Casey Neistat (The Untold Story): "I was a homeless dad at 15 & had $200k debt!"...The Crazy Story Of How I Became The World's No.1 Video Creator!
Dec 11, 2023
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Casey Neistat, renowned filmmaker and YouTuber, shares his incredible journey from homelessness as a teen father to becoming a leading video creator with over 12 million subscribers. He discusses the unpredictability of life, the challenges of vlogging daily, and the weight of personal and professional expectations. Casey reflects on the importance of patience, authenticity in creativity, and the paradox of achieving financial success while feeling indebted. He also shares insights on the transformative power of storytelling and the influence of fellow creators like Mr. Beast.
Success often takes time and requires patience, even in the face of failure and setbacks.
Creating original and authentic work is essential for finding success as a creator.
Pursuing one's passion should be driven by long-term fulfillment and happiness rather than immediate gratification.
The power of personal experiences and authenticity in connecting with audiences and creating meaningful work.
Deep dives
The Power of Persistence and Patience
One of the main ideas discussed in the podcast episode is the importance of persistence and patience in pursuing one's goals. The speaker shares personal experiences of facing failure and setbacks in their journey towards success. They emphasize the need to keep going despite negative feedback and the lack of immediate results. The speaker highlights that success often takes time and that patience is crucial, even when faced with difficult and challenging circumstances.
The Role of Originality in Success
Another key point discussed is the value of originality in creating meaningful work. The speaker explains how they found success by being true to themselves and creating their own style, without imitating others. They emphasize the importance of authenticity and following one's own path, regardless of popular trends or the desire for instant success. The speaker encourages aspiring creators to focus on creating work that is true to their own vision, rather than trying to imitate the success of others.
The Importance of Being Patient with Your Passion
The podcast also explores the idea of pursuing one's passion and turning it into a career. The speaker shares their belief that the ultimate goal in life should be happiness and fulfillment, rather than a single definition of success. They highlight the need for patience in the pursuit of one's passion, as success often takes time and requires perseverance in the face of failure. The speaker encourages individuals to reflect on their true motivations and to focus on long-term satisfaction rather than immediate gratification.
The Impact of Personal Experiences on Creativity
The podcast delves into the speaker's personal experiences and how they shaped their creative journey. They share stories of feeling unheard and unnoticed, which fueled their desire to express themselves through video creation. The speaker believes that their own experiences of seeking validation and finding their voice resonated with others, leading to their success as a filmmaker. They emphasize the power of authenticity and personal storytelling in connecting with audiences and creating meaningful work.
The Importance of Recognizing Personal Privilege
Casey reflects on the significance of privilege in his life and acknowledges that his current lifestyle is a product of privilege. He emphasizes the need to act on privilege and use it in positive and impactful ways.
The Power of Authenticity and Finding Your Niche
Casey discusses the evolution of vlogging and how it went from a potential medium for authenticity and connection to becoming sensationalized and focused on views. He highlights the importance of finding your niche and creating content that is true to yourself, emphasizing the value of micro-creators and their ability to connect with specific audiences.
The Journey of Daily Vlogging and the Importance of Persistence
Casey reflects on his experience with daily vlogging and how it led to both immense success and a sense of burnout. He discusses the need for persistence and patience in creative pursuits, urging creators to keep going and focus on making content they believe in.
The Freedom of Recognizing that Nobody Cares
Casey shares a valuable piece of advice he wishes he had known earlier in his career: nobody cares about you. He explains that this realization can be liberating, allowing creators to focus on their own passions and create content that truly resonates with their own vision, without being weighed down by external expectations.
If you enjoy hearing about the challenges of being a creator, I recommend you check out my conversation with the creator of ‘Call Her Daddy, Alex Cooper, which you can find here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knPqBc2qJ8E
There’s carving your own lane and then having over 3 billion people view the lane you have carved, all from the starting point of being a 17 year old teen father living in a trailer park.
Casey Neistat is an America YouTuber, vlogger, filmmaker, and co-founder of the mobile application ‘Beme’, which he sold to CNN in 2016. He is one of the most famous people on YouTube, and his channel has over 12 million subscribers and 3 billion views.
In this conversation Casey and Steven discuss topics, such as:
How life has thrown unpredicted things at him
Having a child as a teenager
Leaving home forever on a school night
Working 80 hours a week and doing anything to support his son
The importance of patience
Why he felt like a scumbag
Feeling as if he was never heard
Why he started making videos
The reasons behind his filmmaking style
The magic of Mr Beast
Why Mr Beast is the most important person in the history of entertainment
How great work matter
The strangeness of fame
Why you need to do something you hate to figure out what you like
Being the definition of success but being in debt
Becoming a millionaire but disappointing the people who got him there
His moment of real darkness
The challenge of his daily vlog
How his daily vlog was taking away from his life
Linking happiness and fulfilment with winning
The only thing that gives him fulfilment
The importance of knowing that nobody gives a care about you
