What do Kobe Bryant, Jerry Seinfeld, Michael Phelps, and the digital artist Beeple have in common? They all made sacrifices to do something special.

Gathering likeminded learners (aka lunatics) exponentially reduces the ramp of a new pursuit, normalizing courage in the face of intimidation. YouTube sensation Mr. Beast breaks it down here.

Deep in the throes of SXSW FOMO, I found myself heartened to keep up my daily blogging practice by an unlikely hero: Mike Winkelmann, aka the digital artist Beeple, who’s been making daily sacrifices for his art for over a decade. Spoiler: it paid off.