Meet JZ Murdock

We recently connected with JZ Murdock and have shared our conversation below.

JZ, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

I’ve found that my resilience is partly something I inherited at birth—I was naturally stubborn and fascinated by reality to the point where my mother said I never wanted to go to sleep. However, it’s also something I built piece by piece through a lifetime of diverse challenges and experiences. I got my start at an early age in unexpected places, like when, at the age of three, I was shining shoes in a local cantina near the beach in Roda, Spain. That was a playful joke my mother set up back in 1959 during Franco’s fascist Spain—a brief, on-screen “job” that taught me even the smallest task holds lessons in hard work and resourcefulness. That paid off in years of enjoyment whenever we watched old home movies.

In school and life, I constantly encountered new challenges—from studying guitar in second grade, taking acrobatic and tap dancing lessons in fourth grade, and beginning martial arts training in fifth grade (eventually competing in international tournaments), to leading a flight of cadets during my time in Civil Air Patrol and later serving as a parachute rigger—or shop sergeant/supervisor—in the USAF, where I also applied my skills to help maintain secret-level nuclear weapons systems on our B52 bombers. Each experience had its own set of challenges—like learning to safely land a light airplane at thirteen or mastering the complex skills of parachute rigging or SCUBA or sky diving—which taught me that resilience means embracing risk and learning from every stumble. Where in some cases, stumbling is dangerous, to always act boldly, but with all due caution and awareness.

Martial arts, too, have greatly shaped my inner fortitude. Training in styles like Isshinryu Karate, then eventually evolving into Aikido in college, taught me that resilience is as much a mental state as it is physical strength. In martial arts, you learn to be present, to adapt, and to let each fall serve as a lesson on how to rise again with greater precision and calm. It’s a philosophy that has guided me throughout my life, whether I was facing technical challenges in secure IT health information systems or adapting to sudden changes in my professional environment.

Moreover, my commitment to lifelong learning—whether diving into Evelyn Wood Reading Dynamics during my one year at Catholic school in eighth grade, exploring digital technologies since the birth and rise of the internet, or pursuing creative writing and storytelling—has consistently reminded me that every new skill and discipline is an opportunity to reinvent oneself in the face of adversity. Resilience, for me, is a mosaic of these moments—a blend of early lessons in perseverance, high-stakes military and technical responsibilities, and the personal fulfillment of creative exploration.

Ultimately, I draw my resilience from the belief that every setback is an opportunity to learn and every challenge a chance to grow. It’s not about never falling; it’s about rising each time with new insight and even greater determination. Occasional failures mean you’re trying hard enough, and each one is an opportunity to reinvent your approach and become ever more effective.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I wear many hats, but at my core, I’m a storyteller who finds inspiration in every corner of life. My creative journey is deeply rooted in a lifetime of varied experiences—from my childhood and work to my orientation in Aikido, Buddhism, and a degree in Psychology with a concentration in phenomenology. Every chapter of my life has contributed a unique thread to the narrative I share today.

Currently, I channel my experiences into writing and filmmaking, melding reality with imagination to capture both the extraordinary and the everyday. What excites me most is the ability to transform personal history into art that inspires, provokes thought, and connects with audiences on a human level. Whether I’m scripting a film, writing speculative fiction with a touch of horror and science, or developing a new documentary that revisits my past and my interests, while looking to the future, my work is a sincere exploration of resilience, transformation, and the power of storytelling.

My brand is about embracing life’s rich tapestry—the triumphs, missteps, and moments of discovery—all woven into narratives that challenge and celebrate our shared journey. I’m excited about a new short documentary I’m researching that blends family history with creative narrative, offering an honest glimpse into the surprises of life and a call to continually explore and reinvent oneself. I base my fiction in reality, even in the most fantastical stories, always considering our collective human experience and the journey through life, thought, and relationships.

In essence, I strive to create art that is as honest as it is imaginative, inviting others to see the beauty in every moment and to find their own courage and inspiration along the way.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back on my journey, I believe that three qualities have been especially impactful: resilience, a commitment to lifelong learning, and the ability to balance creativity with discipline.

Resilience: Throughout my life—from playfully shining shoes at a local cantina in my early years to taking on high-stakes challenges in the Air Force, mastering martial arts, and refining the art of storytelling—I’ve learned that setbacks aren’t the end, but opportunities to learn and grow. My experiences have taught me that every stumble is a chance to build strength, adapt, and ultimately move forward with greater determination. For those just starting out, I’d advise embracing failures as necessary detours on the road to success. Each challenge is a lesson that prepares you for the next step. Make a mistake, but strive to never repeat it.

Lifelong Learning: Curiosity has been the fuel for my journey. Whether I was delving into the philosophies of Buddhism and phenomenology, learning intricate martial arts techniques, understanding the mechanics of writing, or exploring digital technologies and filmmaking, my passion for learning has continually opened new vistas. I still remember my first college writing professor, who neutralized my fears of rigid grammar rules by saying, “Just write. You have to write. Besides, we have editors for a reason. We learn the rules so we know how to creatively break them.” My advice to newcomers is to never stop bravely asking questions. Trust but verify. Question authority, but know when to stop. Explore diverse fields and let your curiosity lead you—sometimes the most unexpected knowledge will dramatically change the way you see the world.

Balancing Creativity with Discipline: My craft as a storyteller, writer, and filmmaker is the product of both free, imaginative exploration and the steady, disciplined refinement of that vision. Creativity gives soul to our work, but discipline transforms it into something lasting and impactful. For those early in their journey, nurture your creative impulses and pair them with a commitment to practice and growth. Set aside regular time for reflection, practice, and revision; it’s this balance that turns raw ideas into art that resonates. Write an entire piece, then refine it—writing becomes editing. The same applies to filmmaking. In the end, a writer (or filmmaker) is defined by their persistence. Don’t worry about having “finished”—just make it a habit to write every day.

In essence, resilience helps you rise after each fall, lifelong learning keeps you evolving, and disciplined creativity ensures that all those wonderful experiences and insights are effectively channeled into your work. These three principles have been the cornerstone of my journey, and I encourage anyone just starting out to embrace them wholeheartedly.

If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?

If I only had a decade left, I’d commit every day to embracing the essence of who I am—a storyteller fueled by passion, curiosity, and a deep love for life’s unfolding narratives. I would capture every challenging and beautiful moment through writing and filmmaking, exploring new lands, diving into forgotten cultures, and building meaningful connections along the way.

While I’m currently single—though I wouldn’t exactly call it my first choice—the freedom this status provides has allowed me to follow my creative instincts without reservation. I would use that freedom to travel extensively if possible, to take risks, and to immerse myself fully in every experience, always with an eye toward gathering stories worth sharing.

At the same time, I’d look for time to mentor emerging voices and nurture creative collaborations in my travels, ensuring that even in the face of our eventual impermanence, our collective stories continue to inspire and resonate. Every day would be a mission to blend art with life—to transform fleeting moments into narratives that outlive us, and that carry forward a message of resilience, exploration, and the power of storytelling. Our creative works live on long after we’re gone, and so do they through the individuals we mentor, as they carry forward those lessons in their own creations.

More than anything, I’d cherish the opportunity to share this journey with my two adult children, both of whom are quite creative. While they each lead their own lives, I’d love for us to travel together and collaborate on creative projects that yield something lasting—a tangible legacy woven from art, memory, and shared experiences. It would be a chance to pass on the wisdom I’ve gathered over the years, to bridge my world with theirs, and to reinforce the bonds that make our family unique.

It would all make for a good end to a life well and hard lived.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Davy Mack Hazelwood
Kelly Hughes
Aura Stiers
Stan Wankowski

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