Ash's main takeaway is solid — Immerse yourself in hobbies or creative pursuits without being overly concerned about external validation or the potential for monetary gain.

Other takeaways that stuck with me were:

— Finding enjoyment in the process of learning and improving your own skills is crucial.

— Setting personal goals can help fuel growth.

— Sharing your work with others is a way to receive feedback and learn from other perspectives, but don't let pursuit, perfection or seeking monetisation overshadow the joy of the activity itself.

— Intrinsic rewards of your hobby or pursuit trump validation or financial gain.

In the end, you need to find something you enjoy doing, and do it because you ENJOY it.