Selfish vs. Self-Care

Last week, something happened that stopped me in my tracks...

I sat down with about 20 screenwriters in Buzztown. Different ages, backgrounds, experience levels. Yet every single one shared the exact same regret: waiting decades to start their careers.

The reason? Deep down, we all thought pursuing this dream was "selfish."

Here's what I realized: We've been conditioned to believe that focusing on our passions is selfish, when it's actually the ultimate form of self-care.

Think about it. When you're miserable in work that doesn't fulfill you, everyone around you feels it. Your family gets the drained version of you. Your friends get the bitter version. Your colleagues get the checked-out version.

I know today — while living a life I once dreamed of — if I don’t get some work done early in the morning, I carry a chip on my shoulder for the whole day.

Why? The work energizes me. I bet it does the same for you. You show up differently everywhere. You have more to give because you're not depleting yourself.

Here's the framework:

• Selfish: pursuing your dreams at others' expense

• Self-Care: pursuing your dreams to become the best version of yourself for others

The screenwriters who finally made the leap? They didn't just transform their own lives — they became better parents, partners, and friends.

So while I'm busy testing viral formulas and optimizing content strategies (first results coming soon), I'm also be asking myself:

What dreams am I still calling "selfish" that are actually essential self-care?

Was it selfish when...

• Greta Gerwig turned down "stable" acting gigs to focus on Lady Bird?

• Kevin Smith maxed out cards and sold his comic collection to fund Clerks?

• Robert Rodriguez flew to Mexico to shoot El Mariachi for $7,000?

• Christopher Nolan spent weekends for a year filming Following?

These filmmakers didn't just change cinema — they became the people their families, friends, and collaborators needed them to be. Their "selfish" focus became everyone's gain.

Talk soon,

- Brock Swinson

P.S. Thinking of sharing your own newsletter? My friend Tim broke down exactly what he would if he had to start over.