You Gotta Hear This! A Podcast for Video Creators & Storytellers

Every great creative project begins with a vision. Years ago, while working with a television director in Dallas, I learned a simple principle that has guided my work ever since. Before anyone picked up a camera or planned a shot, he'd gather the creative team together, talk through the assignment, kick around a few ideas... And then say, "Let's shoot for the moon... then work backwards." That was...

What if the biggest breakthrough in your creativity isn't learning a new skill...but looking at the same subject from a different angle? In this episode of You Gotta Hear This!, Paul explores one of the most powerful storytelling tools available—perspective. From shooting inside an aerobatic airplane to using a jib camera in the studio, he shares real-world examples of how changing your viewp...

Sometimes the biggest obstacle standing between an idea and reality isn't a lack of talent, resources, or opportunity. It's the decision to stop looking for a way forward. In this episode of You Gotta Hear This!, Paul explores a simple truth found in the stories of some of the world's most successful creatives: they didn't always have the perfect plan, the ideal circumstances, or all the answers....

Every project is an audition. Whether you realize it or not, the work you're doing today is shaping the opportunities you'll be offered tomorrow. Clients notice. Employers notice. Team members notice. And often, they're evaluating much more than your technical skills. In this episode, Paul explores a simple idea that's guided his entire creative career: the job you do today is an audition for the...

Every creative carries a toolkit. Some of the tools are obvious—cameras, microphones, editing software, lights, and lenses. But the most valuable tools often aren't found in a gear bag. They're the lessons learned from mentors, the experiences gained on difficult projects, the mistakes that taught us what not to do, and the skills we've collected along the way. In this episode of You Gotta Hear Th...

What if the biggest thing holding you back isn't a lack of talent, experience, or opportunity—but a lack of permission? In this episode of You Gotta Hear This!, Paul explores the power of imagination and why so many creative people stop dreaming long before they run out of potential. Inspired by a simple plaque on his office wall and lessons learned from decades in television, storytelling, and cr...

What happens when you spend months creating content, building courses, recording podcasts, and trying to grow something meaningful… only to feel like nobody’s paying attention? In this episode of You Gotta Hear This!, I share a very personal story about building, creating, writing, and pushing hard to make something meaningful connect with an audience — only to feel like the response never came. A...

Have you ever reached a point creatively where you simply felt exhausted? Not because you stopped caring. Not because you wanted to quit. But because the journey has been longer, harder, and heavier than you expected? In this episode of You Gotta Hear This!, I share a story from my college years running hills behind campus with my roommate Andy — and how those difficult runs taught me something th...

Every creative journey eventually runs into a wall. Not the kind made of brick and concrete…but the kind that stops momentum. A rejected idea. A project that falls apart. A client who says no. A season where it feels like the opportunities have dried up and you’re standing there wondering what happened next. In this episode of You Gotta Hear This!, Paul talks about the moments in life and creativi...

In Episode 59 of You Gotta Hear This!, we take a closer look at something every creative wants—but not everyone earns: trust. Not surface-level trust based on talent alone, but the kind of trust that gets you called back, brought into the room, and counted on when it matters most. Because at the end of the day, being “good” isn’t what separates you. Being trusted does. This episode unpacks what tr...

Some creatives get the call… and some don’t. Not because they lack talent—but because they’re missing something clients value even more. In this episode, we break down what actually gets you hired again. Because it’s not just about what you can do—it’s about how you show up when it counts. There’s a difference between being on the crew and being part of the team. The creatives who get called back...

In this episode of You Gotta Hear This!, we continue the Next Level Series—a set of conversations focused on what it really takes to grow as a creator. Not by doing more, but by thinking better. By developing the habits, awareness, and judgment that move your work forward. Every creative faces moments of decision. When to move. When to stop. And when to slow down and think. Using the familiar rhyt...

Every creative team has one. They’re not always the loudest voice in the room, and they’re not always the one leading the meeting. But they’re the one who sees what’s coming. They anticipate problems before they happen, think through the shoot before the first camera rolls, and solve things before anyone else even knows there’s an issue. They’re the gas in the engine. In this episode, we break dow...

Every creative hits a moment where things get hard. Energy drops. Confidence fades. Progress slows. The ideas don’t come as easily. The work feels heavier than it should. And in those moments, the real question is—what do you reach for? In this episode, we use the classic Popeye metaphor to explore how great creatives find strength when they need it most. Because success isn’t about always operati...

Let me ask you something: Are you in the room you want to be in or the room you’ve settled for? Because whether we realize it or not, the environments we place ourselves in—physically, creatively, and professionally—are shaping who we become. The conversations we hear, the standards we absorb, and the expectations we normalize all come from the rooms we choose or accept. Think about sound and spac...

Most people watch content to be entertained. I watch it for clues. Because every great story, every great moment, every piece of content that works leaves something behind—a decision, a pattern, a choice that made it better. And if you know where to look, you can find them. In this episode, we talk about how to start seeing those clues, how to study what’s working at a deeper level, and how to app...

Every athlete has a highlight reel. Those moments when everything came together. The big play. The game-winning shot. The play everyone remembers. But here’s the question most creatives never ask: What’s on your highlight reel?  Not the one other people make. The one you choose. Because the projects you take on today eventually become the moments people associate with your work. In this episo...

Good is easy to defend. “It works.” “It’s fine.” “It turned out well.” But good rarely changes anything. In this episode of the Next Level Series, we explore the difference between work that simply gets the job done and work that rises to a higher standard. The gap between good and great isn’t usually talent. It’s standards. Great creators, great teams, and great storytellers all share something i...

You don't usually miss the alarm. You just hit snooze. And then...you hit it again. In this episode of the Next Level Series , we’re talking about something most creatives won’t admit out loud — the slow drift. You’re not quitting. You’re not failing. You’re just… delaying. And sometimes the most dangerous place you can live isn’t defeat — it’s comfort. This episode explores what really happens wh...

In this episode, you’re challenged to look at the tension between speed and significance i n today’s AI-driven creative world. With tools making it easier than ever to produce content quickly, the real question becomes: Are you creating with intention, or just keeping the machine running? Paul explores the contrast between operating like a content machine — focused only on output and algorith...

In this episode, Paul explores the idea that meaningful change rarely comes from dramatic overhauls. Instead, it often begins with a single, almost invisible adjustment — a one-degree shift in direction that, over time, leads to an entirely different destination. Using relatable creative and life examples, he illustrates how small mindset changes , subtle refinements in process, or minor improveme...

Every creator faces it — that split-second decision between holding back and hitting send. The Push Send Moment isn’t about perfection; it’s about courage. It’s the point where preparation meets vulnerability and action finally wins. In this episode, Paul explores the emotional and psychological barrier that keeps creatives from sharing their work, and why pushing through that hesitation is often...

In this episode, Paul talks about the “Second Shift” — the intentional time creatives invest after the visible work is done. It’s the editing pass no one asks for. The extra research. The late-night refinement. The quiet practice. These are the unseen hours that separate average output from craftsmanship. I f the first shift is what you’re paid to do, the second shift is what you do to become who...

Every creative journey has levels. Some are obvious — beginner, intermediate, pro. Others are internal — confidence, competence, clarity. And then there are the invisible levels — the ones you unlock only by trying, failing, adjusting, and trying again. This episode explores how creatives advance through levels just like gamers — facing new challenges, gaining new skills, and collecting the experi...

Most creatives think the choice is binary - keep going or quit. But pros know there’s a third option: recalculate. In this episode, Paul Steven Forrest breaks down the art of creative course correction — how to adjust your route without abandoning your destination, your calling, or your goals. Drawing from real-world navigation metaphors,  Paul explores why some creative seasons feel slow, wh...