How to Find Your Creative Voice
The Chase Jarvis LIVE Show
Hey friends, Chase here Let’s talk about one of the most important questions every creator eventually asks: How do I find my creative voice? Or maybe you’ve heard it framed another way: How do I develop a personal style? How do I make work that actually feels like mine? How do I stop copying what everyone else is doing and start creating from a place that is uniquely my own? This question comes up all the time because it sits at the center of the creative life. Whether you’re a photographer, designer, writer, filmmaker, musician, entrepreneur, or someone who simply feels called to make...
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Stop Asking Permission to Create Your Life
The Chase Jarvis LIVE Show
Hey friends, Chase here Let’s talk about reality. Not the abstract, philosophical version. Not the version you argue about over coffee or read about in some dusty book. I mean the reality you wake up inside every day. The job. The schedule. The obligations. The story you tell yourself about what is “practical.” The version of your life that everyone around you seems to agree is reasonable. And then there’s the other thing. The thing you can see in your mind that does not exist yet. The book. The business. The body of work. The new way of living. The creative practice. The conversation....
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Don’t Wait for Inspiration
The Chase Jarvis LIVE Show
Hey friends, Chase here Let’s talk about something that gets romanticized way too much in the creative world: inspiration. We’ve been taught to wait for it. To trust it. To believe that the best work comes when lightning strikes, when the muse shows up, when the feeling is right. And while inspiration is real — and beautiful when it arrives — it’s also wildly unreliable. That’s the trap. If you build your creative life around inspiration, you build it around something you cannot control. And anything you can’t control is a dangerous foundation for a meaningful body of work. This...
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The Hidden Cost of Overplanning
The Chase Jarvis LIVE Show
Hey friends, Chase here Let’s talk about something that looks responsible on the surface — but quietly steals momentum from your life underneath it. I’m talking about overplanning. Not thoughtful preparation. Not healthy strategy. I mean the kind of planning that masquerades as progress. The kind that lets you feel productive without actually moving. The kind that sounds smart, looks disciplined, and gets praised by the world… but keeps you from starting the thing that matters most. That’s what this episode is about. Because there’s a hidden cost to overplanning, and most people...
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Are You Climbing the Wrong Mountain?
The Chase Jarvis LIVE Show
Hey friends, Chase here. I want to talk about something that might be uncomfortable — but if you’re willing to really look at it, it can change everything. What if you’re working incredibly hard… at the wrong thing? This is one of the scariest patterns I’ve seen — not just in the creators I coach, but in my own life. People are climbing. Grinding. Achieving. But they’re climbing a mountain that isn’t theirs. What’s Really Going On Most people don’t realize they’re succeeding at the wrong thing. From the outside, it looks like progress: Momentum Validation Money Status ...
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Talent Is a Lie (Here’s What Actually Matters)
The Chase Jarvis LIVE Show
Hey friends, Chase here Let’s talk about something that quietly holds a lot of people back — something we’ve been taught to believe for most of our lives: Talent. The idea that some people are just born with “it.” The gift. The spark. The thing that makes them exceptional. And if you don’t have it? Well… maybe you just weren’t meant for this. Let me be clear: That idea is mostly a lie. Not because people don’t have natural inclinations or perspectives — they do. But because what we call talent is usually something much more accessible, much more practical, and much more...
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Perfect Is Dead: Why Your Flaws Are Your Creative Advantage
The Chase Jarvis LIVE Show
Hey friends, Chase here Let’s talk about something that might feel uncomfortable at first — especially if you’ve spent years trying to get better, sharper, more polished, more “professional.” Perfection is dead. Not metaphorically. Not eventually. I mean right now. And if you’re paying attention to what’s happening in the creative world — especially in an era of AI, automation, and endless content — you’re starting to feel it too. The things that used to signal quality… now feel generic. The things that used to impress… now barely register. And the things we used to...
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You Don’t Need Everyone
The Chase Jarvis LIVE Show
Hey friends, Chase here Let’s talk about something that quietly holds a lot of creators back — the belief that your work needs to resonate with everyone. It feels natural. We’re wired for connection. We want to be seen, appreciated, recognized. That’s human. But when that instinct starts driving your creative decisions, it can pull you further and further away from the very thing that makes your work meaningful in the first place. So here’s the truth I want you to hear clearly: You don’t need everyone. Not their approval. Not their attention. Not their validation. In fact, trying...
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Why Hearing “No” Is Part of the Creative Path
The Chase Jarvis LIVE Show
Hey friends, Chase here Let’s talk about something every creator experiences — but almost nobody talks about openly. Rejection. If you’re pursuing anything creative — photography, writing, design, building a business, launching a project — you already know the truth: you hear a lot more no than you hear yes. But here’s the twist. Most people think rejection is the signal to stop. In reality, rejection is often the signal that you’re doing the work. In this episode, I’m unpacking why hearing “no” isn’t something to avoid — it’s something to learn from, grow through,...
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Craft Is the Entry Fee
The Chase Jarvis LIVE Show
Hey friends, Chase here If you’re a creator who’s ever wondered why someone with “less talent” seems to get more opportunities… this episode is for you. Because here’s the truth: being great at your craft is only the price of admission. It gets you in the door. But what happens after that? That’s where your career is made. In today’s micro-show — Craft Is the Entry Fee — I’m talking about the things that matter most in the work you do… and the things that matter just as much in the way you do it. The stuff you can’t always point to on a resume. The stuff you can’t...
info_outlineHey friends, Chase here
Let’s talk about something every creator experiences — but almost nobody talks about openly.
Rejection.
If you’re pursuing anything creative — photography, writing, design, building a business, launching a project — you already know the truth: you hear a lot more no than you hear yes.
But here’s the twist.
Most people think rejection is the signal to stop.
In reality, rejection is often the signal that you’re doing the work.
In this episode, I’m unpacking why hearing “no” isn’t something to avoid — it’s something to learn from, grow through, and ultimately embrace as part of the creative path.
Because more often than not, “no” doesn’t mean never.
It means not yet.
Let’s start with a simple truth:
If you’re putting your work out into the world — pitching clients, submitting work, applying for opportunities, launching ideas — you’re going to hear “no.”
A lot.
And while that might feel discouraging at first, it’s actually a sign that you’re in the arena. That you’re taking risks. That you’re moving forward instead of sitting safely on the sidelines.
The reality is that creative careers are built through repetition — through attempts, through iteration, and yes, through rejection.
You don’t get ten yeses without hearing a whole lot of no along the way.
That’s just the math of putting your work out there.
The trick isn’t avoiding rejection.
The trick is learning what rejection is trying to teach you.
The Core Idea
“No” serves a purpose.
In fact, it serves several.
First, rejection can be a powerful motivator.
If you’re competitive — and most creators are — hearing no doesn’t mean the door is closed forever. It means there’s an opportunity to learn, adjust, improve, and show up stronger the next time.
Every pitch that doesn’t land teaches you something.
Every opportunity you miss reveals something about the craft, the market, or the way you’re presenting your work.
And if you treat rejection as information rather than judgment, it becomes one of the most valuable feedback systems you have.
Second, rejection naturally filters out the people who aren’t committed.
Most people hear “no” a few times and decide the path isn’t for them.
They interpret rejection as proof that they’re not good enough — instead of recognizing it as part of the process.
But if you keep showing up, learning, refining, and improving, you start to realize something important:
Persistence quietly reduces the competition.
The longer you stay in the game, the more people fall away.
Not because they lacked talent.
But because they lacked the willingness to keep going.
Rejection Is a Signal — Not a Verdict
Another powerful reframe is this:
A “no” usually doesn’t mean your work will never succeed.
More often, it means your work isn’t quite there yet.
It hasn’t found the right audience yet.
Or it hasn’t reached the level it needs to reach yet.
And that distinction matters.
Because if the answer is “not yet,” the only real response is to keep creating.
Keep refining.
Keep putting your work out into the world.
Every swing increases the odds of eventually connecting.
If You’re Not Hearing “No,” You Might Not Be Trying Hard Enough
There’s another perspective here that might surprise you.
If everything you do gets an easy yes, you might not be pushing yourself far enough.
You might not be taking big enough swings.
You might be staying inside your comfort zone.
The legendary racecar driver Mario Andretti once said:
“If everything feels under control, you’re not driving fast enough.”
The same is true in creative work.
If you’re constantly hearing yes, it might mean you’re only playing it safe.
And playing it safe rarely leads to the most interesting work.
The projects that matter — the ideas that stretch you — almost always come with a higher chance of rejection.
Because they’re new.
Because they’re different.
Because they challenge expectations.
And that’s exactly why they’re worth pursuing.
When the Yeses Start Coming
Eventually, if you stay consistent long enough, the yeses do start to show up.
Clients say yes.
Projects get approved.
Your work gains traction.
And that’s a great feeling.
But here’s the caution:
Don’t start chasing yeses.
Because the moment you begin optimizing only for approval, something subtle happens.
You stop pushing the edges.
You stop experimenting.
You stop risking failure.
And the work becomes safer — and softer.
The goal isn’t to avoid rejection.
The goal is to keep challenging yourself enough that rejection remains part of the process.
That’s where the real growth happens.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode
This episode dives deeper into how rejection actually fuels creative progress.
Here are a few ideas to listen for:
- Why hearing “no” is an unavoidable part of building a creative career
- How rejection can become a powerful motivator instead of discouragement
- Why persistence naturally reduces competition over time
- How “not yet” is often the real meaning behind rejection
- Why taking bigger creative risks means accepting more no’s
- How success can sometimes make your work safer — if you’re not careful
Timecodes (So You Can Jump to What You Need)
- 02:13 – The reality of hearing more no’s than yeses
- 03:05 – Why learning to love “no” changes everything
- 03:33 – Using rejection as motivation
- 04:26 – How persistence reduces competition
- 05:32 – Why rejection helps refine your craft
- 06:53 – If you’re not hearing no, you might not be pushing hard enough
- 07:46 – When the yeses start coming — and the trap that follows
A Reframe for the Creative Path
If you’re hearing a lot of no right now, here’s something to remember:
You’re not failing.
You’re participating.
You’re testing ideas.
You’re developing craft.
You’re building the resilience required to create meaningful work.
The creators who ultimately succeed aren’t the ones who avoid rejection.
They’re the ones who understand it.
Who learn from it.
Who keep going anyway.
Questions to Ask Yourself
If this episode resonates with you, take a moment to reflect on these:
- Where in my creative work am I avoiding rejection instead of learning from it?
- Am I taking big enough swings with my ideas?
- What feedback might be hiding inside the last “no” I heard?
- What would it look like to treat rejection as data instead of judgment?
- What’s one opportunity I could pursue this week — even if the answer might be no?
The Big Idea
The creative path isn’t paved with approval.
It’s paved with attempts.
Experiments.
Iterations.
And yes — plenty of rejection along the way.
But every no gets you closer to the right yes.
So instead of fearing rejection, learn to welcome it.
Because if you’re hearing no, it means you’re moving.
You’re risking.
You’re putting your work into the world.
And that’s exactly where the magic begins.
Until next time — keep creating, keep pushing, and don’t be afraid to hear a few more no’s.