We were lucky to catch up with Jeffrey Ashkin recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jeffrey, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
I remember when I discovered my purpose to be a writer. It was a hot September morning. I found myself sitting at my desk in Algebra I class staring at an F on my test. At that point in my life, I did not know what I wanted to do, I just knew I hated failing at anything.
I don’t know why that motivated me. I’m not sure where the desire to be a writer came from in my head. It may have been the desire to be heard, understood, and loved that I always craved. I loved hearing how someone connected to a book they read. It was like they made new friends in a story told by a stranger. That connection fascinated me. Perhaps, I too, could make that kind of alchemy.
I realized my purpose may not be with adding or subtracting numbers but to be a vessel to tell stories. I started at age fourteen and never stopped since. I knew it was my purpose because I’m always thinking about stories. I’m always writing, even if just in my own head. Writing turned me toward my other love: movies. That combination is where my lifelong desires live.
I’m happy to say the films I’ve written have played at festivals worldwide. I’ve done audience Q&As and found connections with strangers with my stories. It is a very heartwarming and humbling experience. I found my purpose and continue to find it wherever I go. I am forever grateful for that F on that math test from so long ago.
Oh, and by the way, I also studied hard and passed Algebra I too.
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’m a screenwriter & filmmaker based in Los Angeles. My films are available on my youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/jeffreyashkin. In addition to this, I’m a high school special education teacher. I teach a variety of subjects and also strive to help my students find their own passion.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The best advice I can give about your own journey is to know the answer to the following questions: does this pursuit make you happy? Does it make you happy? Seriously, does it make you, really, really, happy? Are you sure? Are you doing this just for money? Are you doing this because someone else pressured you to do it? Does anything else in the world make you happier? Are you good at it? Do you want to be the best at it?
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did was say to me that I could do anything. They told me I was smart and gave me the confidence to pursue what I wanted to do in life.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @jeffreyashkin
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeffrey.ashkin/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeffreyAshkin
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/jeffreyashkin
Image Credits
Sage Kirkpatrick, Wesley Gunn, Noel A. Nuñez
