I shot this photo of Max Taylor a few years back while he was filming his part for the first No Comply video. In typical skateboarding fashion, Max did this trick first try while warming up. Unfortunately when the camera came out to film the line, things didn’t go as smoothly or according to plan. It was many tries later before Max finally put all three tricks together….

The point is this: it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to accomplish your goals. Nothing is as easy as it seems to the normal person standing on the outside looking in.

Inspired by a recent post from my friend and videographer, Calvin Millar, I have put together this list to remind myself (and others) that when things get rough:

Believe in yourself. Trust your gut. Work hard. Then work even harder. Stay up late. Stay up all night. Know when to say no. Know when to speak up. Take risks. Collaborate with others. Network. Question everything. Work outside of your comfort zone. Stop procrastinating. Create personal work. Find inspiration in everything. Ask for help. Educate yourself. Educate your clients. Make notes. Use notes to build a concept. Be hungry. Follow through. Make lists. Do the things on your list. Be consistent. Be thorough. Think about all the possibilities. Never give up. Slow down. Have fun.