If I Knew Then What I Know Now... I Never Would’ve Started

Summary

In this motivational video, Bobby reflects on how ignorance has played a key role in his success. He shares stories of how not knowing the risks of starting a business or the challenges of aphantasia allowed him to move forward confidently. Bobby emphasizes the importance of perseverance, maintaining a positive attitude in the face of adversity, and the power of a growth mindset. He believes that, despite uncertainties, a positive outlook can lead to success by enabling better decisions and actions. Ultimately, Bobby encourages viewers to embrace challenges and stay optimistic, regardless of the outcome.

Takeaways

• 😀 Ignorance of certain challenges can actually help foster confidence and success in entrepreneurial ventures.
• 😀 When Bobby started his own studio, he was unaware of the high failure rate of businesses, which might have discouraged him if he had known the statistics.
• 😀 Bobby shares that being unaware of difficulties allowed him to dive into starting his own business with more confidence than he might have had otherwise.
• 😀 The importance of visualizing in the mind’s eye is highlighted, particularly for artists, but Bobby struggled with aphantasia (the inability to visualize images in the mind).
• 😀 Despite his aphantasia, Bobby persevered and gradually trained himself to visualize more complex objects and scenes, proving that the brain can improve with practice.
• 😀 Bobby questions whether knowing about aphantasia in school would have hindered his efforts to improve his visualization skills, suggesting that some ignorance can be beneficial.
• 😀 The failure rate of businesses is high, with 70% failing within 10 years, but Bobby’s experience demonstrates that sometimes ignorance of these statistics allows people to succeed.
• 😀 Bobby reflects on the mindset of choosing to believe that even when bad things happen, great things are often just around the corner, maintaining a positive outlook.
• 😀 He believes that having a positive attitude allows him to make better decisions, regardless of whether the belief about great things happening is true or not.
• 😀 Bobby emphasizes the importance of giving it your all with a positive attitude, even when things aren’t going your way, and staying hopeful for what’s ahead.
• 😀 He ends the script with a light-hearted reference to AI and the advancements in technology, such as AI-generated art, but reiterates his optimistic approach to facing the unknown.

Q & A

What motivated the speaker to start their own studio?

The speaker was unable to get a job after college, which led them to start Imaginism Studios, a decision they made out of necessity rather than immediate success.

What advice did the speaker receive from one of their teachers regarding starting a studio?

The teacher advised the speaker to work for another studio for about 10 years to gain experience before starting their own studio, which the speaker ultimately chose not to follow.

How does the failure rate of businesses affect the speaker's perspective on starting a studio?

The speaker acknowledges that knowing the high failure rates of new businesses (70% within 10 years and 50% within 5 years) might have made them reconsider starting their own studio, but their lack of knowledge led them to proceed with confidence.

What is aphantasia, and how did it affect the speaker's journey as an artist?

Aphantasia is the inability to visualize images in one's mind's eye. The speaker struggled with this condition, which made it difficult to visualize images, especially when learning art, but they worked hard to overcome this challenge and improve their visualization skills over time.

How did the speaker's experience with aphantasia differ from the understanding of it today?

When the speaker was in school, aphantasia had not yet been coined as a term (it was recognized in 2014), so the speaker believed it was a normal part of the process for artists. They only later realized that they had aphantasia.

What did the speaker's teacher say about visualizing images, and how did the speaker struggle with it?

The teacher encouraged students to visualize images, starting with simple shapes and progressing to more complex ones. However, the speaker struggled, as they could not visualize anything, only mentally check off a list of items that should be in an image.

How did the speaker eventually improve their ability to visualize images?

Through persistent practice, the speaker gradually improved their ability to visualize images. Over time, they were able to visualize more complex objects and even add color and motion to their mental images.

What is the speaker's perspective on the value of ignorance in achieving success?

The speaker believes that not knowing certain challenges or risks can be helpful, as it can lead to a more confident approach and a willingness to take the first step, which can ultimately lead to success.

What does the speaker believe about the relationship between effort, bad things happening, and positive outcomes?

The speaker believes that when bad things happen despite putting in effort and thinking logically, it may indicate that something great is just around the corner. This mindset encourages them to maintain a positive attitude and keep moving forward.

How does the speaker's perspective on challenges relate to their overall outlook on life?

The speaker chooses to maintain a positive attitude even when faced with setbacks. They believe that this positive mindset helps them make better decisions and maximize their efforts, regardless of whether things turn out as expected.