The world isn’t going to end if you don’t become a millionaire
Your life doesn’t end if you don’t buy a giant house
Your friends don’t stop being your friends if you don’t have a fancy job title
Life doesn’t end if you don’t attain all the things you’re supposed to want
Focus on you
Focus on your craft
Focus on what you’ve got to contribute to the world
And when the world comes crashing down
Find peace in knowing that you gave yourself a chance
by Jason Lam
“Do not die an impostor”
This came to me in a dream
It felt too important. So I will remember it here
by Jason Lam
Creating and putting your work out there is the greatest form of trust you can ever have for yourself. It is the ultimate testament. Leave nothing in the tank. Go for it. You might crash and burn. But you won't know until you try. At the end of the day, what matters most is that you keep stumbling forward no matter the self-doubt, no matter the hate, and no matter the rejection. Keep fighting. Keep creating. Keep trusting in yourself.
by Jason Lam
If you accept your flaws you can use that towards your art
Hide away from them and pretend like you’re ok, and you block yourself off from one of your greatest forms of authenticity
Because we all suffer, one way or another
What makes us unique is how we cope with it
Art is an outward expression of our willingness to survive and what we make of ourselves when things don’t quite go to plan
It’s a statement of our inherent strength
Our unifying truth
So share your story with the world
Because you are not alone in your endeavors
We're all afraid
by Jason Lam
Some art projects are meant to be throwaways
You gotta get it out
Get it over with
So you can get to your real work
Get all the clever ideas out
The cheesy jokes
The trendy fads
Be done with it
And if you have the wherewithal
Keep on going when you’re out of ideas
Because that’s where the truth lies
Your truth
by Jason Lam
Hopefully what I capture is not just someone looking into a camera, but someone who is looking for more. Yes. I am taking your picture in this very moment, but I’m also thinking about every year past this moment when looking back at this moment. What do you see? Someone who was brave? Or someone who was scared? There is no right answer, only what’s honest. And perhaps that’s what it is, that you allowed yourself to be seen. Not just by me. But by you. That’s a moment I want to help capture. Perhaps that’s what I do. I help you see you. I never thought about it that way before.
by Jason Lam
I think I figured out one reason why we like great artists.
We like great artists because they show us a part of ourselves that we have not been able to tap into yet.
By exposing the deepest parts of themselves, great aritsts, the ones we admire most, make us feel understood, less alone, and most importantly, they remind us that we, too, have it in us to tap into the deepest most parts of ourselves.
The question I then ask is, well, "Why does this even matter?"
I think the reason is because when operating in human society, it's easy to get lost playing a role. So much so, that we forget who we are. Artists bring us back to who we really are—our true nature. They remind us of the soul we have in all of us.
Great artists are like beacons in the night, emitting signals, reminding us of which direction to go.
I would like to be the light in the dark. To inspire you to be more than you are. To remind you that you are not alone. And ultimately, to never forget your true nature.
by Jason Lam
Returned to California. Spent quality time with family and friends. Got LASIK. Got a puppy! Had a bunch of car problems. Got rid of a bunch of stuff. Played with my nephew. Painted my first mural. Cooked a lot. Did some photoshoots that I absolutely loved. Life is beautiful and I'm happy to be alive.
Happy New Year!
by Jason Lam