We were lucky to catch up with Jake Fraczek recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jake, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
It took a while for me to fully develop it. I grew up with very masculine, tough, old school type men in my family, from my father, to grandfathers, and uncles. Even with the women in my family, there was always lots of ball-busting, shit talking, teasing. It certainly grows your skin thick as everyone is dishing it, although not always taking it so good. And even though my father was like that, he was gone a lot, working, or whatever, when I was very young and my parents were still married, so I didn’t have him around all the time to help instill that confidence in me my showing me how to stand up to things or fight. My quick tongue would get me in trouble with bullies I couldn’t fight back against at the time. But my grandparents were both artists, and I took to painting and drawing early, and it grew to be not only an outlet of for expression and an escape, but I was excelling at it, and the recognition made me aware of my talent, with confidence building. Maybe from my difficulties with authority and being told what to do at the time, coupled with what has always felt like an innate resistance to the status quo and all the dead fish swimming with the stream, I faded out from playing baseball and basketball, becoming obsessed with skateboarding. It became the main thing in my life for almost a decade. Skateboarding provided me the form of confidence I needed. There’s no coach showing you what to do. You don’t have teammates. The city doesn’t sponsor leagues. In fact, it was the quite the opposite then. Running from cops and security guards, fighting with harassing jocks, dealing with wild people on the street, all while picking yourself up after hurling your body down flights of stairs, smacking concrete in the pursuit of new tricks. That foundation would support any confidence I had to do anything later in life.
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 am a writer, author of the books The Waiting Room, and Quicksand, and I host Damaged Goods Podcast. I also write movie reviews, and some freelance. But, when it comes to my books, what readers get are true stories, dark-comedic in style. You might laugh at me, you might laugh with me, you might even feel sentimental, but what you certainly get is raw honesty wrapped in poetic perspective and unique humor. On my Damaged Goods Podcast, you get the same, only stemming from conversations with other artists.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Being true to your artistry, and not wavering from your real intentions, not bending with the trends or imagined standards of the industries around your art. People can feel that. They naturally gravitate towards it. They can also sense disingenuous choices. Use what you have to your advantage, it helps separate you from the pack. Nobody can tell your story, and on the other hand, don’t go trying to tell someone else’s as your own. It ain’t what you do, as much as it is how you do it. Style and ethos are essential to any artist. We all have inspirations. Be careful to not let your inspirations inhabit what should be your own voice and approach.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
One thing I am very grateful my parents did for me, and what shaped my outlook and method for everything was to think for myself, not follow trends or crowds, to be who I wanted to be. It gave me my style, my voice. They showed me how to question the answers, and not let the greater society dictate the way I live my life. This all seeps out in my writing, or any art I do.
Contact Info:
- Website: linktr.ee/jakefraczek
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakefraczek/
- Twitter: twitter.com/jthes
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@damagedgoodspodcast5357
- Other: damagedgoodspodcast.com
Image Credits
Photos by Adam Amengual. Poster designed by Brendan Donnelly.
