Now this is a story all about how…

If your brain auto-completed that subject line by singing the full song lyrics, then we have something in common. 

And we’re not the only ones.

Last year in December while on vacation in St. Lucia, I went to a big street party. Everyone was crowded together outdoors, drinking rum punch and dancing freely to the DJs. 

The mix of people there was really fantastic: both locals and tourists from all over the world gathered together to party and have a good time.

And then the DJ played a mix featuring, you guessed it, the Fresh Prince theme song. 

I turned to the group of guys next to me and we all sang (yelled) along, word for word. 

There was something magical in that moment. Something unifying. We came from different places, we were different ages (though we clearly all spent some portion of our lives in the 90s), and we likely had many different cultural reference points. 

But this we had in common.

When you can create that kind of connection, it really IS magical. Because it has the ability to connect people. And that’s an amazing feeling — especially in a socio-political landscape that thrives on isolation and separation. 

You have the power to bring people together. 

You have the power to make people feel seen and less alone. 

You have the power to create something that people remember, talk about, and come together around. 

This, to me, is one of the most vital, meaningful reasons to get out there and create something. 

And you don’t have to be Will Smith to do it. Nor do you have to reach millions (or thousands or even hundreds, or for that matter even dozens) of people to make an impact. As today’s podcast guest says, what you create can be between just you and one other person.

That’s enough for it to be meaningful. That’s enough to make it worth doing.

And if you need more motivation or guidance — or frankly, some tough love to get you off your bum and into action — check out today’s podcast episode: 

How to create your best work (regardless of your job) with Joy Spencer

A coach, speaker, and organizational development consultant, the host of the podcast Reframe to Create, and founder of Joy Spencer coaching, Joy helps people reframe their understanding of success away from “being productive,” towards creating the things and experiences that are most meaningful to them. 

As Joy says: “Your work is not your job or your career. Your work is what you create. And what you create is what sets you apart and is the unique contribution that is your legacy.” 

Topics we cover:

💼 Why your job does not define you! And why your potential to build a meaningful body of work isn’t dependent on your job.

💵 Why having to “pay the bills” shouldn’t stop you from doing the work that really matters to you.

✅ The benefit of serving fewer people, and why having a small audience shouldn’t stop you.

🏃 The problems with productivity culture, and how to opt-out of it.

💙 Why the process of making something is just as valuable as the product, and how to “fall back in love” with the process of making things.

🤘 Why you should embrace being a rebel, or being seen as “weird” or different as you eschew productivity norms.

🪟 The art of the reframe, and a new way to think about parameters and limitations.

💡 How to reorient your life around the things that light you up.

⏱️ Plus, quick tips to help you make time for your creative practice and meaningful work — even if you have a busy schedule and minimal time or energy 

So, if you’ve been wanting to prioritize your own work, creation, or storytelling, why not start today? 

Take 5 minutes. Or as Joy says in our discussion, even just 2-3 minutes. Use that little bit of time to get started. 

Remember, small efforts add up, and there’s no better time like now. 

With heart — or should I say, yo homes, smell ya later (IYKYK) —

Cam