Designing the optimized version of you starts right here.
Hi, my name is Zack Arnold. I’m an award-winning Hollywood film & television editor (Cobra Kai, Burn Notice, Empire, Shooter, Glee), member of the American Cinema Editors, a documentary director (GO FAR: The Christopher Rush Story, narrated by Mark Hamill), an American Ninja Warrior, and creator of the Optimize Yourself program and podcast.
I help ambitious creative professionals and entrepreneurs DO better and BE better.
"Doing" better means learning how to more effectively manage your time, your energy, and your creativity so you can produce higher quality work in less time (and ultimately become a productivity ninja).
"Being" better means doing all of the above while still prioritizing the most important people, things, and passions in your life...all without sacrificing your health (or sanity) in the process.
Optimizing yourself is about understanding your own limitations, recognizing (and accepting) your own disabilities, and then becoming the strongest and most authentic version of your existing self...not trying to become someone you’re not.
I detest the word “expert," and I am not a guru. I am also not a “biohacker," and I have no intention of showing you how to “become superhuman.”
I’m just a guy who has spent the last twenty years chained to a computer (in the dark), and because of the stressful and sedentary nature of my career, I have battled burnout, attention issues, and depression more times than I can keep track of.
To be clear: If you're looking for all the answers, you're on the wrong site.
I am on the same journey as you, I just happen to be obsessed with learning everything I can about optimizing creative & athletic performance. My job is to shorten your learning curve by sharing my best discoveries with you.
Sound Like You? Then You're In the Right Place.
What you do is who you are
You work a creative job not because it pays the bills but because your creativity defines you. Yet the demands you put on yourself (not to mention your boss' expectations) constantly burn you out, and you’re afraid if you don’t figure this out, you may end up walking away from doing something amazing you once loved every single day.
You're sick and tired of constantly being sick and tired
You've had enough of your job dominating your life and driving your health into the ground. You're ready to make a change, but you just don't know where to begin. No matter the goal you want to achieve you find it difficult to get started because you have no idea which path to follow. But you know that enough is enough.
You’re ready to take action and put in the work
You understand life transformation doesn’t happen overnight. You realize it took years to develop the habits that have led you to where you are, and you know it will take patience to make positive changes in your life that truly last. When it comes to your health and making progress in your career, you are ready to play the "long game." It's time to stop playing checkers and start playing chess.
"I've done creative work for close to 10 years and I can't tell you how much I've dealt with the topics you cover - mental burnout, physical fatigue, trouble coming up with strategies to advance my career. It's really amazing to have someone with a filmmaking POV offer a unique perspective and solutions to these problems. "Daniel M.
"Your podcast is a Godsend in that I too was suffering from some pretty bad burnout/depression a little over a year ago. I do love this work and I completely believe that it does not need to be like it is. I decided that the thing I could change was myself and I began working on doing the things I need to be healthy, happy and successful in this industry."Scotty D.
"I was working 90 hour weeks which led to insomnia, an onset of severe depression, and a cycle of lying in bed only to stare at the ceiling in adrenaline-fueled exhaustion. There aren't enough letters in the phrase "thank you" to accurately express how grateful I am for the community you started and the work you put into this program."Benjamin B.
"Your podcast is incredibly informative, insightful, and engaging. I want to compliment you on your wide array of guests and how many of them feature women. It's encouraging to know there are amazing women out there who made it or are working to make it. Thank you for making the impossible feel like it exists in the same reality as I do."Abbey G.
Optimize the Most Powerful Operating System You Have...Yourself
I've been told to charge for these e-books, but I created them for you 100% FREE because I would've given anything to have this information when I began my own journey to become a healthier, happier, and more productive creative professional.
Learn the most important steps to advance in your creative career (Even though it doesn't look like it...there is a path to follow).
Productivity isn't about becoming more efficient, it's about being EFFECTIVE. Let me show you how to work smarter, not harder.
Tired of sitting all day? Want to be more active without needing extra time to exercise? Here’s how.