For my entire career, I was known as the video guy. Sharing stories of companies and people was what I was good at and so I made a business out of it. However, I found myself chasing the next job or constantly worried about building a successful business by the numbers. What I didn’t realize at the time is that money/success does not equal fulfillment.

I have always been the type of person to just say yes and do whatever it takes to get the job done. Because of that, I have gone through many different “careers.” But just because I could do it, doesn’t mean my heart was in it. I have designed for some of the biggest companies in the world and come up with innovative business ideas. But I still wasn’t happy.

The past few months have been a roller coaster of figuring out what I really want to do with my life. I tried anything that made me excited, looking for that rush and adrenaline rush that comes with doing something that you are passionate about. I not only found limited success, but still was far from finding what I loved to do.

I had sold my camera and lenses last year thinking that this was the end of the line for video and that I gave it a good shot but would move on to something else. I continued to take photos and make fun videos along the way using an iPhone, GoPro, and the drone that I still owned. Something very interesting happened along the way.

I had this fire inside of me every time I got behind a camera, came up with a campaign idea, and finished off a film. I would constantly ignore this as just “it’s a side passion of mine.”

After getting denied from dozens of jobs in the creative industry, thinking there was something wrong with me, I had a legitimate breakdown. I’ve honestly never had one before. You feel backed against a wall, cornered, and panicked about what your life has become. My girlfriend, Marissa, has been the biggest part of helping me through this. She encouraged me to drop everything I was doing and just take some time. Take money out of the equation and to actually feel in my heart what truly made me excited.

The interesting thing is that it didn’t really take any time at all. I immediately said video. The chance to share stories, campaigns, and films that make others truly feel something and impact lives was what I loved to do. I can have a conversation about an idea for two hours and it would feel like 5 minutes. I get goosebumps when I come up with an idea that is “it.”

I have the special gift to be able to understand people and truly connect to them on an emotional level through my creativity. To me, it would be selfish not to be able to share that with the world to make it a better place.

My grandfather first taught me to take a photo when I was 15 with a Nikon F. He had a gift behind a camera and I guess he saw the same in me. I owe a lot to the loved ones around me for guiding me along my journey but my grandfather sparked the fire inside of me that led me down this path. For that I thank him and will never forget the moments we got to spend together going through photos we had both taken.

As a creative, it can be a lonely existence. You are in your own head most of the time and are often misunderstood. Your most valuable asset is your mindset and self-awareness. Mindset was always something that had held me back. I would always ask myself, “But what if?” or “Am I failing?” I learned that with this mindset, it was what was holding me back. The simple switch in belief, to your core, can drastically change the direction of your life. But your heart has to truly believe it. Mine switched to believing that there isn’t a story that I couldn’t help someone else share in a powerful way. That through me, someone can change the world. That is quite a responsibility and one that I love.

It is never easy to truly what find what you love to do. I did filmmaking for 6 years and didn’t even realize it until now. Just ask yourself, what is the one thing that you can do for hours and it only feels like minutes? And I know your first thought is “I can’t make a career out of that.” But I know you can. Keep going, never waver, and #neverstopcreating.