Ian Watkins

One of the key things that sets prolific creators apart from the rest of us is their ability to fully embrace who they are with acceptance and joy.

I wasted a full-ride scholarship, got rejected from a creative writing program, and lost my first novel — here's how I found my way back to writing.

An exploration of the Freewrite Smart Typewriter as a distraction-free writing device

An exploration and review of the BYOK (bring your own keyboard) distraction-free writing device.

Longform writing in a world of distractions is not easy, but devices like the AlphaSmart Neo can help us reach that goal.

Learning Python in 30 Days by going through a refresher course.

Learning Python in 30 Days by going through a refresher course.

Part two in a ten-part series on getting real personal ROI from AI.

The first in a ten-part series on getting real personal ROI from AI — instead of treating it like a fancier Google search.

A classic programming problem, often used in software development interviews.

A breakdown of the best platforms to learn coding in 2026 — what they teach, who they're for, and how to pick the right one for your career goals.

Learning Python in 30 Days by going through a refresher course.

GitHub has been riddled with issues recently and I've finally had enough.

Vibe coding with no understanding of what is being built leads to problems, but properly guiding your coding agent through the development process delivers useable codebases.

Google had a big week at I/O 2026 — a new personal AI agent, a faster cheaper model, and a world model.

What AI engineers actually do, how they differ from software engineers, and why vibe coding won't get you hired.

Learning Python in 30 Days by going through a refresher course.

Christian meditation isn't emptying your mind.

Learning Python in 30 Days by going through a refresher course.

Learning Python in 30 Days by going through a refresher course.

Learning Python in 30 Days by going through a refresher course.

Learning Python in 30 Days by going through a refresher course.

Learning Python in 30 Days by going through a refresher course.

How to push through blank page anxiety and write anyway — on the creative struggle and why showing up matters.

Learning Python in 30 Days by going through a refresher course.

Why approaching difficult emotions with curiosity rather than avoidance leads to healthier processing and greater self-awareness.

Learning Python in 30 Days by going through a refresher course.

Learning Python in 30 Days by going through a refresher course.

Why intentionally choosing difficulty is how you grow, stand out, and prevent your mind from going soft in an age of shortcuts.

Learning Python in 30 Days by going through a refresher course.

On leaning into discomfort rather than fleeing it — and how sitting with struggle is the path to growth.

A short meditation on the hard days when writing doesn't come easy — and why showing up with even a few words still counts.

On recognizing the creative personality type within you and answering the call to make things, even when it's inconvenient or hard.

On creating from the overflow of your heart — why passion-driven creativity produces your best and most authentic work.

On why truth-telling about ourselves is painful before it's liberating — the first honest steps on the road to healing.

On why the truth about ourselves is painful before it's freeing — and how honest self-examination is the first step toward healing from trauma.

A reflection on how much of our daily stress is self-created — and practical thoughts on breaking the anxious thought cycles we build for ourselves.

A brief explainer on dynamic languages like Python — how variables can change type and value, and why you should usually avoid changing the type.

My first experience using Claude Code

An article outlining three benefits of self-education and practical advice on starting your own self-education journey

A blog post describing the process I employ to set up a new Field Notes pocket notebook for use.

On how trying to control what's outside our control creates unnecessary pain, and why letting go is the path to peace.

Why AI is unlikely to steal your job — and what that fear reveals about the value you actually bring to your work.

A blog post about how I lost 120 pounds in a year through diet and exercise and mindset shifting

A short exploration of achieving happiness through being present and forgetting the past.

A personal reflection on the importance of mental health, shedding masculine armor, and the ongoing journey toward healing and self-acceptance.

A blog post about why I love using Field Notes branded pocket notebooks for my everyday carry setup and a brief description of how I use them.

A short essay on the boring path to success in sales, but the path that works.

Life is unfair and difficult with many variables out of our control.

Agentic AI is a term that gets thrown around a lot - but what is an AI Agent?