If nothing else, we persist
Sent On →
Feb 12, 2025
Newsletter Issue →
7
Hey, it’s Sash:
Here are a few things worth sharing this week:
→ What I’m Creating
⨀ Official Video for She Can Be
We filmed it on a dirt road in Iribas, near where we live.
It’s a one-shot video—three takes total (we had to stop the second one because a tractor showed up).
The concept is simple: I come to a crossroads and pick the dirt road, a little unsure. As I walk, paranoia sets in—glancing back, feeling uneasy, small ticks emerging. I reach a breaking point in the bridge, turn back, and… well, you’ll have to watch to see what happens.
It’s probably my favourite video we’ve done so far. One road, one shot, one idea.
Watch it here → https://youtu.be/HWtAdLEc5zE
⨀ Next Song Title
As promised last week, I’ll tell you the next song title:
Childhood Naps
Hoping to release it by the end of February—still lots of work to do though, so we’ll see.
→ What I’m Learning
⨀ Time Management & Discipline
As an artist and creator who manages his own time, sticking to schedules can be especially tricky. When you set your own structure, it’s just as easy to follow it as it is to ignore it—especially when you feel pulled in another direction.
But over the years, I’ve learned that sticking to the plan, day in and day out, is when the magic happens. Creativity soars, output skyrockets, and mental health stabilizes.
This isn’t new wisdom. Aristotle said it well:
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
Right now, I’m using a system that’s working better than past approaches: a combination of Cal Newport’s daily time-blocking, weekly planning, and seasonal strategic plans. If you’re interested, I can expand on this in a future newsletter.
A few more quotes on consistency, endurance, and discipline:
“Perfection is attained by slow degrees; it requires the hand of time.”
– Voltaire
“Fortune favours the prepared mind.”
– Louis Pasteur
“Energy and persistence conquer all things.”
– Benjamin Franklin
“Courage is not having the strength to go on; it is going on when you don’t have the strength.”
– Theodore Roosevelt
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
– Lao Tzu
“He conquers who endures.”
– Persius
“First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.”
– Epictetus
“Progress is not achieved by luck or accident, but by working on yourself daily.”
– Epictetus
“No great thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen.”
– Epictetus
→ What I’m Loving
⨀ My Electric Guitar
I changed my strings this week, which always comes with a little ritual: cleaning the whole guitar, oiling the fretboard, making everything feel fresh again. Now, light bounces off the body, the pickups, the strings—everything shines.
Playing it feels like more than just sound—there’s a tactile and aesthetic enjoyment to it. A reminder that the small moments, when fully experienced, can be the most beautiful ones. Plus, this guitar is like an old friend—always there, always ready to explore something new. An infinite game.
⨀ Ran to Japan (YouTube)
A YouTuber documenting marathon training in Japan—past and present.
His motto is “train harder, not smarter” (a joke about modern hyper-optimized training). Instead, he follows ’70s Japanese marathoners, logging 250km a week. Old-school endurance.
Here’s a great video where he talks about it → https://youtu.be/7UQnr27iULs
⨀ 60% Through Winter
Still more running in the rain to do, but we’re inching towards spring.
This year, I feel more in tune with the seasons than ever. I think it’s thanks to the seasonal planning I mentioned above—interesting how a productivity system can lead not just to increased focus, but also to being more aligned with nature.
Hope winter’s treating you well.
Let me know if you have productivity or organization systems that work for you—I geek out on this stuff and love learning new ways to approach it.
Sash
⨀ Website: sashasmith.net
⨀ Email: sasha@sashasmith.net
⨀ What I’m doing now: sashasmith.net/now
P.S. Filming an acoustic video of She Can Be with Marta soon. Stay tuned on the YouTube channel.
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