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The Work Worth Doing
Why it's not an either/or choice
Jaime Solis
29 Aug
Presented by
⏰ 5-Second Summary
The Red Thread — Why the work worth doing isn’t always an either/or decision.
The Unlock — How to build work that pays and fulfills through small, practical shifts.
Creative Edge — Progress comes drip by drip, not by giant leaps.
Prompt Playground — The “Both/And” audit to find alignment between money and meaning.
Industry Pulse — Spotify DMs, Gen Z turning 30, YouTube AI edits, Meta + Midjourney, and Netflix’s record-breaking K-Pop film.
Creator Tools — AI for polished screen recordings, natural eye contact, and better data visualizations.
Open Opportunities — New roles at BiggerPockets and UMG, plus top music and podcasting job boards.
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“Don’t let making a living prevent you from making a life.” — John Wooden
The Red Thread This Week
The Work Worth Doing
A lot of us grew up believing in the Great Career Myth, that there are two kinds of work:
The kind that pays your bills.
The kind that feeds your soul.
Pick one.
Except…that's a trap.
Our culture has industrialized us into thinking financial stability and impactful, humane, creative, fulfilling work are like matter and antimatter—they can't exist in the same space without everything exploding.
Because one is "responsible." And the other is "self-indulgent."
But I’m willing to bet many successful people you know didn't choose between money and meaning.
Some refused to accept that choice existed in the first place.
Instead, they found the intersection.
The place where your paycheck doesn't just cover your rent, it funds the life you actually want to build.
Where your projects don't just fill your calendar, they fill you with energy.
Where "enough" is defined by you, not by someone else's expectations.
The work worth doing doesn't make you choose.
It makes you whole.
This week’s Red Thread is about taking practical steps towards that type of fulfillment.
Let's dive in.
~ Jaime
🔑 The Unlock
How to Build Work that Pays and Fulfills
The intersection isn't some mythical place you stumble into. It's something you architect, piece by piece.
1️⃣ Stop treating success like a single score.
If you hit every metric—salary, title, followers—but still feel a bit incomplete, is that really winning? Ask yourself:
What would success look like if it included how I feel at the end of each workday?
Does my work reflect my values?
What’s my definition of enough?
2️⃣ Start with two hours.
You don't need to quit your job and move to Costa Rica. Start with two hours a week on something that matters to you.
What could you explore in two hours this week that would energize you?
What’s the first small step that starts you down that path?
3️⃣ Build multiple safety nets.
Financial anxiety kills creativity faster than any external force. Aim to diversify your income so no single source owns your peace of mind.
What skill do you already have that someone else might pay you to teach or apply?
Freelancing, teaching, digital products/services—all can help underwrite your art and ambition.
4️⃣ Be curious!
Invest in your own growth. Every new skill you develop pays compound interest. The more valuable you become, the more “luck” you create for yourself.
A/V production? Public speaking? AI certifications? Microeconomics? Piano?
If you could only learn one thing this year that would make you more valuable, what might that be?
5️⃣ Learn to distinguish fear from wisdom.
Fear loves to dress up as prudence. "Play it safe. You’re not qualified. Stay where you are. You have responsibilities."
What opportunity both excites AND terrifies you right now?
What if that tension actually means it’s worth doing?
📌 Remember: The work worth doing is rarely either/or. It's both/and. Financially viable and meaningful. Sustainable and fulfilling (see the Japanese concept of Ikigai.)
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💡 Creative Edge
Progress Happens Drip by Drip
The temptation is to be romanced by the big leap—the “who’s coming with me?” career pivot, the perfect offer, the lightning strike of opportunity.
But lightning strikes are rare, and most of the lives we admire weren’t built by giant leaps.
They were built drip by drip.
One project. One calculated risk. One intentional choice at a time.
The secret sauce? Your ability to be consistent, and persistent.
📌 Mindset shift: What looks like overnight success from the outside is actually deliberate, aligned choices compounding over time.
🎲 Prompt Playground
The “Both/And” Audit
Many of us (myself included) think in either/or terms because it feels safe and smart. This prompt can help you find the “both/and” intersection:
Prompt:
I want to stop thinking about my career as a choice between stability and fulfillment, and start finding ways to build both. Help me see where these might actually reinforce each other.
My current situation:
What I do for money: [your current role/income sources]
What energizes me most about my work: [specific activities/moments] -
What drains me most: [specific frustrations/energy vampires]
What I'd do if money weren't a factor: [be specific, not vague]
My biggest fear about making changes: [the real fear, not the polite version]
Now help me explore:
First, what skills from "what energizes me" could actually increase my earning potential if I developed them further?
Second, what's the smallest version of "what I'd do if money weren't a factor" that I could test while keeping my current stability?
Third, reframe my biggest fear: what's the worst realistic outcome if I take one small step toward alignment this month?
Finally, what's one specific action I could take in the next two weeks that moves me toward both financial stability AND work that energizes me?
Give me three concrete ways my "passion" could actually strengthen my "practical" career, not compete with it.
✅ Bonus Prompt:
"If I defined 'enough' for myself—enough money, enough recognition, enough security—how might that change what I'm willing to risk for meaningful work?"
📡 Industry Pulse
Spotify is testing DM’s and community chat features — Tubefilter.
Gen Z is turning 30, marketers rethink long-held assumptions about “youth culture” — LBBOnline.
YouTube is testing AI-powered edits to videos without creators’ permission — BBC.
Meta inks a licensing partnership with Midjourney to integrate AI image generation — The Verge.
KPop Demon Hunters now Netflix’s Most-Watched Movie of All Time — MBW
🛠️ Creator Tools
FocuSee – Auto-polish your screen recordings with smart-zoom and effects.
Casablanca – Bring back natural eye contact in your video calls using AI.
Mobser – Create powerful data visualizations for your reports and analytics.
💼 Open Opportunities
Head of Programming and Audience Development – BiggerPockets (remote) View Role →
Vice President, Audience – Universal Music Group (REPUBLIC Collective) – (NYC) View Role →
Your next move in Music
Explore the MBW Job Board →
Crack into Podcasting
Check out the Sounds Profitable Job Board →
📌 Know someone looking? Forward this to them!
⚡ Your Next Move
I run JMedia, an advisory firm helping companies and creatives bring their ideas to life. Here are a few ways we can work together when you’re ready:
🗓️ Get 1:1 Support from Me: Need a thought partner to help shape what's next for your project or team? Let’s talk.
🎙️ Audit Your Podcast: Get pro-level eyes on your podcast without hiring a full-time producer.
🚀 Speaking Engagements & Workshops: Looking for a speaker for your next live (or virtual) event? Or someone to lead your next strategic workshop? Drop me a note!
Thanks for spending time with Red Threads this week, I’m glad you’re here :)
~ Jaime
P.S. My weekly Red Threads newsletter goes out every Friday. Move my emails to your primary inbox so you see the next edition.