#23. How to Create Content Online With Integrity - Liv Pearsall
“If it doesn’t really stand by my mission, it’s not worth it to me…”
What is it like to be a full time online content creator? We talked to TikTok and YouTube star Liv Pearsall to find out. Liv shared her definition of the role and her story so far, as well as her aspirations for the future and the importance of analytics and craft behind her content. But even for those of us who don’t aspire to create content online, there’s some fascinating insight into how, if we approach our work with a strong sense of our values and our purpose, it can create a kind of confidence that we can close the gap between where we are today and where we aspire to be. And from that place, some amazing results can be created.
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Liv Pearsall is a full-time comedy content creator with over 169 million likes on TikTok. You can find her on TikTok and Instagram @liv.pearsall.
Want to watch the YouTube content Liv mentioned? Subscribe to her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/LivPearsall47
Interested in the topic of Integrity? We talked to Helen Guinness about it in a previous episode, which you can listen to here.
Interested in building your confidence? Check out this article to read more.
Audio mix by Hula & Co. Music
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Intro
Darius Norell
If you've ever wondered what it's like to be a content creator, social media influencer, then this is the episode for you. We're talking to Liv Pearsall, who is a TikTok, YouTube sensation, several million followers and still growing fast. And what is it? What is the life of a content creator, like they'll hear some of the kind of thought and hard work and strategy and dry that goes into to that job that she's not going full time. And we also touched on some of the mindsets habits, how to be healthy in balance and the challenge of that. So I think a great episode for anyone who's interested, or even wondering what is it like to have a life like that is one of these new new careers this one has been around for a while. didn't exist a while ago. So hope you enjoyed this episode.
Conversation
Darius Norell
Okay, so today, we have Liv Pearsall with us on the show. Thank you so much for joining us, Liv.
Liv Pearsall
You're so welcome. I'm happy to be here.
Darius Norell
Great. I'm looking forward to a conversation. We haven't prepped. So we're gonna we're gonna go where we go with it. The intention is to love it. Yeah, have this be valuable for you have this be valuable for listeners? And and yeah, see where we get to. So thank you again, for coming on. How would you describe yourself? I guess this is, you know, you're you're in one of these roles now that so many people like, oh, how do you do that? But yeah, for people that haven't heard of you, how would you? How would you describe it?
Liv Pearsall
How would I describe what I do? Well, to put it simply, I am a full time comedy content creator, which means that I, I make and perform and write all my own kind of sketches or content, or lists or rankings or whatever it be content, and then I sprinkle it out onto social media. I'm on a bunch of different socials, but my main one is probably tic tock and YouTube. And then, and I just I do that every day, every day, every week, every month. And that is my livelihood.
Darius Norell
Wonderful. So anyone who hasn't heard of live, we'll put links to the to the YouTube channel or the Tick Tock in the show notes and so on. So you can you can become a new fan. Thank you. When we speak to young people, this is a real generalization, but it's up there like people like what do you want to do? Like but you know, for people looking on the outside, they're like, oh, yeah, I'd love to be an influencer or tick tock star or, you know, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. So it's kind of seen from the outside is like, Oh, I'd love to be able to do that. I'm sure in reality, like any job is got, like, the great bits and the bits that are like, Oh, no, like, if everyone really knew what this was, like, you know, maybe you wouldn't want it or whatever, you know. So let's talk about the kind of good bits to begin with. And the podcast is called What's your work? And I'm interested a little bit in kind of what you see your role, as you talked about being a content creator and a comedy sketch writers. Talk us through some of the kind of, hey, you know what, these bits really are good. And I love this. And yeah, talk us through?
Liv Pearsall
Absolutely, yeah, oh, man, I could talk about the pros for days, because I really do love my job. It's, I feel very blessed that I found it at 23 years old, you know. So the pros of this is I'm my own boss, which is cool. If I don't have a piece of content for a day, you know, I just won't have a piece of content for the day, you know, like, there's no hard, you know, deadlines or anything like that, generally, when it comes to my content on my own schedule, or on my own, you know, writer editor, all those things. So it's kind of nice, I get to go by my own schedule, as we will find out soon. That is also a con, you know, being your own boss, but it's also a really, really cool thing that I've never experienced before. And I really like it, you know, and I've kind of had to learn how to keep those strict deadlines with myself, you know, just as any job would be. I also just love interacting with my audience. Like, I feel like I have millions of like friends around the world, you know, and I don't know another job that that kind of has that reach, but also intimacy with the audience. You know, I look at my analytics, and I'm 75% female, my audience is mostly female. And I love that, you know, because I, I love to encourage young girls, and I love to interact with them. And I know what it's like to be, you know, a adolescent teenage girl, girl and her young 20s, you know, and so, that's been really special for me to just be able to interact with them and, and hear what they want from me and hear what they're interested in and what they like, you know, it's just, it's really special, and it's very intimate, I think more intimate than people would guess, at least from my perspective, they, they might think that I'm just this distance, like, I don't really care about them, you know, whatever. But I really do, you know, I really do. Like, my, my heart goes out to them, you know, and the few fans here and there that I've gotten to meet, they'll recognize me like, on the street or something like that. They're just absolute sweethearts, and I couldn't be happier to talk to them and get to know them and maintain that kind of relationship. Let's see other pros, amazing opportunities, opportunities that I would never have. If I wasn't doing this. I get to go to events for you know, Instagram and meta. microphones on Instagram are meta, like YouTube events, YouTube shorts, events, tick tock events. And I always feel like I'm being wined and dined. You know, there's like free food and gorgeous views and an open bar, and I'm like, you don't have to wine and dine me, I'm already using your platform, you know, but, but it's just so fun. And I get to go to different premieres for movies for film and television. And those are just so fun. And there's after parties that it feels very lavish. For somebody like me, who does not live a very lavish life, you know, it's like, I feel like Hannah Montana, you know, who I have a normal life on the side. And then sometimes I get to go out and live my like celebrity dream, you know, I just get to have fun. So those opportunities are the events and different things. It's really, I am not used to it yet. I don't know when I'll get used to it, I kind of never want to but for now, I I feel very blessed. Finally, I guess the last pro that is kind of the biggest pro in my in my brain is I like I really get to impact people. And I don't say that lightly at all. But it feels very special that I'm in a profession, where I tangibly get to, like, pour out love and encouragement and wisdom, wisdom, I'm not that wise, you know, but wisdom and advice and stuff to people on the daily. And when I think about the weight that like my words, have it, it really causes me to stop and go, you know, what, what am I going to say? What am I going to say to this 13 year old girl sitting in her room in Minnesota, you know, that's watching my videos, I want to lift her up, I want to encourage her, you know, and that goes for everybody around the world, you know, that happens to be following me. So it feels I feel very blessed and also a bit intimidated that I get to impact people. All right, I have that impact. Now, what am I going to do with it? You know, I mean, they don't call you an influencer for nothing.
Darius Norell
So I wanted to ask you a little bit about that. Because I got the sense even, you know, even the first few minutes of talking, there's something at least in my sense, that's deeper than like, Oh, great. I just want to be on camera and I can do some funny stuff. And people love watching my stuff that you've just spoken to of recognizing the responsibility. Let's put it that way. Maybe even relishing that, like oh, you know what, I've got a platform that I can use that has consequences and I can I can make I think about how I use it. Like and it's certainly not as you said, we use it in a good way to lift people up and and that can be challenging, made it you know, and so talk Can you talk a little bit about how you reflect on that or, and also in your own way, right? Because I could imagine also like, oh, I constantly you know, I know for me like I get
Liv Pearsall
100% It's very scary. And something that I've I've never dealt with before is having such a wide range of people paying attention to what you have to say. Like something about me, that really dictates a lot of who I am. And a lot of the decisions I make are my faith. I'm a Christian, I subscribe to the Christian religion, you know, and stuff like that. And everybody has an opinion on what, you know, Christianity is, you know, and so that's just one example. You know, that is relevant, pertinent to me. But it's definitely been, I don't want to say a tight rope, because that makes it sound like I'm willfully like balancing, Don't anger them, Don't anger them. But it's more just, I can't think of the right metaphor, but it's just something that I've had to learn how to be conscious of, you know, and verbiage and, you know, like using vernacular that's going to be inclusive of everybody and, you know, using, like, not promoting hateful ideologies, which the good thing is that I was already doing that, you know, I wasn't not like, oh, yeah, I was such a hateful person. And now I need to flip my entire personality, you know, it's like, I was already doing that. It's just, I've really, like learned how to, I don't know how to maintain that and how to love on everybody. And that's a really big part of my platform that I will always preach 1000 times is, everybody is welcome. To my platform, I do not care if you are, you know, if you share my Christian faith, if you are agnostic, atheist, if you're whatever religion if you are any race, ethnicity, and gender, any sexuality, you know, like, if you're politically conservative, liberal, like, everybody has a place, you know. And so how do I go about actually showing that, and not just saying it out loud, but but actions speak louder than words? Right? And so how do I? What's the word I'm looking for? How do I like foster a community like that where people feel safe, you know, and that's something I still work on every single day. And it might seem really silly for me to talk about this, because somebody might be going to the links that you put and looking at my content and being like, you make stupid sketches. You know, like, why are you talking about these big, you know, whatever ideas when you just make silly sketches, but you got to believe me that it's the foundation of every single thing that I make, you know,
Darius Norell
Well, it's very easy to make silly sketches that are hurtful, right, or not inclusive in that way, or not intended to be absolutely, we can't control everyone's reactions, but you've got clearly very strong sense of, hey, this is what I'm about. Maybe you don't always get it, right. I know that but
Liv Pearsall
And I've seen, yeah, oh, sorry. And I've seen comedy, like, over the years, drift more and more like discriminatory and, you know, degrading of people and just relying it's, it's an easy win is what it is, it's an easy W to just make fun of some, fill in the blank person, people group, whatever. And comedians, just get away with it. You know, and I and I kind of want to help turn that tide a little bit. And maybe that's putting a little bit too much, like credit to me, like responsibility on my shoulders. It's like, okay, I'm just a little content creator in Los Angeles, you know, but, but I think every person counts. And I think that I am just going to keep growing and keep doing what I love. What I can.
Darius Norell
Yeah. And I think for me, that's kind of not to try and be like to try to be too heavy in the conversation, right? You've got you've got a platform. You're being thoughtful about how you're using it and you've got an intent that it has a positive effect on people in the world. Right. That's it like you're also you're perfectly not saying like, no one should. Like this is what you're up to. Right. It's not even pretending I've got
Liv Pearsall
I've definitely messed up. Yeah, I'll be the first to tell you that I am not perfect. By any means.
Darius Norell
Of course not. Why should you be like I'm not either and people aren't. So when you first started, like I'm interested in the transition from, I'm making up a story like oh, this is a kind of some fun. I'm just doing honestly, I'm not doing full time and then and then somehow, like getting some traction. Like can you talk a little bit through that that sort of moment when you realized, hey, there's something changing here. This has gone from something I was just doing because I was doing it too.
Liv Pearsall
Oh, I want to do like my origin story. My villain origin story. No. Yeah. Oh, absolutely. So I started like a lot of people during the pandemic, beginning of the pandemic, it was April of 2020. I wasn't trying to do anything. I wasn't trying to be a content creator. I wasn't trying to, you know, go viral. I mean, everybody says they're not trying to go viral, but they kind of are, you know, I was just making videos for my friends, because that's my personality, you know, as I like, making videos, and I had one video, where it was a voiceover, comedic, like, sketch where I was just telling a story from my childhood. And I posted it before I went to bed, and I woke up the next morning, and I had like, 5 million views. And I was like, Whoa, and you asked about that moment you ask about? What was the moment that you were like, something's changing here. And you gotta believe me, I kid you not. When this video went viral, I remember viral 5 million views, whatever. When it when it blew up. I remember thinking to myself, Okay, if I want to do something with this, I need to do it right now. You know. And I even I even said that to my mom. So you can ask my mom, she'll be like, That's right. She said it. And so I was like, all right. I've seen people like, Liza Koshi. If you know who that is YouTuber, okay. Well, she is a YouTuber from 2016, or whatever. And she started by making silly videos on Vine. And now she's like interviewing celebrities at the Met Gala like and Quinta Brunson, who started making videos online and then moved over to BuzzFeed. And now she's the showrunner and lead actress and lead producer of her own show AB Elementary, you know, it's like, it's possible for people to go from the Internet into big comedy, you know, and so, I literally remember thinking to myself, after this video went viral like two and a half years ago, I can do this, you know, like, let's, let's make it happen. I wasn't stupid, and I didn't like, quit my job that day or something, because that would be dumb. I actually only quit my job two months ago. And I could have quit it a lot earlier. But I like the stability and the income, you know. But I just, I kind of mentally put my head down. And I was like, I'm gonna see what I can do with this, because I think I'm a smart, creative person. If anybody can do it, I feel like I can do it, you know. And so I kept making videos, I kept making experiments, you know, I kind of would try a certain style of video for a while and intersperse them with other videos, see what's working look at my analytics. I have my degree in math, in data analytics, so it's actually right here. For proof, but I really enjoy looking at my analytics and seeing what can be improved and seeing what's successful and stuff like that. And so it just kept doing that kept doing that kept doing that. And now I'm at 3.6 million followers. You know, almost seven, I think I'll hit seven, like, in a couple days. Um, yeah. So that's my origin story. It just, I just did it for my friends. And then it happened. And then I was like, let's try and do some things I can get into the minutiae with you if you wanted, you know, of different series that really blew up. But that's the overarching,
Darius Norell
yeah, I'm more kind of into the qualities and the, you know, because again, listening to you, there's, there's sort of drive and thoughtfulness and I'm reaching for the right word as a kind of a, maybe a determinist. Like, you know, like, Hey, I'm recognizing there's an opportunity here, like, as you say, smart, switched on, Anna. I guess maybe just a sense, like, hey, there's something I can really do here that was already there. And there's like, you know, what, okay, this is, this is a moment to see if there's something that I can really make of this and then yeah, then working hard at it. I don't know if that's the right word, but it feels like you know, applying yourself to okay, that I'm not just gonna do some stuff and you know, hope like I'm gonna apply myself and look at the analytics and be able to read them obviously, with the masters. I've got mastery as well, by the way, so that's a little interesting point of connection.
Liv Pearsall
Definitely. It's definitely hard work. It definitely has not been two years of coasting. It's been three and a half years of, of every, you know, off chance that I get from my actual job like making an or preparing or posting or whatever content, which it helps that I love it, it helps that I think it's really fun, but it's definitely work, you know?
Darius Norell
Has there ever been a time where you look at the analytics and you're like, you tried something you'd like experimenting? Like, I'm not really sure about that. And the analytics is like, giving you like, yeah, you need to do more of these right? People like them, and then you've gone. You know, I don't like them. And it's not like, because what, yeah,
Liv Pearsall
Oh, yeah, oh, 100%, something that I live by, or I preach kind of, is, I think a really successful kind of percentage breakdown of content is going to be 20% what you love the Creator, or I guess what I'll say what I love. 20% is something that I'm really passionate about, then 20%, what the audience is really passionate about. And then the other 60% should fall somewhere in both, you know, because that's the only way it'll be sustainable. So it's like a big Venn diagram, right? Where it's going to be sustainable for me, if I'm making things that I really do love and, and they're totally sketches that I've made, where I'm like, This is hilarious, I love this, this is gonna go viral. And that flops, you know, and it's just because, well, there's, I mean, it's different for everyone. There's no reason, but I personally loved making it. And that's sustainable for me. And then there's also content that I know my audience loves, but maybe it's not my favorite to make. And there's a there's a level of kind of almost servitude in that where I kind of, I want to say, I love my audience so much that I'm gonna continue making this content for them, even though it might not be what I'm as passionate about right now, you know, and so that's also sustainable for them, and also keeps them coming back and keeps bringing people in. But then the other 60% should be something that I love, and they love, you know, like, it seems really obvious, kind of, but that's the way that you won't die out as a creator, and you won't lose your audience, you know? So yes, there's definitely been many things that I've posted, that I really wanted to do well, and just flopped entirely. You know, but, but I don't regret making those videos. If I learned something, and I had fun making it, or I like stretched myself in making it. That's not wasted time, right? Not time lost. You know,
Darius Norell
I'm also interested in the reverse way round, where you made something that really did blow up, where you got a sense of well worth, I do more of these that's gonna get more traction, and that you may be pulled back from like, you know, what, actually, I don't want to I don't want to build a whole thing around that. That's not, you know,
Liv Pearsall
I yeah, I've that's definitely happened to me, not as much as you might think. I think there are a lot of creators that wrestle with that. And I, I just by virtue of the fact that I'm very intentional about the content that I put out, I don't really put out anything that I'm like, I don't like, you know what I mean. But there have been some things that will do unexpectedly, very well. And I'm like, I did not see that coming. And it would be really wise for me to double down on this and really get those followers. But if it doesn't really like stand by my mission, kind of, I guess that's what I'll call it a mission. You know, it's not worth it to me, because I know, I have a secure enough foundation at this point, that I don't need to kind of full like, sell, sell parts of myself that I'm not willing to get off. You know what I mean? Like, it's not I used to fear, I was like, I'm gonna lose my entire platform tomorrow. If I don't post a video today. It's like, no, it's actually not that fickle. You know, which it also is really fickle. But but in this regard, it's not worth it to me to give up something that I that I either believe in or, or a video that I don't really like, you know, but every day is a new decision, every piece contents a new decision of what I'm going to do so.
Darius Norell
So let's talk a little bit about the security side of it, because I'm imagining and this is me totally projecting, but that it could feel quite insecure. Kind of, hey, I'm posting this stuff what it nobody's, you know, tomorrow, no one's watching. And then like, what am I? Yeah, totally. in it. We talked about lots of the upsides. I don't know if that features in some of the downsides or not, but again, how do you how do you relate that.
Liv Pearsall
Yeah, that's definitely, to me the probably the biggest downside, and the biggest reason that I do want to break out of social media, I don't want to be a social media content creator for the rest of my life, you know, namely, just because I need that stability, there's something about going to a nine to five, and like working a salary job, that, you know, you, you go to bed, and you can leave your work at work, and you can go home and be home. And I have been trying to learn how to do that. But it's very different. There's kind of, especially when you're your own boss, you can't really ever put it down. And also just the way that our brains are wired as creators, like, you're always thinking of the next. The next video, the next idea, if you see something on the street that inspires you, you have to write it down in that moment, you know, and so, I'd say a big one for me is I would love to be able to put it down. And I would love to have some security financially, because I don't get a consistent paycheck every pay period. And like, and regardless of what I got done in those two weeks, all you know, oh, are you there? Are you good? Okay, cool. You know, regardless of what I've done in those two weeks, I'm gonna get paid. You know, that's not the way that it is. And so I, I definitely, I would love to break into entertainment, Film and Television and get some more of that security, that stability. Being a content creator is really fun. And maybe there's some people out there, or there definitely are some people out there that would actually prefer that because it's going to drive them it's going to give them that like the fear, you know, it's a really makes that happen. But for me, it's not so much for me, I really like being a content creator, but I'm using it more as a vehicle to take me into bigger comedy.
Darius Norell
So let's imagine and I don't think we have any, any producers listening to the show yet. But let's imagine you've got some networks or producers listening to the show, like what would be the dream for you, like they ring you up? If there's gonna be like hey Liv, look, how about
Liv Pearsall
Oh my gosh, well, my goodness gracious, I would love the dream, the absolute dream, if I could do anything was I would love to be a writer and an actor. On the same show, I think there's something really special about when the cast of a show are also in the writers room. But I recognize that I'm probably not there yet. I need to write more specs, I need to I need to get my name out there more. But the tide is kind of changing. Social media is kind of like a resume. At this point. You know, like my, I'm trying to build my YouTube like a resume. So if anybody's listening, go watch my YouTube sketches. Working on building those right now. But I would love to have my hand in both acting and writing. I'm kind of, I mean, I don't want to call myself like a two trick pony, where I'm like, good at two things. Or I can do both, because maybe I just suck at both. And that's the way that it is. But I want to learn. The only thing that I know for certain is that I want to work in comedy. I personally right now, I'm really passionate about comedy television series, I'm you know, working on my own pilot, and I'm you know, specking different, like shows that I really love, you know, and things like that. So if anybody's listening and they want to receive my specs, email me, you know, but the absolute dream would be to just work in comedy for the rest of my life. You know, and obviously everybody in their mother says this, but I'm such a fan of Saturday Night Live in New York, you know, and they just have a really interesting machine going on over there. And they like I think they're entering an era where they have some really important decisions to make about the future of Saturday Night Live. You know, are they gonna are they gonna die out when, when Kate McKinnon and Pete Davidson and all them are gone? Are they going to die out when Lorne Michaels eventually has to step down? You know and who's the future is Please Don't Destroy the future of Saturday Night Live. Sorry, I'm really passionate about Saturday Night Live. You know, and so another dream of mine would be to either write or just work in the machine in a cog in the system of Saturday Night Live. But yeah, comedy. I just want to make people laugh. Ross my life. And I think I have a gift for writing. And I think, as my friend, Daniel Robert Meyer said to me, if somebody has a gift for writing comedy, it is a crime for them to not use it. And so I want to use it.
Darius Norell
Yeah. You talked about learning. And so I'm curious about what are you seeing as your edges of like, Yes, I really, even if I could get better at this or develop in this area, like that feels like the next step for me, what are you what are you sets is kind of at your edge at the moment.
Liv Pearsall
That's my edge. What puts me over the edge, I think I definitely have a finger on the pulse of pop culture and young people. And I think that's something where I'm not gonna say a lot. But you know, of current comedy writers. If they're not valuing Tik Tok, they're not valuing young people, because that's where young people are residing right now. And so I definitely think that that is a strength that I have. Because I'm a young person, I'm 23. And so I, you know, I am close enough to flush in that generation, I consider myself Gen Z, you know, where I understand those things, but I also am of like, employable age, you know, I'm not in high school. And so I think that's one of my bigger assets, is that I understand youth culture, you know, and maybe that's putting too much respect on my name, like, maybe there's gonna be some 15 year old listening to me being like, No, you don't, you know, but, but I definitely think I understand a little bit more than the seasoned comedy writers that are very smart, and, and quick and witty, but they don't have that edge. And that quick, wittiness, and that comedy writing is what I'm learning. And I feel like if I could partner with a more seasoned veteran in the comedy writing world, I think we could both really benefit from each other. And I would learn, and they would learn and
Darius Norell
to talk more about that. I don't know, I'm feeling like you don't have as developers, you would like what you're hoping to learn what's the business
Liv Pearsall
Just definitely just comedy writing, like, I just need to practice it's a muscle, you don't dive in a pool into a pool, if you've never learned how to swim, you know, without a life jacket, you know, you'll drown. So I don't want to dive into the comedy writing sphere without actually putting out a ton of successful scripts or not even successful scripts, but like completed scripts, you know. And I, I totally want to recognize that I have not done enough work to warrant me like, I'm gonna go be a show runner, I'm gonna go be producer, I'm not there yet. You know, and I need to put in the work. And it wouldn't be fair to all those young writers and young actors that are putting in the work. If this social media girl, just pass them all by you know, and so, I'm trying to put in the work right now, I didn't go to school for film, or television, or writing or anything like that. I went school for math. And so I'm trying to put in the work right now and read books and listen to podcasts, you know, and, you know, watch, you know, videos and go to events and stuff like that, like I'm doing that work right now, just to learn about the industry, about how to write, I'm learning about, you know, story arcs and outlines and comedy theory, comedy, science, what makes something funny, you know, which, incidentally, I think is the most interesting thing in the world. I think it's amazing. And I want to write a book on it someday, you know, but yeah, I You say, What do you have to learn? I have everything to learn. You know, I, I have a whole world of comedy to learn still. And I'm excited to learn it.
Darius Norell
So one thing I want to call out for people listening that you do brilliantly, and I love noticing people's brilliance is using the word Yeah. And using the words still, right. It's a very powerful word. We're not there yet. And it does something very powerful in our brains that like yeah, becomes possible. I'm like, oh, yeah, but you're you're heading that way. Right? It's a very powerful framing and you do that brilliantly. So I just want to
Liv Pearsall
thank you. I didn't even realize I I speak like that, but I do believe that. I do believe I'm gonna get to those places. i i Can I think I personally can recognize my own potential, where I'm like, I am going to make this happen. If I want to make this happen. I can make it up. You know,
Darius Norell
yeah, the interesting thing is you can use the word yet, Whether you believe or not, and I get that you do believe but even if I didn't believe, like I could say, Yeah, I'm not a great comedy writer yet. Right? Maybe I never will be. But it's also true that I'm not one yet. Right? It correct. But yeah, it creates the possibility. So for people that are thinking all media, maybe they don't have, maybe call it confidence, maybe there's confidence that you've got, but that the self belief yet, they can start using yet as a way to open their brain to oh, well, maybe that's possible. Maybe it's not that it's possible.
Liv Pearsall
I love that. I love that. I haven't heard that. So I'm gonna start using that more.
Darius Norell
I think you're using it great already been crazy?
Liv Pearsall
Well, I'm not the President of the United States yet
Darius Norell
There you go. You heard it here first. Wait, so what are you talking about? Maybe the technical side of like, a whole world of comedy very respectful about like, this isn't just hey, tonight would be funny. There's a whole art and story and skill involved in being funny and humor and clearly passionate about that. What about from a personal side? Like, I don't know, are there particular qualities or areas of yourself that you can also see, you know, what, this is something I'm working on as a professional. I don't know about self discipline, or maybe a little bit about letting go of work or kind of what what other things? Can you see that might be? Yeah, I could develop in that area that's going to help me.
Liv Pearsall
Yeah, definitely. Kind of touching on things that I mentioned before. But but that balance, I need to learn how to be a healthy human being that takes care of all aspects of my life. Because clearly, I'm very, you know, driven and focused on my career, and definitely at a fault. I'm too focused on my career. And I need to also prioritize my own physical health, mental health, emotional relationships, you know, relational health, you know, those different areas. And lots of times I will forsake putting in that work, because it'd be like, Oh, I'd rather work on the next piece of content, the next video, you know, and so that's something I personally need to work on. And I need to work on it soon. Because if I don't figure it out, now, I'll burnout. You know, I'll, I will flounder, you know, also just time management being my own boss, and it's not so much. You need to work harder. It's I need to learn when to take a break, and have the night off, and go home to my family. And I don't have like family, but out here. I mean, you know, but the idea of going home from work and leaving it at the door, you know, I need to get better at that. I do in some regards need to get better at maintaining deadlines. I'm currently trying to put out a long form YouTube video every Wednesday. And that is daunting. Because I put a lot of work into my YouTube videos, and I don't think I can do one every single week. But I, I need to stick to it. Because I said I would do it. So. So yeah, those are all areas that I can easily improve in and I think will definitely affect my longevity, right, you know, again, not time lost, not time wasted for me to prioritize myself, you know.
Darius Norell
So I'd love to share a phrase, which is kind of a question that's coming up in my mind for you, which is, when you were talking about maybe the intensity or the kind of, you know, I'm putting putting all this energy and attention on work. As the words that came were how much is enough?
Liv Pearsall
I don't know. I don't know. I think my the selfish side of my life, wants to say, when I finally make it, then it'll be enough. But you just know that enough is never enough. Once you make it to that place that you're dreaming of, there's always something new that you're dreaming of paths that you know, that's why we're never satisfied as human beings we need to learn to be content to where we are, you know. And so I find my personal comfort in what is enough what like when will be enough in my faith, you know, and that that brings me a lot of contentment in like, when is it going to be enough? Well, it's never going to be enough. So I need to, you know, focus on what really matters. You know, which is, you know, that groundedness that mindfulness, you know, and my beliefs and stuff like that, but that's definitely something that I need to grow in. Because my, my natural bent is to always keep striving be like, once I get there, I'll be good. You know, like, then I'll be happy, then I'll then I'll stop grinding, you know, which is not true.
Darius Norell
You know, I'm just thinking, I think that when I first started my business, which was 2020 plus years ago now, and I was fully committed, like, I would just do whatever it took, like, that was my, I was like, Oh, that I can draw on that power. Like, I know, I've got a lot of perseverance and drive, and I'll just do whatever it takes. And I'll keep going over to the next person and try and try and build a business that way. And it was quite successful as a strategy other than I got exhausted, right, like, it took five years, but then, after five years, it's like, I don't know, you know, something I loved. I just didn't want to do any more, because I just given so much to it. And almost kind of fell out of love with something that I love, but then couldn't let go of it. Because I was I put all this effort into it and kind of so that that balance that you talked about, not only for your personal well being, but it's even just from a professional perspective of how do I keep in a good relationship with my work? It kind of goes like, you know, it's okay to say, I hear you saying the words like they, and there's part of me is like, he really listening to what you're saying at the same time, right? And I'm not, there's no creditors advice. This is hard to get when when, you know, you're the prime of going up. And like, if I can do more, if I could, you know, this kind of temptation of it just a little bit more, that's gonna make the difference. And at the same time, if I keep doing that, I'm not gonna have a life left.
Liv Pearsall
Totally, totally. I wholeheartedly agree.
Darius Norell
And it's not, you know, that's not to say it's easy, either. I can say the words doesn't mean like, I slipped back into that a few years ago of suddenly finding myself like, I'm working crazily. Like, it's not I don't have the work, but it's like, this isn't sustainable for me.
Liv Pearsall
Yeah, yeah. That's that's important to me is I want it to be sustainable. I want it to have longevity. And if I'm not making those decisions, those wise decisions right now, it won't be.
Darius Norell
So can I put you on the spot? Okay, so what's one thing that you could change that would help you? Have it be more sustainable? Like, what can you What can you see online support you?
Liv Pearsall
I think I think if I committed in this, this might seem a bit silly, but I think it's real, is for my own physical health, if I think there's something really powerful about working out and it helps your like, mental well being as well, I think if I got into a really regimented regimen, regimen, like, workout routine, I think, you know, while you're working out, you physically can't work on work, you know, and so I think that would also be helpful for my own mental health. So I think that that would be if I got into kind of a routine that would be helpful for my physical well being, but then also cause me to take pause and actually, like, just take a break for a second plus endorphins, you know, getting the body moving. It's really good. I think routine is very good for me. So if I kind of got a consistent cycle of Oh, every every other day at you know, before I start my work or after something like that, you know, I think that would be a good stuff.
Darius Norell
Great. So it doesn't sound sounds brilliant as a kind of, hey, this is this is what I wouldn't know would work for me but it seems to me to take a step back and decompress. And yeah, all the benefits that we know of doing that. And so with my coaching hat on like when when would you do it like so you said every other day? Like what when would you do it?
Liv Pearsall
Every other day? Me mid morning, we like yeah, like 10am 11am Is
Darius Norell
there a particular exercise type that you like that you are kind of a heroine go to the gym or go for a run or swim or like what's
Liv Pearsall
Yeah, probably the gym. But they also have great treadmills in my apartment complexes gym. So I would probably go and like I find that like walking three miles is better for me. running one, you know, Columbus, you know? But yeah, I go to the gym. And I've been trying to do that more anyway, you know, so it'd be an easy
Darius Norell
transition. So anything that we haven't covered in this conversation that you think could be interesting or like, oh, how can we haven't asked me about this? Or you want to ask me also?
Liv Pearsall
I mean, I think I mean, I've, I've already covered like, kind of the big, you know, what I want to do in my future, what I've done in my past, what I'm thankful for, like, you really, you hit the nail on the head with a lot of those big ideas, and I really appreciate that. But so thank you. Yeah, I think you've covered kind of everything that I was looking to share, you know, and, and anything else that people are wondering about me, like, probably find it online? Absolutely. Yeah. I love it. Thank you.
Darius Norell
My pleasure. So how have you found the conversation?
Liv Pearsall
It's been fun. I love talking about me, you know, and I'm a narcissist, no, I enjoy talking about, you know, what I'm passionate about, as does everybody you know, and what I believe in, and it's, it's very, it's a good grounding, kind of a reminder. It's a good reminder of why I do, what I do, and how blessed I am, that I get to do it. You know? So, yeah, the conversations been lovely,
Darius Norell
and anything, and not that we've kind of covered any kind of dramatic ground, but anything maybe that struck you from it of like, listening to myself talk about that, that's kind of very refreshing.
Liv Pearsall
I really, like, I really liked what you had to say about the word yet. You know, and still and, and the things that I'm learning and, and it definitely encouraged me personally of Oh, wow, I didn't realize I I do believe I'm going to get there, you know, and if I put in the work I, I wholeheartedly, you know, believe in my bones that I can do this, you know, so that was very encouraging to me to hear
Darius Norell
wonderful. looks so happy to have had this time with you. And yeah, every good wish for your continued work and success. And watch this space, I guess, as your work continues. And yeah, I'm really touched by just the dedication that's behind the scenes as it were in really, in really building a real career out of it. So thank you so much.
Liv Pearsall
Thank you so much that that means a lot. Thank you. I'm excited to hear I'm excited to give it a little less. And I know I just said all of the things that I'll hear but I'll definitely go find you guys. And listen,
Darius Norell
thank you so much. Wonderful. Yeah.
Outro
Darius Norell
So reflecting on my conversation with Liv. I've come away being really inspired by I think the commitment to the work ethic. commitments are learning and growing. The use of the word yet that mindset around, we're not there yet so powerful. And it sounds like it made like wasn't even like a deliberate practice for her. That was something that that's come into her language, through her self belief. And I can't wait that three believing her like she's, you know, it's one of those qualities that I think she exudes. And you can see in people, when they're really into something really committed to it, prepared to do what it takes and being open to learning not thinking they deserve anything right now. It's a really powerful combination. And I think that comes across from live. And I'm also struck by the degree of the success that she's had, and several million followers. And for her, that's a signal not to kick back and go, Hey, this is great. I made it it's a and you can hear like lots of good things happening in her life. But that's the kind of signal to her, hey, I can commit to this full time give up my job and really invest in myself to get to the next stage the next stage next stage. So I think I think there's a lot to take away in terms of in terms of that as a as a signal like what do we pay attention to and also the question about what's enough? How do we find the right balance, knowing, as you said, like there's never enough. And so that's just how our minds are wired. And so given given that, how do we find the right balance? And so you know what I've done enough for today, or I'm enough for today and have that no routines now before we get even more overwhelmed, busier. That's my own reflection as life tends to get more complicated, not less. So as we make these choices now, it becomes harder and harder to do. So as always, hope you've enjoyed listening to this episode. I'd love to hear your comments questions. See you on the next one.
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