Let's Play (Pin)Ball!

A Little "Action" Makes A BIG Difference

"My mama always said, 'Life was like a box of chocolates.
You never know what you're gonna get.'"
Forrest Gump

No offense to Ms. Gump—or Sally Field—but life isn’t like a box of chocolates. Unless you want to get all fat and sassy. I was born all fat and sassy, so I decided to come up with a new analogy for myself.

To me, life is like a game of pinball.

Once you get the ball rolling, just keep the game moving. Add a little nudge here, a little flick there, and pretty soon you’ll be racking up points like a pro.

Just don’t push or try too hard. Or it could be GAME OVER.

This metaphor has been serving me well lately, both personally and professionally.

Take YouTube, for example. I’ve spent months at war with the platform, fighting its every algorithmic curveball, injury, and setback. The resulting chip on my shoulder has led to fewer views, lower revenue, and more stress than I care to admit.

And then something clicked. I decided to shift my approach and attitude. Long story short, I decided to stop fighting the game and start playing it. Emphasis on play.

Instead of seeing YouTube’s bugs, defects, and limitations as obstacles or personal attacks, I’m doing my best to use them like bumpers on a pinball machine—tools to keep the ball moving.

This past Sunday, I began making minor tweaks to both how I post and what I post. And guess what? My views and watch time are up over 50% week over week.

So…my takeaways are 1) Momentum and velocity matter; and 2) Small, incremental actions can turn snowflakes into snowballs and, ultimately, into snowmen.

Whether it’s tweaking my attitude or a video title, I’m finding more proof that tiny changes can “butterfly effect” in ways I would have never imagined.

The “secret” is less about making sweeping overhauls and more about staying in the game. The “secret” is to keep the ball in motion. And I’m finding this mindset doesn’t just apply to YouTube.

When the Tree of Life hands me a bunch of lemons, I’m finally realizing I don’t have to start over, plant a new tree, and wait for a new crop. Instead, I can make a batch of lemonade and open a lemonade stand.

For me, it’s all about perspective and play. Instead of dwelling on what isn’t working—which I’m an expert at—I’m trying to ask myself: What small action can I take to make things better?

While I’m shy about sharing other areas of my life, let’s just say the pinball analogy is working across the board. By focusing more on fun, momentum, and progress, I am slowly but surely feeling happier and healthier. Eventually, I think it will help me be a little wealthier too.

Much like life itself, my “life is a game of pinball” analogy is a work-in-progress, so results may vary. But I do recommend that we all groove, move, and play more.

Try not to get hung up on “doing it right” or “following the rules.”
Bump the pinball machine a little if you want. Just don’t overdo it.

Remember, life is not about perfection—it’s about progress.

With a playful mindset and some small actions, I’m confident I’m not the only one who can turn the “game” of life—and YouTube—around and win more rounds than I lose.

Thanks for reading!
Clint

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FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

• Suspect in C.E.O. Killing Withdrew From a Life of Privilege and Promise (The New York Times) “Status quo” law enforcement, mainstream media, and political types are hyperventilating because Luigi Mangione gave up everything they hold so near and dear to make a point, to stand up to corporate greed. Even if you don’t agree with his actions and/or principles, it’s hard to deny our for-profit healthcare system is broken. And it needs more than a Band-Aid.

• I Got 19,000 New Subscribers in 9 Weeks And Learned This (Diane Moore) 📺 This GenXer is teaching me more about becoming a better content creator than all the Millennial and Gen Alpha creators combined. Ms. Moore is smart with heart.

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ON THIS DAY = DECEMBER 20

BIRTHDAYS

• 1859 = Elsie de Wolfe = American actor and interior designer 🌈

• 1898 = Irene Dunne = American actor and singer

• 1902 = Prince George, Duke of Kent = British royal 🌈

• 1921 = George Roy Hill = American filmmaker

• 1946 = Dick Wolf = American director, producer, and screenwriter

• 1956 = Anita Ward = American disco/R&B singer

• 1960 = Kim Ki-duk = South Korean filmmaker

• 1963 = Joel Gretsch = American actor

• 1966 = Chris Robinson = American singer-songwriter

• 1982 = David Cook = American singer-songwriter

• 1984 = Bob Morley = Australian actor

HOLIDAYS + OBSERVANCES

• National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day

EVENTS

• 1803 = The Louisiana Purchase is completed at a ceremony in New Orleans.

• 1812 = Grimm's Fairy Tales, originally known as the Children's and Household Tales, by the Brothers Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm is published.

• 1940 = The superhero Captain America made his first published appearance in the comic book Captain America Comics #1.

• 1946 = It's a Wonderful Life premieres at the Globe Theatre in NYC.

• 1955 = Frank Kameny is fired from his job as an astronomer in the United States Army’s Map Service in Washington, D.C. because of his homosexuality. A few days later he is blacklisted from seeking federal employment. These events spur Kameny into being a gay rights activist.

• 1974 = The Godfather Part II is released in theaters.

• 1974 = The Man with the Golden Gun is released in theaters.

• 1989 = Born on the Fourth of July is released in theaters.

• 1999 = In Baker v. Vermont, the Vermont Supreme Court orders the state legislature to devise a law to give same-sex couples identical rights to married couples.

• 2007 = Portrait of Suzanne Bloch by the Spanish artist Pablo Picasso and O Lavrador de Café by Brazilian modernist painter Cândido Portinari, are stolen from the São Paulo Museum of Art in Brazil. Both are recovered a few weeks later.

• 2019 = The United States Space Force becomes the first new branch of the United States Armed Forces since 1947.

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PHOTO + QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I think the future is whatever I'm willing to make it.”
David Cook