The Zack Arnold Podcast

“How can I break into Hollywood or advance in my creative career if I don’t know anybody?” is a common question I receive via e-mail, when I speak at events, or when I teach at USC or online. Wheneve…

Author’s Note: ‘Tragedy’ doesn’t even begin to describe what it means for our industry to lose Norman Hollyn at the ridiculously young age of 66. He was quite possibly the kindest soul in Hollywood.

I…

I don’t know about you, but I’m really confused by the endless amounts of information available regarding nutrition. All you have to do is spend a couple hours reading the heated (and sometimes outri…

In today’s digital world of information overload, the most controversial topic that causes the greatest amount of conflict and confusion (politics aside, of course) is nutrition. Rarely do I post any…

Prioritizing sleep is absolutely essential if you want to consistently generate creative thoughts and stay focused (and no...caffeine and Red Bull are not adequate replacements). But what options do …

In many creative industries it is not uncommon to wear a 'Sleep Deprivation Badge of Honor' to the office every morning and champion how hard you work despite barely getting any sleep. Let me put thi…

If you've ever found yourself stumbling to reach the finish line and you often fail to achieve your most important goals (don't worry, you're no different than the 92% of people who also don't achiev…

Grit. Determination. Perseverance. Are these qualities you can build, or are you just born with them? In today's episode I interview the founder and CEO of The Spartan Race Joe De Sena. We discuss hi…

I'm commonly asked, "How in the world do you balance so many different projects at once?" In this episode I give away my secret weapon and the foundation of my entire productivity system - GTD.

In my …

If you work in a creative profession and put your heart and soul into everything you do, burnout (and ultimately depression) seems inevitable. You work crazy hours, you eat crap, your deadlines are i…

It's no secret: Sitting all day just plain sucks. But when working an intensely creative job for long hours, what other options do you have? The good news is there are now TONS of options, and if you…

Creativity and mental health issues go together like peanut butter and jelly...or do they? According to the"Mad Genius Paradox," that may not be as true as we think. In the inaugural episode of the O…

If you're a "creative professional" the chances are extremely high that you live in the dark. As a film editor, I have to spend all day in a dark room...it's just a requirement of the job. And while …

The standing desk revolution is upon us, but the number one complaint I hear from those who convert is that the transition is painful, and standing for long periods of time can get uncomfortable very…

Welcome to Optimize Yourself!

If you’re a first-time listener, I’m grateful to have you with me and I appreciate you taking a little bit of time out of your crazy day to focus on finding a little bal…