis I receive emails, Facebook messages, and tweets from people all over the world who work in creative fields. Some people send me pages worth of their life stor…
The subject matter of disabilities, especially muscular dystrophy, is a subject matter near and dear to my heart. I spent eight years of my life producing a…
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock the last thirty years, you’re no doubt familiar with The Karate Kid - the inspiring underdog story of Daniel Larusso, an awkward teen from Newark who moves to ‘…
If you work in a creative industry, you probably already know how difficult it can be to just making a living. But if you’re intention is to not only making a living but also f…
I've already written extensively about how being sedentary is awful for your health and how sitting can kill your creativity. But in addition to the long term detriments of not moving at your desk, t…