[Related to Part 5: Creativity, chapters 19 - 21 of my book, It's About Damn Time]

Chase Jarvis is an award-winning photographer and the founder and CEO of Creative Live, an online education platform used by millions of creatives and entrepreneurs around the world. His new book, Creative Calling, is a blueprint for anyone who's ever felt they were meant for more.

He and I spoke on May 19, 2020, about following your calling, not letting anyone decide your destiny for you, and generating income while doing so.

He also tells the amazing story of how Creative Live was born from a near-death experience, how meeting Richard Branson changed the trajectory of his life, and what having the first photo app used by millions (pre-instagram) was like.

Note: Chase's screen was pinned during this interview, so if you want to see the photography I showed him, here's the medium post I mentioned :)

Portions of this interview are being released as audio for my podcast series, Your First Million, but students in this course get the full interview + video version exclusively.

Section Take-aways

Chase Jarvis

• Chase is a photographer turned CEO of CreativeLive, an online education platform
• Chase pitched Richard Brandson after building rapport and aligning with Branson’s interests and became friends. Eventually, Chase also raised capital from Branson for CreativeLive. 
• He started the first photographic social app on iTunes

Chase’s thoughts

• Summon the courage to disappoint everyone to go into what you want
• Culture has a plan for you, “a map” that includes the “right schools, job, etc” and that map is wrong
• The map isn’t accurate but our internal compass is
• You can’t stand out and fit-in at the same time
• We recognize and celebrate the people who are willing to stand out
• You are one decision to change your life and live on your terms
• This is "the riskiest time to play it safe" because we can’t go back to normal; we are working towards a new normal
• Leveraging creativity will help us to get to our next level
• Everyone is creative and creativity is a muscle that you work out

Activities to Apply Your New Knowledge 

• Listen to your inner compass and ask yourself, “what works for me?”
• Be okay with disappointing others and following your inner compass
• Be okay with standing out
• Acknowledge the creativity around you and leverage it to achieve your best life 

Additional resources 

Sites:

• CreativeLive

Books: 

• Creative Calling
• It’s About Damn Time 

Resources: 

• Backstage COVID-19 Resources