Hey friends,

A few months ago, I shared a written profile on my creative journey. Well, today, I’m excited to share the visual version through a wonderful documentary from the team at ConvertKit.

This short film is the result of 3 days of filming, and many hours of post-production. With that said, I’m very happy with how it turned out, as it does a great job conveying how I think about being a creator, and how to navigate the uncertainties of this path.

This is the first time I’ve shared my story like this, and I’m grateful I got to do it with such a talented team.

Without further ado, here it is: A personal look into my creative life.​

*Note: Special thanks to Henry Thong and Isa Adney for your gifts and talents throughout this process. I am very grateful.

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A Thought I’ve Been Pondering

​Thinking In Stories kicked off last Monday, and it’s been a source of great joy. A full cohort of 30 students across 9 countries are taking part in this month-long experience, and it’s been a wonderful ride so far.

When I first started Thinking In Stories, I thought it would be a program where I taught everything I knew about storytelling. But now that it’s reached the fourth cohort, I’ve realized something else about it as well.

The course isn’t just a distributor of knowledge; it’s also a cultivator of depth. In a landscape where creators are urged to maximize audience growth above all else, teaching this course has shown me what it means to find the few people that are most curious about how you think. Because once you identify who they are, you can then get together and share your ideas in a setting that feels both warm and empowering to do so.

I have no grand ambitions to build a student roster in the thousands to broadcast my legitimacy to others. Rather, I want to find the few people that are seeking to develop a healthy relationship with their creativity, and to then ignite that spark through a deep understanding of storytelling.

In the end, success will be not be defined by a large number next to a faceless metric. Instead, success will be defined by the vivid stories you’ve shared with the few minds that matter most.

The only reason to go broad is to ultimately go deep, and this is something I’d like creators to remember throughout their own journeys. After all, this sentiment is what has guided my own.

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A Book I’ve Been Enjoying

​Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy — I’ve been slowly reading this novel for the better part of the year, and I’m now nearing the end.

There have been very few novels where I’ve actually put the book down after finishing a chapter to mutter, “Wow, that was incredible.” This has happened more times than I can remember throughout this 800-page adventure, and all I can say is that it’s an astonishing display of literary mastery.

No other novel I’ve read has captured the nuances of joy, jealousy, excitement, envy, triumph, and shame in the way this has. If you want a long yet rewarding journey into the depths of the human condition, then look no further than this. It truly is an unparalleled body of work.

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A Brief Parting Question

In the documentary, I discuss what it means to reframe self-doubt as a way to empower you. By viewing self-doubt as an indicator of what you care about most, you can identify which endeavors are worthy struggles to embrace.

Since self-doubt is one of the biggest challenges to overcome, how do you deal with it? And what are some of the lessons you’ve learned from facing it?

Would love to hear your thoughts on this question, as it’s something I often think about.

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As always, hit reply to share any thoughts, to respond to the parting question, or to simply say hello. I love hearing from you.

Thanks for reading, and feel free to share this email with anyone who might enjoy it. Have a great rest of your week!

-Lawrence Yeo

P.S. If you want to learn how to write reflections like the ones you see on More To That, then check out The Examined Writer. It's one of the few courses on the art of philosophical writing, and will show you how to present your musings in an accessible manner.