Investing in Yourself

I have something to get off my chest.

Over the past 38(?) blogs, I have yet to use a single word from ChatGPT. Full blown typo-filled prose brought to you by yours truly.

Tonight, however, the insurmountable task of editing has proven too tough. I recorded the blog by voice and at this hour, I don’t have the brain capacity to take out the repeat lines. And as much as it pains me to do, this blog is cleaned up by AI. It’s me, I spoke for 13 minutes straight into the memo. Just note I asked AI to ‘clean out the clutter.’ Let me know what you think

Real Jack Translated by AI Jack

I’m recording this while driving — it’s late, I’m tired, and the second I get to where I’m going, I’m knocking out. But I wanted to drop a quick thought.

Earlier this week, I had a shoot for my acupuncture client — same place I posted that needle-in-my-face photo a month ago. This time, they needed a new actor, so I posted on Upwork. One guy replied — from Cleveland. I told him, “Hey, my budget is only $100. I can’t cover travel.” He goes, “No problem. I’ll figure it out.”

And somehow, he did. Dude left Ohio at 3:30 AM, made it to NYC by 12:30 PM. No idea how, but he showed up. Never been to New York. All that for a $100 shoot just to meet people and chase opportunity. Mad respect. That’s hunger. That’s entrepreneurial spirit.

After the shoot, at lunch, he asked me, “How much did it cost to start doing video work?” And I thought about it:

• DJI Osmo Pocket 3 – $700

• Mic – $350

• Drone – $900

• Laptop – $3,000

  ~$5,000 before I ever made a dollar.

At the time, it was just a gut feeling — I knew I’d get paid for this one day. I bought the gear and went for it.

Fast forward to now: all my income comes from video work. That $5K investment continues to pay off. But I’m at the next fork in the road. The gear I use now isn’t enough for some shoots. I need better quality, smoother visuals — another level of production value.

So here I am, staring down another $5K investment:

Along the lines of this stack:

• Sony A7S III

• Gimbal

• New lens

• Second tripod

• Proper camera bag

  It’s not even a want anymore. It’s a need.

And here’s the point:

We talk about investing in stocks, in assets, in “the future.” But you are the biggest asset. That $5K on gear? That’s stock in me. That’s leverage on my income, my skills, my business.

It’s not about buying fancy dinners or flexing online. It’s about buying yourself tools, experiences, environments — whatever levels you up. (Jack talking — fancy dinners could be it too haha. Now back to AI Jack)

If you’re an editor, buy the laptop. If you’re in law, buy the chair that saves your back (Jack talking again — I actually said this line but it makes no sense… hope you get the point though). Whatever helps you do what you do better — that’s the move. Not just for peace of mind, but for performance.

You can’t only prepare forever. You have to do.

Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Don’t retreat when things get hard. Push through. That’s the only way you level up.

(Damn AI Jack is inspirational)

So yeah — I’m buying the camera. I’m trusting the return. I’m betting on myself

If you’re stuck wondering whether you should make the leap — maybe this is your sign.

That’s it for tonight.

(Real Jack speaking) Thanks for reading.

-Jack