Obsession isn’t the problem. The way you channel it is.

For years, I thought success required suffering. That if I didn’t struggle, it didn’t count.

I trained obsessively for basketball. Broke down film. Pushed myself to the edge. Yet, when the moment came, I froze.

Not because I lacked skill, but because I let pressure kill my love for the game.

It’s the same mistake people make with creativity, work, and even AI. They chase results so hard they forget why they started.

Today’s issue is about reclaiming obsession, learning to love your craft without pressure, without expectations, just raw execution.

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME

Effort only mattered if it came with pain.

I was big into basketball in high school. I put in the hours. Studied the game. Broke down film. Ran drills until my legs burned. Lifted weights. Optimized everything I could.

And yet, I never became the player I wanted to be.

I could play, sure. But I wasn’t a star. I was a practice player. The guy who showed up, worked hard, but froze when the lights were on.

Anxiety. Overthinking. The pressure of expectations.

The moments that should have felt electric instead felt suffocating.

And when I failed? People made sure I felt it.

Teammates yelling. My dad’s criticism cutting deeper than any missed shot. Referees calling me out like I didn’t even belong on the court.

It wasn’t just a game anymore. It was a test I kept failing.

So I walked away.

Not because I wanted to. But because it hurt too much to stay.

But the game never really left me.

Years later, I still think about it. I see people I grew up with playing college ball, living the dream I once chased. And it stings, not because I wasn’t capable, but because I never believed I was.

I never let myself believe I belonged.

I miss it. A lot.

Not the pressure. Not the need to prove myself. But the game itself, the rhythm, the movement, the moments where I wasn’t thinking, just playing.

Those late nights at the YMCA, when it was just me and the sound of the ball on the hardwood.

No coaches. No teammates. No one to impress.

Just pure love for the game.

And that’s when I played my best.

That’s when I realized.

The game was never the enemy. The pressure was.
The fear of failure. The need to prove something.
That’s what drained the joy out of it.

The love for the game never left me. It just got buried under frustration, bad experiences, and time.

And maybe it’s time to dig it back up.

Not as the kid desperate to prove himself.
But as the man who refuses to let regret win.

Because when you love something, when it’s a part of you, you don’t have to chase it. You just have to let yourself enjoy it again.

INSIGHTS

• Strip away expectations, even your own. Find environments where you can engage with your craft purely for the joy of it. No competition, no judgment.

• Focus on the process, not the outcome. Mastery comes from loving the act itself, not chasing validation.

• Reframe failure. See mistakes as proof you’re in the arena, not something to avoid.

• Passion doesn’t die, it gets buried. Revisit what you love without the weight of past frustrations.

• Create conditions for flow. The best work happens when you stop forcing it and just immerse yourself.

• Don’t let regret consume you, turn it into redemption. Don’t let past pressure dictate the future, reengage with your passion on your terms.

Obsession isn’t the problem. The way you channel it is.
I let pressure kill my love for basketball. I forgot why I started. The game was never the enemy, expectations were.

This applies to everything, art, business, even AI.
Most people treat AI like a gimmick or a shortcut. But true mastery comes when you strip away distractions and turn AI into an extension of your creative process.

LEVERAGE AI LIKE A WEAPON

In this tweet I go into a high level overview on how I am leveraging AI in my high impact brand building.

Most people treat AI like a toy, something to play with, dabble in, and occasionally use to automate menial tasks.

That’s the wrong approach.

AI isn’t just a tool. It’s a lethal weapon in the hands of someone who understands how to wield it.

The difference between average AI users and those who truly integrate it into their workflow is the difference between a hobbyist and a machine.

I don’t just “use” AI. I integrate it into my creative direction, refining ideas, exposing blind spots, and accelerating execution.

Here’s how.

1. AI as a Creative Partner

Creativity isn’t about random inspiration. It’s about structured thinking.

AI is the top of the pipeline for refining ideas before they see light.

How I Use It

• Clarity & Refinement. I don’t let raw thoughts sit idle. AI forces me to structure them into something tangible.

• Brand Identity Development. AI helps me sharpen my messaging so it’s consistent, distinct, and aligned with my philosophy.

• Execution Engine. AI isn’t just for brainstorming, it’s for breaking ambiguity into action steps.

Prompt

This prompt turns AI into an active collaborator, not a passive chatbot. It forces it to think structurally, making your output sharper and more intentional.

2. AI as a Mirror

I use AI to obliterate weak ideas before I waste my time.

How I Use It

• Expose Logical Gaps. AI helps identify contradictions, half-baked concepts, and weak narratives.

• Kill Hesitation. I ask AI to pinpoint where I’m holding back, whether in execution, storytelling, or positioning.

• Ruthless Editing. AI refines my writing like a second brain, questioning everything I don’t.

Prompt

I’ve used this prompt frequently.

This forces the AI to interrogate your assumptions, acting as a brutal second opinion that challenges weak execution.

3. AI as a Stack

AI is not a single-use tool, it’s a stackable system.

Most people ask one-off questions, or fail to act on the insights, and then wonder why their results are mid

The real power? Stacking AI tools to create a chain of execution.

How I Use It

• Step-by-Step Execution. I break down creative work into sequential AI-assisted steps.

• AI Refining AI. I run outputs through multiple AI models to polish, filter, and perfect them.

• Prompt Engineering as Leverage. Most people don’t understand that prompting is a skill. The better the input, the sharper the output.

Optimal AI Stack for Creatives

1. AI for Ideation – Raw concept generation. (Use broad, open-ended prompts.)

2. AI for Structuring – Turning ideas into frameworks. (Use precise, detailed prompts.)

3. AI for Editing – Sharpening and refining. (Use critique-based prompts.)

4. AI for Optimization – Final polish. (Use high-level refinement prompts.)

Each layer compounds on the last, creating a structured AI execution pipeline.

BOTTOM LINE

AI won’t replace creatives.

But it will replace those who don’t know how to use it like a system.

• Use AI like a tool? You get average results.

• Use AI like a structured execution engine? You move 10x faster.

The difference is intentionality.

Most people see AI as a shortcut.
The real ones use it as a weapon.

Share with someone who needs to hear this.

And if you’re building something great, subscribe to get more insights on mastering execution.

Cheers,

— SAM B.