If you catch yourself listing anything at all, you're probably heading down the wrong path.

I see it in every field:

• In improv theater, we pile on jokes when we can't find the one that really lands.
• In sales, we pile on benefits when we haven't found the killer argument that convinces everyone.
• In interior design, we pile on trinkets when we haven't found the centerpiece that commands attention.

I could go on and on.

What puts an end to this flight forward? Stopping. Refocusing. Starting over from taste, from instinct.

All it takes is one strong idea, one genuine direction, one carefully chosen piece to stop the mediocrity machine and find your way back.

Just one. Take the time to find it.

--

Related:

• What I learned from running an improv workshop (ChezFilms)

As I revamp the offering of ChezFilms, I'm taking the opportunity to revisit copywriting best practices (a personal compilation):

1. Problem
   What is your client's pain point? What attempts have failed in the past? If you accurately describe their problem, you capture their attention.
    
2. Philosophy
   Why don't the usual solutions (or those offered by competitors) work? What paradigm shift do you propose?
    
3. New Approach
   How is this philosophy implemented in practice? What is your plan and its main steps?
    
4. Social Proof
   Show how this approach has worked in the past: testimonials, case studies, etc. Here, your clients' words carry infinitely more weight than your own.
    
5. Guarantee
   Make the decision less daunting: if the client commits and it doesn't work out, what guarantees are there to mitigate the risk?
    
6. Call to Action
   If the prospect is interested in your approach, what is the next simple, concrete step?
    
7. Urgency
   What are the compelling reasons to act now rather than in two weeks or two months?

This isn't a cookbook recipe; these are the answers to our natural questions before making a decision. If you analyze your last new product purchase, you'll see that you went through the same steps.

I started meditating in 2018 and it transformed my life:

The way I eat, the way I sleep, the way I create. I no longer have the same friends, the same habits, the same goals. My anxieties have changed too.

The main breakthrough:

I realized that many aspects of my life that I took for immutable realities were actually... thoughts.

As if I had lived forty years inside my head and meditation was the first moment I glimpsed the world without filters. (Or let's say: with fewer filters.)

You realize that identity, problems, the future (...) are mental constructions that you can choose to nurture or let go of.

You understand that the external world reflects the internal world and that's where it all happens.

You learn to turn down the volume of that little voice in your head that criticizes everything. Sometimes you can even turn it off completely.

And I promise you, it takes a weight off your shoulders.

--

Related links in the archives:

• Emptiness and Creation
• The Present and Action
• What Shines in the Future

Not a fan of cocktail parties / social events / meetups? Terrible at networking? Perfect.

Whether it's finding love, friends, or a collaborator, I now always apply the same technique that transformed my relationship with groups:

Start by talking to the first person next to you.

Right away. Whoever it is. About anything.

Don't scan the room for the ideal conversation partner. Don't filter by attraction or compatibility. Don't wait for a particular topic or common interests.

Dive into the conversation, then naturally continue with the "next first person" – if they haven't already joined the conversation. And so on.

Before you know it, the person you were looking for (sometimes unconsciously) will be right beside you. And you won't have to figure out what to say because, when you realize it's them, you'll already be in the middle of a conversation.

You're welcome.

I had already done this three years ago: publishing one video per day.

Back then, I had gotten into the habit of publishing ten minutes of improvisation every evening "to loosen up". To see if I could speak in front of the camera without writing or hiding behind technique.

At the beginning of the year, I started again by publishing one humorous video per day. Then I stopped.

Now, I've decided to do this for 10 years. Yeah.

I'm going to talk about anything, by any means. Sometimes it will be funny. Sometimes I'm going to bore you with my beatnik ideas. We'll see.

You can follow me on Instagram (where I also post stories), YouTube or TikTok.

I talk about it in this video.

--

Related links in the archives:

• How I broke TikTok

We often feel that to advance, especially professionally, we have to pretend. Say the right words. Put on the right smiles. Hide our true thoughts.

That's the wrong approach.

Your personal and professional success depends entirely on your ability to integrate who you really are into every aspect of your life.

It's the source of your inner peace. But also the source of your productivity, your value, and therefore your usefulness to others. No one will pay you very much for being just like everyone else.

The good news is that this can be learned. All the people you admire have at some point gone through these stages in one form or another:

1. Discovering who you are on your own. Identifying what external gazes weigh on you. Exploring and embracing your vision, your taste, your ambitions.
    
2. Learning to maintain this identity in public and under pressure. Developing strategies and safeguards to avoid conforming and preserve your value.

"Being yourself in a freakish environment, that's the real skill." – Conan O'Brien

If you're wondering where all the professional content went (offers, services, etc.), I've transferred everything to chezfilms.fr – which will itself be transferred to chezfilms.com.

And if you're wondering where the funny blog went, it's gone. But we're going to create a new one quickly since I'm going to post here every day. So come back soon. And you can go check out the old blog in the meantime.

So soon, everything will be very clear.

But for now, not so much.