Today I saw a flying V that looked like a heart.
It gave me the spark I needed to talk a bit about struggling, and how I’m viewing goals now that we’re in the thick of it.
It's frigid right now, yeah?
Seeing those ducks made me think a lot about the story of The Ugly Duckling, one I loved as a kid, and how a flock gains strength and confidence when they are all headed in the same direction.
Something I noticed as a young parent: look just about anywhere and someone is telling you you're doing it wrong.
“Sure, that works,” they say, “but here's the method approved by the board at an institution you've never heard of.”
As an AuDHD person, I find my communication challenges come in various flavors of that almost daily.
I’m still unpacking it over a year of therapy later, and I see it in the way the world puts down neurodivergent people. So many are told, “Just do it this way, and it works,” but when we do, it’s received differently. Sometimes with confusion, or worse.
In the United States of America today, we're witnessing a whole lot of who are following the rules, and they're being abused in the process.
What do we do?
Making art can be a powerful form of resistance. Telling the stories only you can tell, and creating things your way, always matters.
🚸 Find Your Own Signs 💫
Think about Stephen King.
Sure, he shows his pitches, perhaps even the messiness to his publisher — but he doesn’t show every unpolished draft in progress to his social media followers.
Could you imagine?
Sometimes it's best to look for signs you're doing it right instead of constantly scanning for signs you might be wrong. (Eventually, you'll find one.)
Trust yourself first. Trust that you’ve made the right decisions. You’re here today, and I’m here for you, too. And I can always connect you to another person with similar values.
Transitioning my business and workflow to support the coaching process has been a bigger undertaking than I expected (famous words of the entrepreneur, I'm learning); months in the works, filled with various starts, stops, tears, and fears.
What I can say with confidence: progress is the goal, not perfection.
Each day you move a little closer, the vision becomes a little clearer.
What's in your goal?
Take your time, sit with what questions feel right:
- What do you want to move forward in your creative life?
- What has you feeling stuck or unable to do that?
- What do you want your creative legacy to be?
- What’s one small act you could take today to move toward your goal?
And one more: If a goal has been sitting on your list for a long time, could you remove it? Or combine it with something else?
You may not need to worry about setting goals in the traditional New Year's sense. Sometimes it’s about taking the space to think through these questions first, to make sure you're driving in the right direction. If you need to cut things, let's get down to your top priority, or put another way: your biggest opportunity to gain some momentum.
What feels good and easy to make progress on?
🪿 Ugly Duckling Reframed 🖼️
This brings me back to the duckling.
Do you throw away your "ugly ducklings," or do you give them more than one chance to fly?
This story was meaningful to me as a kid because I’ve always felt different.
I’ve struggled when I’ve tried to show up and “just do it that way.” I’ve literally mimicked the actions of others only to have it received differently.
Worse, it never felt true to me.
I was shapeshifting — not necessarily to please, but in the way I thought I needed to, in order to survive.
It’s been hard to know which parts to share. I worry about when my tone, bluntness, or over-explanation might be misread.
And then, in some environments, quiet is respect. An accommodation. In others, it's... boredom. Disengagement. Used as an excuse to put people in positions where they aren't meant to fly.
I’m learning: Sometimes assertive is the right answer, and it isn’t always aggressive. I can make mistakes and still grow closer to the people I love. I can connect with people more authentically when I am vulnerable, even a bit raw.
In this moment, it feels important to say: I truly believe that personal responsibility is social responsibility. All of our suffering is connected. I'm not attempting to claim expertise, rather attempting to add my voice in a way that feels true to me.
Sometimes, I'm finding, it's easy to move on an idea because of so many ducklings; half written articles, research, data, quotes. The way it's all coming together in Creative Taxi is my forward momentum.
⏱️ Right on Time 🫧
Here we are, January 16th. Each year is challenging in new and unpredictable ways. I once said marketing is the career path for kids who liked choose-your-own-adventure books. That feels even more true today than when I first said it.
Own it and be confident.
A lot is going on, but there’s been a marked shift, would you agree?
As we get up to speed, shame no longer helps the cause.
That’s a big reason why I committed to sending an email most days.
Our bodies move with the seasons, and as Mike Tyson said in a way that cuts through like a right hook, "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth."
Think of this: Activity often picks up when the weather gets warmer.
We're just getting rolling, in so many ways. We can't predict our sick days or emergencies.
It’s also natural for January and February to be slower for the creative. After the rush of holidays, there’s a certain rest — a reset — that needs to take place. But if you're able, you can use this time to make some of the hardest progress.
For example, even though today's run in 25℉ weather was tough, I know from experience it will make next month's 5K a lot less painful.
We’re in '26 now. We can leave what didn’t work and integrate our lessons more clearly.
We can move forward with intention and schedule time for our most important work and people. We can stop giving to the things that don't restore us in return.
There will be more headlines and more chaos, but you are not behind.
You’re right on time.
Whether you spend five minutes or 55 on your goals, being intentional about what you accomplish this month will help you feel good, no matter what comes next.
In a future newsletter, I’ll share a look at my reading list as I complete DEAR CREATIVE.
🏁 Protect Your Spark: Rest, Resist + Reinvent ✨
Since the days are short, I wanted to leave you with a few things to fuel your creativity this weekend:
- Zine Libraries in the U.S.
- How to Discover What You're Actually Good At - The 12 points of pleasure at work.
- 30 creative prompts to gently kickstart the year
- 133 Non-Boring Questions To Start A Conversation
- From networks to independence: Why more creatives are making the leap
- How being weird can save branding in 2026
- A brief guide to coping with being different
- New playlist on Apple Music: Fascists Lose Vol. III
My next essay should arrive Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Stay safe, stay creative.
🚕🫧 Next Stop for Creative Taxi:
The Do Less More Club.
You are cordially invited.
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$7.00 / month
Do Less More Pass
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🌈 Creative Fuel ⛽
What does "ducks fly together" mean to you?
Peace,
Andy
Founder, Creative Taxi Ltd. 🚕🫧
Moving creative minds.
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"Pay attention to the things that you are naturally drawn to. They are often connected to your path, passion, and purpose in life. Have the courage to follow them." – Ruben Chavez