In this episode, I speak with Karissa Clampit we explore how many people freeze when they approach AI because they feel like they have to “be good at it.” They want perfect outputs immediately. They treat AI like an exam instead of a sandbox.

Karissa shares how removing the performance mindset changes everything. Clicking around. Testing. Following strange ideas. Letting outputs surprise you. One of the deeper tensions in this episode:

The pressure to be productive with AI may actually be slowing people down. If curiosity becomes performance, experimentation dies.

Key Themes We Explore

• Why curiosity feels intellectual but is actually playful
• How performance anxiety blocks creative exploration
• The difference between learning through pressure vs learning through play
• How AI becomes more accessible when ego steps aside

Key Takeaways

• Curiosity is a mode of engagement, not a credential
• Confidence grows from interaction, not theory
• The people who move fastest with AI aren’t always the most technical, they’re the most willing to explore

In a culture obsessed with productivity metrics, curiosity as play feels almost irresponsible. But in practice, it accelerates learning.

In this episode of Judeslist, I speak with Sabina Podjed about something deceptively simple but deeply psychological: When you create with AI, are you an artist?

Sabina didn’t come from an art background. She studied sociology. Worked in marketing, journalism, sales. In 2023, she “accidentally” entered AI while exploring business opportunities and discovered something unexpected: AI unlocked a form of expression she had always wanted but never claimed.

Sabina speaks candidly about the tension she wrestles with:

• “Am I an AI artist… or just someone using AI like a slot machine?”
• Is art something you declare or something others validate?
• Do you need theory and formal training to claim authorship?
• If you’ve jumped between careers your whole life, can you truly call yourself anything?

Her doubt isn’t about skill. It’s about legitimacy.

We Examine:

• Why “artist” feels like a title reserved for the professionally trained
• The subtle discomfort of claiming identity without credentials
• How comparison to traditional artists distorts self-perception
• The difference between generating images and expressing something
• The role of taste in an era of infinite output
• Why experimentation not mastery was her entry point

Key Takeaways

• “Artist” may not be a credential, it may be a commitment
• Experimentation can precede confidence
• Withholding identity often comes from comparison
• Taste becomes the differentiator in an AI-saturated world
• Creative expression doesn’t require permission

In this episode of Judeslist, I speak with Wilfred Lee about something deceptively simple but deeply psychological: Why is it so hard to call yourself an artist?

Wilfred shares the internal conflict he’s wrestled with actively creating, exploring ideas, building work yet hesitating to publicly claim the identity of “artist.”

Wilfred speaks candidly about the subtle fear of sounding arrogant, the discomfort of claiming something that feels “earned” rather than inhabited, and how comparison quietly distorts creative self-perception.

We examine:

• Why “artist” often feels like a title reserved for the exceptional
• The tension between humility and ownership
• How public declaration changes private practice
• The cultural narratives that make creative identity feel risky
• The internal cost of withholding authorship

One of the deeper threads in this episode is this:

When you refuse to name yourself, you delay your growth. Calling yourself an artist isn’t a reward for mastery. It’s a commitment to the path.

Key Takeaways

• “Artist” is not a hierarchy it’s a commitment to creation
• Cultural narratives can suppress creative self-definition
• Publicly claiming identity can accelerate creative growth
• Withholding authorship often comes from fear of judgment
• You don’t wait to become an artist you become one by deciding