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How are we doing on this fine Wednesday?

It’s currently 4:09 AM on Wednesday as I write this, and the white background of the editing screen feels like a cup of coffee being poured directly into my eyes… and I love it.

“Why are you writing this at 4 AM on the day that it’s due like you’re in college again?” you ask.

Welp, things have been hectic for me recently. With CreatorPad picking back up to full speed, finding the time for things outside of work, like this newsletter, has been tough.

Usually, when things are crazy and I can’t find time to breathe, I get overwhelmed and begin to burn out; but there’s a strange feeling this time around.

I’m finding that in these recent times of chaos, I can still find moments of zen.

Like right now. When the world is quiet, my mind is clear, and for a little while, all I have to do is write.

While some of that might just come with age, I think I can also attribute it to a piece of advice my father recently reminded me of after reading my last issue.

When I was 16, he gave me a little book called Tao Te Ching. At the time, I didn’t fully appreciate it, but lately, its lessons have been resonating more and more.

So I want to start sharing these pieces of wisdom that seem to land exactly when I need them. And with life feeling like pure madness lately, there’s one lesson I keep coming back to:

"Muddy water, let stand, becomes clear."

-Luke

Clearing Muddy Waters

I’ve been thinking more about my journey as a creator and a founder, and I’m finding that they could not be more similar.

Both paths come with incredible highs and crushing lows, with moments of exhilaration followed by periods of doubt and frustration. The most interesting part, though? In both cases, I often find myself caught in the same trap: overthinking.

Whether I’m working on a piece of content or brainstorming the next steps for CreatorPad, I tend to get lost in the details, trying to figure out all the steps before I even take my first.

But as I reflect more on this, I realize the answer to moving past these moments is surprisingly simple, and it’s rooted in an old piece of wisdom that’s been showing up in my life lately.

As creators and founders, we often get caught in the craziness that comes with all of the decisions to be made. What should we post today? Is my pitch to investors strong enough? Is this edit optimized? Am I building the right thing?

It’s easy to convince ourselves that overthinking is a way of solving these problems, but the more we obsess, the muddier the water becomes.

I mean I’ve been there, I was there this morning just 50 minutes ago (for those keeping track, it’s now 4:59 AM); Staring at a blank screen, struggling to find the perfect words, worrying about how this will come across to you…. It’s exhausting.

The more we force clarity, the further it slips away. But there’s a better way. Sometimes, the answer isn’t in forcing a solution; it’s in creating space. When we let go of the need to control every outcome and step back, the path forward often becomes clear.

Be still. Let the water settle. And allow the clarity to come naturally rather than churning up already muddy waters.

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Hope you enjoyed this week’s post. See you next week ✌️