Your potential is limitless.

Yesterday, I performed at my headline gig at The Heath Bookshop,

and I managed to craft and deliver a successful set,

much longer than any set I'd done prior,

yet it felt natural.

I realised that our capabilities supersede

what we originally thought possible.

If I never had this headline opportunity,

I don't know if I'd have put on an hour-long show

of my own volition...

at least not any time soon.

The lesson here is layered.

When the opportunity arises to do something out of your comfort zone,

yet also within your field of expertise or with the offer of clear benefits,

take it with both hands.

This is something I mention often in The Writer's Psyche

because I've seen its benefts personally.

The fact that the opportunity has come your way,

is enough to consider it

as an option.

Maybe it was fate.

The best thing about taking these risks is the potential for enormous upsides,

such as different people seeing your work and wanting your services,

or the escalation of that opportunity into other bigger opportunities.

And even if they may not materialise as expected, you'd still have done something new...

by taking on the challenge to begin with.

That's why I placed that quote at the top of this email.

Separate the art from the artist for just a moment,

and let's dissect the lyric by Kanye West.

The song itself is called 'Still Dreaming' by Nas

from his 2006 album 'Hip Hop Is Dead',

and the track discusses aiming for the stratosphere,

which West on his feature verse likens to ambition,

whether realised or not,

still proving you have the will necessary for success,

and that being a platform for you to build upon.

So never feel deflated by such losses,

because failures are cushioned by your drive

to have tried in the first place.

The best response is to try again,

until you reach the stars.

Creative Update

This past week has been focused on my headline set,

but I've also been working on editing my short stories

for In Da Crime Life anthology.

Once this stage is complete,

we'll be ever closer to getting the book out there.

I know it's been a long hiatus since In Da Crime Life

was last mentioned here,

but I hope to get the ball rolling again.

Upcoming Opportunties

One-to-One Private Creative Coaching Services

I'm offering one-to-one creative coaching for those who wish to reconnect with or work on their art.

If you need any form of creative support, be it for a specific project, learning artistic craft, or building a creative mindset and practice, reply to this email and we can discuss further.

This offer is exclusive to my mailing list (yes, you!) for now. Spaces limited.

Oxford University Full Scholarships For Underrepresented Communities

Academic Futures is a scholarship programme that aims to increase academic excellence by widening opportunities for exceptional students from socio-economically disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds.

Up to 100 full Academic Futures scholarships are available for students starting in 2027/28 across various eligibility routes, with the awards made possible through the generous support of the University and many partners, including colleges, departments, divisions and external donors.

I wish you a wonderful rest of the week.

Stay well,

and stay creative,

Bilal Psyche Akram