The Graffiti Machine

We use the term ‘Prioritize and Execute' at the shop all the time. It's from Jocko's Laws of Combat. Find the priority and execute. Once complete, there's a new priority. Then you handle that. This is the antidote for overwhelm. It's easy to get bogged down with the big picture of getting everything done. You can't do it all at once. Take a step back to detach. That'll help you find the next step you need to take. This can be applied to all aspects of life. When you're feeling overwhelmed, detach, identify the priority, and run the play. Before you know it, you'll be moving forward. Forward movement generates momentum. Now you're off to the races.

I was thinking about some concepts that are seemingly at odds with each other, but they aren't. We're only alive today. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow hasn't happened. Living in the present is all there is, but does that mean you can't learn from the past or plan for the future? No. Let's break it down. How do you use today to make your life better? If you have regrets from the past, you can use today to reflect on them, learn, adjust, and grow from those things. For the future, how do you live in the present and plan for the future? Isn't that going against living in the moment? I don't think so. We can use today to visualize our ideal future. It sets a target for where we want to go. Once you have that vision, you can then identify what you need to do daily to move towards it. What does today look like? We've decided what we've done in the past that we don't like, identified things we want to change, and now we can do things differently. We've created a vision for what we want in our future. That should give us some general ideas on what we need to do daily to move towards it. We don't need all the answers, we just need to move forward with that target in mind. Write down a list of five things that'll move you forward. Those things can be action steps to get you closer to your future, could be habits to correct past behavior to become the person you want to be, or habits that your future self needs to get you where you want to go. Knock out a list of 5 things that move you forward every day. You're living only today while working towards the future and adjusting based on lessons from the past. Is it easy? Hell no. But it's worth it.

Most people think personality traits—like confidence, patience, or staying calm under pressure—are things you're either born with or not. But the truth is, you don't have to stay the way you are if you don't want to. First, you think about the kind of person you want to be. Then you start doing the things that person would do. And eventually, you become them. It doesn't happen by accident. You train it. And the repetition is what turns it from effort… into identity. You can change into the person you want to be. And it might be simpler than you think.

Being able to build and keep momentum has been huge for me. We all go through phases—on track, off track, fired up, burnt out. That's life. The hard part is getting back on track when you're off. That's where building momentum comes in. Forget waiting for motivation or inspiration. Just start, even if it's small, and don't sweat the outcome. Consistency beats perfection. The flywheel effect is real. When you keep pushing, momentum starts working for you. And if you fall off? No problem. Just repeat the process. It's all about building momentum over and over.

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about energy management—specifically, what feeds our energy and what drains it. How many times have you had a bad interaction with someone, only to stew over it for hours, days, or even longer? Social media makes this even worse. One negative post can trigger a response, leading to a back-and-forth spiral that eats up time and energy. But here's the question: How much energy is being wasted in those moments? And more importantly—how could that energy be used to build something better? If this resonates, take a hard look at the people, habits, and environments in your life. What's fueling you? What's draining you? Then ask yourself: What could I create if I redirected that energy? This podcast is available on all your favorite audio platforms and on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@busmsk

I read the quote ‘What's it going to take?' in the book Market Outrageously. It was talking about actually looking deep at a goal and trying to get to the bottom of what it would take to accomplish. Even seemingly impossible goals are worth trying to break down. In my life and business, I have goals that are overwhelming to think about. When I read this part of the book, I was inspired to actually dig into it much further. Things start seeming much more achievable once you start breaking it down into smaller chunks. Ask yourself this question about a goal you have, then sit down and try to figure out what steps you need to take to make it happen. There is a lot of clarity that can be achieved with this.

I heard Alex Hormozi say this, and it stuck with me. When things get hard, most people give up. The idea of consistently getting better in all areas of life is not the norm in society. And in some ways, that's fine—if you're happy with where you're at. But the way I see it, most people aren't happy with staying the same. We want something more for our lives, but pushing ourselves into discomfort is hard. The truth is, doing the hard things is what's required to make our lives better. Where in your life do you feel like quitting—but know you need to keep pushing?

We all have those small tasks we avoid—paperwork piling up, a cluttered office, or something simple that feels like a hassle. For me, those things build up in my mind and start to weigh on me. But when I finally take care of them, there's always a sense of relief. Research shows that unfinished tasks, or "open loops," take up mental space and increase stress. The more we avoid them, the more they quietly drain our energy. Tackling them right away frees up that mental clutter and makes life feel lighter. Stop waiting. Do it now. It's worth it.

In this episode, we explore the Craftsman Mindset from Cal Newport's So Good They Can't Ignore You. This idea flips the script on "following your passion" and emphasizes mastering skills as the key to meaningful work. I share a powerful dream that confirmed my dedication to my path, reflect on the challenges of entrepreneurship, and discuss how honing skills—like marketing and leadership—has brought meaning to my work. We also touch on examples like Steve Jobs and finding fulfillment in any job through mastery. If you're questioning your path or looking for more purpose in your work, this episode is for you.

January of 2025 marks 10 years of the current version of Machine—I say current only because I started Machine in 2002 as a motion graphics business then transitioned into what we have now in 2015. It's been quite a ride so far, but it still feels like we haven't even started yet. In 2015, it was mainly a one man show. I lived in the back of the shop with my four dogs. No heat, air, hot water, kitchen, shower, or any of the creature comforts we're used to. I cooked on a hot plate and showered at the YMCA. I was all in on the vision, but it wasn't a clear vision at all. I just wanted to do something positive for the graff culture by opening a place for writers to gather, blackbook, attend art shows, etc. Over time, it developed into what you see now. Lots of ups and downs and a huge amount of great memories. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this. Team members, customers, supporters, collaborators, everyone. We have a long way to go. — Bus P.S. Rest in peace Kub, Herbie, Hooper, and Shortie. I think about you all the time.

With the new year and new goals, I thought about the habits that changed my life for the better and put them together as a program. It's 8 weeks of the following daily habits: • 10 Minutes of Meditation • 10 Pages of Reading • 30 Minutes of Exercise • Stick to a Diet • Do the Power List This episode goes into some detail as to why these habits, but most should be pretty obvious. If you want to read more about it, you can visit the website below. If you do the program, please let me know how it went! https://rebuild.graffitimachine.com/

When I'm having trouble creating, I use this technique and it works every time. Just start. Sometimes you'll have to force yourself to do it—make anything without worry, just to get moving forward. The longer you go, the more momentum you build. Every now and then, you'll discover something that feeds the fire. Keep exploring, keep making. Eventually, it'll feel like it's flowing on its own. From there, all you have to do is maintain it.

The law of rhythm reveals that life's cycles—whether good or bad—are part of a natural, repeating flow. With this perspective, we can find comfort in the lows, knowing they'll rise, and prepare in the highs, knowing they'll shift. It's a tool for staying steady, patient, and focused through every phase.

Think it was easier when you were younger? Yeah, maybe. But here's the shift: it's never going to be easier than it is right now. Whether you're 20, 51, or somewhere in between, today is your best shot to make a move. In this episode, I dig into a perspective that hit me recently and has kept me motivated—whatever it is you're aiming for, don't wait around. Start building those habits, set the foundation, and don't let the moment slip. It's only getting tougher from here, so jump on it.

I've been thinking about big goals. They often take a long time and you can work day in and day out, but it takes time to see results. It can be discouraging. Say you want to lose 20 lbs, you may not start seeing results for weeks.   One way to stay on track is to make the work the goal. Deep down, we usually know what we need to do to get there. Instead of focusing on the end goal, it might be helpful to focus on the daily work instead. You can become the person that does the work necessary today—doing that will get you to the person you want to be.

It can easy to get overwhelmed with the details of a situation and find ourselves a bit stuck. Sometimes we have a very narrow view when focusing on specifics that we fail to see the big picture. One of the lessons I've learned from Jocko Willink is to take a minute to detach from the details and take a wider view. This will often reveal things that you weren't seeing and help you find a way forward.

Jocko Willink has this thing where he says "good" when presented with any issue. It's about finding the good in every situation. It can seem nearly impossible at times, especially when the situation is really bad. However, it's often possible to find some kind of positive outcome in most things. At the very least, you can find growth in adversity. I find that when I'm extra stressed out, taking a minute to be grateful for the adversity really takes the edge off.

It may sound negative to think about things being temporary, but I find it makes me appreciate things much more. If our pets, loved ones, belongings, our lives were not temporary, it would be easy to be complacent. Let's get the most out of the time we have.   You can also check out this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/O5LC97BZNwU

In the age of social media and endless highlight reels we have access to, it's easy to think, "I wish I had that" or "I wish I could do that," etc. From a lecture by Jim Rohn, he asked a very powerful question, "Why not you?"   Think about it. Why can't you have those things? Why can't you do those things? If someone else was able to achieve it, you might be able to as well. You have the capacity to drastically change your life if you're willing to put in the effort.

This episode dives into the concept of doing the work for its own sake, drawing inspiration from Steven Pressfield's The War of Art. It emphasizes the importance of showing up every day and committing fully to the task at hand, regardless of the outcome. Whether it's sweeping floors, building a business, or pursuing personal growth, the focus is on consistent effort and mindfulness. By detaching from results, one can stay grounded, avoid burnout, and eventually reach meaningful achievements—sometimes even beyond the original goals. It's about putting in the work, day in and day out, and embracing the journey.

I got the guy's name wrong in the video, it's Jim Rohn. I saw a clip of his video that talked about resolve defined as keeping the promise to yourself to never quit. It got me thinking about a bunch of different things along these lines.

Running a graffiti supply business, I frequently get asked for free products in exchange for exposure. The problem? 99.9% of the time, the person asking hasn't put in the work to make the exchange mutually beneficial. They haven't built a following substantial enough to make a real impact.   The lesson here is clear: opportunities like this exist, but they require effort before the deal makes sense. There are no free rides in this world, and those unwilling to put in the work upfront will miss out on the opportunities available to those who do.   You can also watch this episode on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@busmsk

If hearing about other people's wins makes us feel bad about our own position, it could be a sign of a scarcity mindset. There seems to be something in us that, when we see others winning, we feel like it may take away from us.   This mindset may be a remnant from early human days when resources were harder to come by. Nowadays, there's enough to go around, and someone else's win doesn't mean we're going to lose.   Additionally, hating on someone for winning might put the energy out there that we don't like winning. Even if it's directed at someone else, it may be hindering our progress. What's the answer? It's tough to say, but I've been making a conscious effort to keep an eye on this.   You can also check out this podcast on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@busmsk

Most have probably seen that illustration of the guy walking away from digging, with diamonds just inches away. He gave up just before hitting it big. The idea of pushing forward versus quitting can be complicated. "Never give up" is not a be-all-end-all.   There could easily be another version of this illustration showing miles of rock with no diamonds at all. He could dig for the rest of his life and never accomplish anything. Maybe the idea of never quitting is more about not giving up on something you believe in just because it's hard.   Even then, you could decide to never quit and dig the wrong hole forever. How do we know when to keep going or quit?   This podcast is also available on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@busmsk

Sometimes, it may feel like the way we feel at any given time defines who we are. Statements like "I'm an anxious person" or "I'm a stressed-out guy" do not capture our whole reality. Instead of thinking of ourselves as these things, we should realize that they are just moments. We are not inherently anxious or stressed-out people; we experience anxiety and stress, as well as other low-frequency states. Remember that we also exist in high-frequency states, like happiness.   This podcast is also on YouTube if you're interested in checking that out. https://www.youtube.com/@busmsk

Sometimes it takes just one more effort for everything to change. Many people have experienced struggles, only to have one moment, meeting, phone call, or social media post transform their lives. With this in mind, the more attempts you make, the greater your chances for success. It might be the thousandth try that succeeds, but it took the 999 failures or misses to get there. These episodes along with other content are now on YouTube if you want to check out video versions. https://www.youtube.com/@busmsk

I've been super stressed out over the last month or so. Business is weird and there are a great deal more complexities than I'm used to. This started to lead to a bit of paralysis on my part. I was working all day, but not really getting much done.   There are certain things I've known I need to be doing, but haven't been doing them due to overthinking. Today, I just started taking aggressive action on those things. The more I did, the more momentum I built up. The more momentum I built, the lower my stress levels became.   My mind cleared and the path forward was revealed. Shit's still crazy, but as of right now, I know what I need to do. Every day, stay focused and continue to take massive action and I will win. The actions are different for everyone, but starting and being aggressive about moving forward will generate the momentum you need to clear the path.   If you want to see the video version of this show, it's now on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@busmsk

I've been thinking about how our thought patterns can become addicting. Just like a thermostat keeps your house at a set temperature, your brain can maintain a baseline of negative thoughts if that's what it's used to. Can we reprogram our brains for positive thinking? I believe so. Negative thoughts release chemicals like adrenaline and cortisol, which can be addicting. So why not create the habit of thinking positive? It's easier said than done, but it's definitely doable.   Link to the breathing exercise I mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSZKIupBUuc   This podcast is now in video format as well. Check out the YouTube channel if you'd be interested in that. https://www.youtube.com/@busmsk

An interesting section of the book How to Win Friends and Influence People discusses the value of being comfortable with the possibility of being wrong. Even if you 'know' you're right, starting a sentence with "I may be wrong, but this is how I see it" seems to be a much better way to have a conversation.   I put 'know' in quotes because even if you feel very strongly about being right, it's hard to really know for sure. One thing that comes to mind is the viral photo of a dress that circulated some years back. You may have seen it. It's a striped dress that stirred up a lot of arguments because people were roughly divided in half on what colors the stripes were: black and blue, or white and gold?   There are other examples of these visual and auditory phenomena where two people can see and hear completely different things. Can't the same be said about our perception of information we receive? It's possible for two people to perceive the same information in completely different ways, so it's hard to definitively say who is right.   Being okay with being wrong demonstrates humility and—in my opinion—can turn many conversations into learning opportunities rather than arguments.   This is a little longer than usual, but I wanted to end this with a quote from Socrates “All I Know Is That I Know Nothing” -- These podcasts (starting with this episode) also now have video. If you want to check out the episodes with video, check them out on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@busmsk

I'm going to start doing interviews with graffiti writers and have a question for you. Would you like to see/hear this kind of content on this show, or would you prefer it just stays the way it is? Right now, what I'm thinking is, I'll start releasing two episodes per week. One personal development style like we've been doing, and one graffiti interview style episode.   Would love your feedback. Feel free to reach out to me on Instagram @bus166, or if you're seeing this on YouTube, feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts. I appreciate all of your support over the years and am trying to find ways to make this project better than ever.

There's a part of your brain called the reticular activating system (RAS). It acts as a sort of filter. If you think about something a lot, the RAS will show you more of it. For example, if you want to buy a certain car, you might start seeing that car everywhere.   If you regularly think negative thoughts, your RAS may reveal more negativity that you might not have noticed otherwise. On the other hand, thinking more positive thoughts, like the goals you want to accomplish, can program your RAS to help reveal steps and ideas to move you toward those goals.   What are you programming your reticular activating system to show you?

It's easy to put so much pressure on ourselves when trying to get something perfect. Sometimes the desire to get something exactly right can lead to not finishing at all. Sometimes striving for finished is better than striving for perfection. Don't half-ass it, but get it done.

If we want things to get better, whether that is in our community, family, or even the world, it starts with improving ourselves. It may not seem like making ourselves better will help anything, but you never know who's watching.   No matter who you are, it's likely that you improving yourself will influence another to do the same. That person improving can influence others. Who knows what kind of chain reaction that can cause?

How to you treat the mundane tasks in your life? It's often easy to half-ass the basic tasks that seem meaningless, but how does that look to those around you? How does it look to your own subconscious?   There are lots of phrases that talk about this kind of thing. How you do one thing is how you do everything comes to mind. If we half-ass one thing because we think it isn't important, we're probably coming up short in other areas.   Life is full of mundane tasks. Doing them well raises our standards and influences all aspects of life.

Something I've been trying to change about my mindset is when I hear about someone else's success when it's greater than what I've accomplished, I often allow that to make me feel bad about my own success. On the flip side, when I hear about someone failing, I often feel better about my situation.   Both of these feel wrong and unproductive. If I'm not happy to see other people winning, am I programming my subconscious mind to think I don't like winning? Some people feel that this can have a reverse effect on the law of attraction. By being unhappy about other people winning, it is said that you're potentially manifesting losing for yourself.   I'm not 100% sure what I believe in this regard, but one thing I do know is, when I'm happy to see other people win, it's a much nicer feeling.

On my way to the shop yesterday, I was thinking about the 'good old days'. It was sparked when I did a style of graffiti that I hadn't done in close to 30 years. The 70+ comments on the piece on Instagram got me thinking about things like nostalgia and hanging onto the past.   Then a famous and profound quote came to mind: "I wish there was a way to know you're in the good old days before you've left them”. This was from the American version of the TV show The Office. The way I see it is, there are a couple ways to look at things like this.   We can look back on those days and wish we could be back there. Or, we can realize we're actually in the 'good old days' right now and we always are. No matter what we're dealing with currently, there may come a time where we look back on this time with the same nostalgia.   Not only that, but we have the control to make the time we're living in now something memorable.

I wanted to share a quote from the book Thick Face Black Heart on page 141. This chapter talks about if we had the ability to remove all negative experiences from our lives, it would not make us stress free or happy. "The absence of negative experiences in our life does not alone contribute to the quality of our life. As humans we need challenges in order to develop fully and bring forth all the positive aspects within ourselves. The only way to feel truly happy is by confronting these challenges and overcoming them." I find things like this helpful when times get tough. It's those times that create the most growth.

Something I need to remind myself of regularly is that the time is going to pass one way or the other. What I mean by this is, the timeline is ticking away whether or not we do what we need to do. For example, if we want to get in better shape, start a business, scale a business, learn a skill, etc., and we put it off, that time is going to pass.   Say a decision was made to accomplish a goal, then three months later, we haven't even started. How far along would we be in that three months? Years can go by with us saying "I should get going on that" and we haven't moved the needle at all.   Once the time has passed, I would much rather look back and be further along. The hard part is convincing my procrastinating brain of this at the time.   “One inch of movement will take you way closer than a mile of intention.” — David JP Phillips   "Learn to execute even if you don't feel like it." — Andy Frisella

Most have probably heard the quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” or some variation of it. There's also a version of the concept in the book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People talking about sharpening the saw.   Sharpening the axe or saw is about preparation and being more effective. The concept of taking time to prepare rather than just powering through with a dull tool is can be applied to pretty much any aspect of your life.   I was listening to a podcast recently, the guy getting interviewed mentioned a book called How to Read a Book. This kind of got my mind racing. I use books to sharpen my axe. If I read a book about how to be better at reading books, is that another level of axe sharpening? It's like if Abraham Lincoln spent some time learning more about axe sharpening before sharpening the axe.   It's got me thinking about different things this might apply to. Like Jim Kwik's book Limitless. If continuous learning is a way of sharpening your axe, this book is about how to learn better. It seems like there's always a level deeper with shit like this. The book How to Read a book is pretty cool by the way.   Connect with Bus on social: INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/bus166   TWITTER https://twitter.com/bus166msk    

We all find ourselves in a rut from time to time. Whether it's an artist block, work related, fitness or whatever, sometimes we aren't feeling the motivation to get it done. The best way out of a rut I've found is to simply force yourself to start rather than waiting to be motivated.   Sometimes it feels nearly impossible with motivation being so low. To effectively force momentum, a good way is to find easy tasks that get you moving. The more you get done, the more momentum you'll build. Eventually, you don't even need motivation at all. You'll be fully out of the rut and running full speed ahead.   Connect with Bus on social media. Instagram @bus166 Twitter @bus166msk

Any given situation is supposed to go the way it goes. It has nothing to do with us. When we put expectations on things, it causes disappointment. Once we realize this and try to detach from the outcomes, our minds can find more peace. Doesn't mean we can't do our best to get the outcomes we want, but in the end, it isn't up to us.

I came to a realization recently that the reason my mind feels like it is in turmoil all the time is because I am not living up to my own standards. This realizations came from some weird places, so this episode goes into some seemingly off topic things like ghost stories, spiritual healing, and shit like that.

I believe in you. It may sound corny since we may not actually know each other, but it's true. No matter where we are in life, we have the ability to improve and overcome the obstacles we face.   If you search around, you can find countless examples of people bouncing back from bad decisions, came from nothing, or any number of things that would derail a life. We all have what it takes to improve.   Countless people have overcome addiction, homelessness, obesity, prison sentences, and many other things. If they can do it, it's possible.

The concept of accepting the things outside of our control is a simple, but powerful concept that I find really helpful when shit gets tough. Simple, but not easy to impliment.

If you find yourself in a situation where someone consistently breaks promises, misses appointments, or shows up late, it's natural to begin questioning the value of their word. This is a common experience that many of us have had. What's even more intriguing to think about is that if you fail to keep your own promises to yourself, your own mind may begin to perceive you in a similar light. When you repeatedly break commitments you make to yourself, it becomes easier to evade self-accountability.

Ever feel like you're putting in the hours practicing, but not making the progress you feel you should be? I've definitely experienced this a lot over my life. The reason is most likely not a lack of commitment, but it lies in the way you're practicing. I first came across the concept of “deliberate practice” from a book called 'The Talent Code'. Deliberate practice is a more purposeful approach to developing skills using focused, repetitive practice rather than simply putting in the hours. With deliberate practice, you're hyper-focused on what you're doing, you have a specific goal in mind, and you're out of your comfort zone. With this level of intentionality, it helps your brain wire and strengthen transmitters faster than something like practicing casually while watching TV. I can remember back when I was trying to get better at graffiti letters in the early '90s. I spent a couple of years fiddling around with different things, but in 1993, I was given some letters by one of my mentors, Eklipse, and told to practice those letters exactly. Without knowing it, I was in a deep state of deliberate practice. I would draw those letters over and over, hyper-focused on every detail, trying to get it all right. I made more progress in two months than I had in the previous two years. This can be applied to any skill you want to get better at. Definitely something I find harder and harder to do in this era of distraction we are currently in. - Find Bus on various platforms linked here: https://bus.graffitimachine.com/

For some years now, I've been a student of stoic philosophy. The biggest lesson from this philosophy is to focus on what you can control rather than things you cannot. It's often difficult to do and one can easily forget to apply this.   Most of the time, all you have control over is your actions and the outcome is not within your control. Focusing on the outcome—especially when it causes stress—can really drain a lot of your energy. Energy that you could use on the part you can control which is your actions.   I recently found myself doing exactly this. Focusing nearly 100% of my attention on the outcome and not on the actions required to achieve the outcome I wanted. The result was me performing below my own standards since a lot of energy was diverted.   The moment I realized I was doing this and redirected my focus on the controllables, my stress levels went way down. Do you find yourself focused on the outcomes rather than the actions you need to take to achieve what you want?

It feels like we're in an age of massive distraction. We're being distracted by the media, world events, politicians, etc. Then we're distracting ourselves with social media platforms and other apps on our devices. Today, I talk about these distractions and some ways we can identify when we're being distracted and how to regain focus.

This episode gets into some concepts from Stoic philosophy about there being an order to the universe and other potentially interesting shit. Find Bus on various platforms linked here: https://bus.graffitimachine.com/

I heard that most of what we do is forgotten. A lot of the day-to-day life stuff comes and goes, and the memories are lost. Do we do something about that? Do we try to create more memorable experiences, or does the fact that a lot of stuff is forgotten make the things you do remember that much more impactful?

I was thinking about how many little tasks come up that could be easiy taken care of, but I put them off. Those things occupy space in my mind. It would be ideal to just knock those things out so they're out of my head, but they often get put off.   They're often small things, but they build up. It's got me wondering what negative effects might be happeing by letting these things build up.