AI-Driven Creativity; Matt Panousis

Mindfulness Mode

Matt Panousis is a master at AI-driven creativity. He is the Chief Operating Officer at Monsters Aliens Robots Zombies (MARZ), an innovative AI technology startup and VFX studio dedicated to revolutionizing Hollywood's visual effects industry. With a robust background as a lawyer and entrepreneur, Matt has a proven track record in co-founding and scaling successful B2B technology startups.
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• Website: marzvfx.com

Most Influential Person

• My Dad and Grandfather

Effect On Emotions

• The emotions are primarily driven by the meanings and consequences that you apply to the event. A concrete example is when you drive by somebody who cuts you off, but then you pass their car, and you realize that there are three kids screaming in the back. Are you mad anymore, or do you feel bad for the guy? It's not the guy cutting you off that pissed you off, it's the Guy cutting you off plus the concept that he cut you off intentionally, and he did it to screw you over.
• That causes a feeling of anger. Whereas when you see a guy struggling on his own with three kids in the back, that's terrifying for anybody. Then you have a totally different emotion.
• Mindfulness creates that space between you and your thoughts. You can at least try to gauge whether the thoughts I'm applying to this are realistic. If I don't know, I should at least withhold an opinion.

Thoughts On Breathing

• I don't do as many of the techniques formally. I guess you do it by virtue of a cold plunge, in which case you have to breathe. We don't breathe deeply the way that we probably used to.
• If you practice the Wim Hof breathing techniques, you know about holding your breath. By round three, you're holding your breath for three minutes, and your cells are oxygenated. It certainly feels good and definitely makes you feel energized.

Bullying Story

• Like most things in life, the feeling associated with an event is actually not the event itself. It's the meanings and consequences that you place on the event. So, all your thought processes and practicing meditation and mindfulness allow you to see or at least create a space between you and your thoughts.
• So many times the thoughts that you are applying to that situation are biased.
• Obviously, anything with bullying sucks, and it's awful. I think people probably make it worse on themselves because they feel as though it's the event that's causing the feeling.
• There is a thought in between, and practicing mindfulness allows you to see that thought and, maybe, not change it, but at least examine whether or not it's realistic.

Suggested Resources

• Book: n/a
• App: Calm

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