Mind of a Maker
A daily blog inspired by Matthew Dicks
“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity.”
To become better at something, you have to practice. What better way to become a better writer and storyteller than to practice by making a habit of writing daily?
In this daily blog, we’ll discuss Maker-related topics as well as what inspires projects, including YouTube videos, Movies, TV Shows, Disney, Star Wars, LEGO, Books, and more. Everything is on the table, and nothing is off-limits.
Disclaimer: The thumbnail images featured on this blog are often AI-generated. See Disclosure page for more information.
3 Tips To Focus On Boring Work (From A Serial Procrastinator)
Some things just have to be done by a person, and in a 1-person business, that means me.
Since the boring work must be done by me and I want to be successful, here are 3 tips that have helped me get it done consistently.
3 Reasons Notion Is Overpowered For Growing Your Maker Small Businesses
If you're growing your business and are looking for robust tools, Notion is completely overpowered.
Since I first started posting content online, I've used pretty much every popular platform for my content calendar, project builds, and video ideas. I've jumped around from Google Sheets to Monday.com to Trello to AirTable to ClickUp and even tried pulling different note apps like Apple Notes and Evernote into complicated automations with Make.com. Every tool has its drawbacks, but I find my favorite has been Notion ever since trying it out in 2024.
3 Ways Maker Content Creators Can Leverage AI To Grow Their Businesses
You're a Maker, which means you cannot leverage AI since it's a digital tool, right?
Wrong. While AI is not able to build things in your garage (yet), you can still leverage it to handle time consuming tasks on your computer.
Use AI to give you more time in your shop and working on your edits (and get one step closer to your own personal protocol droid).
3 Reasons Why Making Things After Work Beats Scrolling, Streaming, or Complaining
ou’ve been in the working world for several years and time seems to be slipping away from you faster than ever.
Sure, you meet up with old friends to complain about your jobs, mindlessly scroll social media, and catch up on the latest streaming shows, but something is always missing. Maybe you’ve even tried video games, getting a pet, or starting a YouTube channel. No matter what you try, you can’t find a good way to let off steam after your 9 to 5 and recharge yourself.
Tired of Being Told to Relax? 3 Reasons Making Things Is a Better Cure for Corporate Burnout
You're home from an exhausting day of unnecessary meetings, constant Teams notifications, and email overload and all you want to do is unwind... like you've done every night for the past few years.
The 4 Most Basic Steps Every Maker Project Has
How do you eat an elephant?
Here’s how I apply this concept to my projects and what it has unlocked for me when it comes to larger, complex projects.
3 Hidden Costs Of Procrastination That Lead Makers To Burnout & Ultimately Quitting
As much as I want to say I don't procrastinate, I do and have noticed a few things over the years.
The 3 Lies Makers Tell Themselves That Keep Them From Making Progress On Projects
Everyone has a long list of things they want to accomplish and Makers are no different with project lists.
When looking at a long list of projects, some likely already in progress, it is easier to lie to ourselves than knock one out.
The Simplest Way For Makers To Overcome Procrastination Mid Build
Personally, I have struggled with procrastination for years, and it has caused months of delays.
Procrastination stems from being unsure of next steps and a lack of planning.
Here's how I started working on it:
3 Common Pitfalls Makers With Day Jobs Fall Into (And How To Overcome Them And Build More)
Making things is an incredible superpower that most people wish they could achieve, but there is a problem: we’re all busy all the time.