The Zack Arnold Podcast
Hi I'm Zack, and the purpose of my work is to help you find meaning and purpose in yours (without burning out...or selling your creative soul). If you've built your entire career around your creativity like I have, you may be asking the same question I am: Is there a future for us “creatives,” Or is it game over? I can't promise that I know what the future brings, but I do promise few are more dedicated to helping you find the answers than I am. You're in the right place if: You live to create. Your work isn't just a job but an expression of who you are. You create to live. Your livelihood depends on your creativity. You love making cool shit. Whether you identify as introverted or neurodivergent (or both, like me)... No matter if you're a misfit, a rebel, an outlier, or a troublemaker... If you've been called weird, nerdy, dorky, quirky, or awkward... Or if you’re an over-thinker, procrastinator, or perfectionist… You are welcome here. 😊 Come join me as I have honest, authentic, and candid conversations with NYT bestselling authors, Oscar and Emmy winners, experts across many different industries, and ordinary humans achieving extraordinary things.
Episodes
What does it really take to build a sustainable creative career in an industry evolving faster than ever before?
For today’s episode, I’m sharing something different—a live masterclass I hosted at the end of my weeklong virtual summit. Over five days, I interviewed 15 brilliant minds—showrunners, entrepreneurs, AI experts, Oscar-winning filmmakers, and more—all centered around one question: how do we adapt and thrive creatively when...
Ever feel like your creative career is becoming an uphill battle you’re no longer sure you can win?
Budgets are tighter, opportunities are fewer, and AI is rewriting the rules. But this isn’t a conversation about giving up. Debby and I focus on how to adapt with intention, and why now is the time to design your next move, not just react to change. We pull back the curtain on the summit we’ve been building—designed specifically to he...
What happens when your creative career no longer pays the bills—but you’re still called to create?
In this episode, I talk with award-winning editor Mark Keefer, whose nearly 30-year career spans Disney, Netflix, and Warner Bros. A simple LinkedIn selfie in a Trader Joe’s uniform went viral after he shared he'd taken his first non-creative job in decades to support his family. We talk honestly about identity, resilience, and wha...
How do you build a creative career that lasts when everything keeps changing?
In this episode, I talk with Sven Pape—professional editor, filmmaker, and the creator of This Guy Edits, one of the most respected YouTube channels on storytelling and the creative process. With over 500k subscribers, Sven has seen firsthand how the creative industry is evolving. We dive into what it takes to adapt and stay in business—from shifting algor...
What if creativity isn’t just self-expression, but a way to heal and connect?
In this episode, I talk with Allison Sweet Grant, an author, former psychiatric nurse practitioner, and mother of three who brings deep honesty and courage to her storytelling. Her debut novel I Am the Cage wasn’t written to launch a career but to process overwhelming trauma and offer hope to others. We talk about how creativity can be both healing and har...
Ever feel stuck between playing it safe and going all in on your dream?
In this episode, I talk with filmmaker, actor, and real-life action hero Paul Beckman—whose story is equal parts hilarious, outrageous, and deeply inspiring. From sneaking into the World Series VIP section to facing cancer with grit and the mantra “This too shall pass,” Paul shows what it really means to take risks. We talk about walking away from comfort, facin...
What if the way you see your struggles is the key to overcoming them?
In this episode, I talk with motivational speaker and all-around awesome human Aaron Welty—moderator of the Council of Nerds film series, former Two Geek Soup co-host, and Senior Legislative Assistant in the U.S. House of Representatives. Born with cerebral palsy, Aaron brings a powerful lens to storytelling, shaped by his love of movies and his lived experience w...
What if your greatest creative strength is the part of you that never quite fit in?
In this episode, I talk with Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman, psychology professor at Columbia University and host of The Psychology Podcast, to explore why creativity isn’t a rare talent but a way of being—one that thrives when we embrace what makes us different. We discuss how to reframe “disabilities” as strengths and how owning your uniqueness can unlock...
Hey there, it's Zack. And for today's mini episode, I'd like to share with you an audio reading of a recent article that I wrote on Substack titled, Are we becoming Generation Xtinct?. If you enjoy this article and you're interested in reading more about navigating significant life transitions, finding meaning in your creative work, and what it means to be human in the age of AI. I invite you to subscribe to my Subs...
What if happiness wasn’t the reward for success but instead the foundation for it?
Jackson Kerchis is here to share the science and psychology of happiness—not as an abstract, feel-good concept, but as a practical tool for navigating uncertainty, overcoming career challenges, and unlocking creativity. From the neuroscience behind gratitude and mindfulness to why we’re so bad at predicting what will make us happy, Jackson offers real...
What if striving for more is actually giving you… less?
In this episode, Zack sits down with bestselling author Oliver Burkeman—known for Four Thousand Weeks and Meditations for Mortals—to unpack the trap of productivity and the illusion of the perfect to-do list. Together, they explore why the constant chase for achievement might be keeping us from truly living, and how embracing the unfinished parts of life could actually set us f...
Are you stuck in the messy middle of life, wondering who you’re becoming on the other side?
In this episode, the mic turns inward as today’s guest—well, it’s me, Zack Arnold —and I’m opening up about the newly rebranded Zack Arnold Podcast. Along with my podcast producer and fellow coach Debby Germino, we discuss why the changes go far beyond a new name, music, or artwork. Together, we dig into what’s shifting behind the scenes and ...
Hey there, it's Zack. And for today's mini episode, I'd like to share with you an audio reading of a recent article that I wrote on Substack titled, I wasn't afraid of losing my paycheck nearly as much as losing myself. If you enjoy this article and you're interested in reading more about navigating significant life transitions, finding meaning in your creative work, and what it means to be human in the age of A...
Hey there, it's Zack. And for today's mini episode, I'd like to share with you an audio reading of a recent article that I wrote on Substack titled, I sold my soul for a paycheck. It led me to my purpose instead. If you enjoy this article and you're interested in reading more about navigating significant life transitions, finding meaning in your creative work, and what it means to be human in the age of AI. I invite...
Hey there, it's Zack. And for today's mini episode, I'd like to share with you an audio reading of a recent article that I wrote on Substack titled, The existential crisis that destroyed me and then changed my life. If you enjoyed this article and you're interested in reading more about navigating significant life transitions, finding meaning in your creative work, and what it means to be human in the age of AI, I i...
Hey there, it's Zack. And for today's mini episode, I'd like to share with you an audio reading of a recent article that I wrote on Substack titled, Procrastinating? You're not lazy. You're probably just afraid. If you enjoy this article and you're interested in reading more about navigating significant life transitions, finding meaning in your creative work, and what it means to be human in the age of AI. I...
If you’ve been following along the last several months, then you may already know I’ve decided that it’s time to retire the Optimize Yourself brand and usher in a new era.
If you live to create, meaning your work isn't just a job but an expression of who you are...
If you create to live, as in your livelihood depends on your creativity...
And if you love making cool shit (preferably left alone in small, dark rooms)...
You’ll love t...
Want to continue learning from the world’s experts on time management, networking, career development, better sleep, overcoming burnout, and so much more?
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Ever feel like the ground beneath your career is shifting — like every step forward only leads to more uncertainty? Today, we're diving deep into the heart of creative survival during one of the most challenging periods for crea...
Want to continue learning from the world’s experts on time management, networking, career development, better sleep, overcoming burnout, and so much more?
→ Click here for your customized podcast playlist
With everything that’s happened in the past few years—and the latest tragedies that have shaken the entertainment industry—it’s no surprise that many of us feel stuck, are questioning what’s next or even questioning what the point o...
Want to continue learning from the world’s experts on time management, networking, career development, better sleep, overcoming burnout, and so much more?
→ Click here for your customized podcast playlist
The past two years have been relentless for creatives, and even in the first quarter of the year,, the losses keep piling up with no end in sight. Staying creative, hopeful, or even grounded feels harder than ever.
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