Sometimes the best stories about permission-less living come from the most unexpected places...

I'm writing this from Bali, where we've set up what I like to call our "creative laboratory" 🧪

The mission here is simple: rapid-test film ideas without all the usual barriers. Strip away the overthinking, the committees, the "we need more meetings about the meeting" mentality, and just... create.

But here's the thing about rapid testing - you need the right collaborator. Someone who gets it. Someone who can move fast, think creatively, and isn't going to bog you down with "but what if..." scenarios.

So I posted on Twine (a job platform for video editors) looking for someone local who could work with us on experimental documentary projects.

Over 100 people applied.

And honestly? I was buried. Overwhelmed. Those applications sat in a folder labeled "when I get time" because, let's be real, I figured most would be the same generic pitches I always get.

But sometimes the universe has other plans... 🌟

The $19 Decision That Changed Everything

While I was procrastinating going through those applications, something extraordinary was happening on the other side of that posting.

Meet Jibran.

At the time of our job posting, he was down to his last $19. Not "things are tight" - literally his final nineteen dollars in the world.

His landlord was about to evict him and his wife from their Jakarta apartment. He'd already sold his MacBook to buy plane tickets back to his rural hometown in eastern Indonesia. Three months of no income, no job, no prospects.

Then he saw our posting.

Here's where most people would hesitate. They'd think "maybe I'm not qualified enough" or "I should wait until I have a better reel" or "what if they don't like my work?"

Not Jibran.

He applied immediately. But plot twist - Twine had changed their system. To see the contact details for job posters, you needed a Pro membership.

Check his savings: $19. 💸

That's it. Everything they had left.

And here's the moment that embodies everything about permission-less living:

"I have my last $19 on my PayPal. I press subscription for Twine Pro and then I just call my wife. I swear to God, just pray for me. This is our last $19."

While 100+ Others Hesitated, He Acted

Think about this for a second...

While 100+ other applicants were probably:

• Polishing their existing reels

• Second-guessing their qualifications

• Waiting for the "perfect" moment to apply

• Calculating whether they were "ready"

Jibran spent his last $19 to get my contact information.

But that's not even the best part.

After getting my email through Twine, he spent 3-4 hours creating a completely custom portfolio specifically for our project. Not his existing work. Not a generic reel. A targeted demonstration of exactly what we needed.

"I have to make a new portfolio just for you. So I got the email from Twine and then I spent like three, four hours to create portfolio."

He sent the message, went outside to smoke, wondering where his life was heading.

His computer lit up. I'd replied. ✨

The All-Night Permission-Less Marathon

Here's where the story gets even more incredible...

When I replied at 1 AM, most people would have thought "great, I'll respond in the morning when I'm fresh."

Not Jibran.

"It was like 1 AM. I stayed up till 10 AM. My eyes were heavy, but I'm not going to miss this opportunity."

He spent the entire night - from 1 AM to 10 AM - creating a personalized reel. Not just responding to my email. Actually creating custom work to show me exactly what he could do.

Nine hours. All night. Because he wasn't going to let this opportunity slip through his fingers.

That's what I mean by leaving absolutely nothing on the table. 💪

Why I Only Read One Email Out of 100+

Here's the truth that might sting a little: Out of those 100+ applications, I only read one email.

His.

People were literally forwarding me his application saying "you need to check this guy out." That's how compelling his initial pitch was.

Had he not spent his last $19... had he not fought Twine customer support to get my contact info... had he not stayed up all night creating custom work...

We wouldn't be here right now.

That's not luck. That's not privilege. That's not having "enough."

That's pure, undiluted desire meeting permission-less action. 🔥

The Background That Makes This Even More Powerful

Let me paint you the full picture, because Jibran's story doesn't start with that $19 decision...

He was born in rural eastern Indonesia, near Papua. No English teachers in his high school. No film industry. No obvious path to what he wanted to create.

But he heard Eminem's music, saw those music videos on MTV, and something clicked:

"I want to make this kind of visuals myself in the future."

His friends thought he was crazy. Sound familiar? 😏

He taught himself English from YouTube. Every single day. Self-taught accent and all.

His mom? She's 60 years old, still waking up at 3 AM to make dough for her bakery. That's the household that shaped him.

"Comfort kills creativity. I came from a place, from a family that cannot afford anything. You work it by yourself."

For 10 years in Jakarta, he hustled. Video editing gigs. Freelance work. But the desperation for money was burning out his creativity.

Then came the eviction notice. The sold MacBook. The move back home with nothing.

Three months of wondering if he'd ever make it.

Permission-Less vs. "Not Enough" Thinking

Here's what absolutely floors me about this story...

I've worked with filmmakers who have every advantage - film school degrees, top-tier gear, industry connections, financial safety nets - and they still find reasons why they can't move forward.

"I need better equipment first." "I should get more experience."
"The market is too competitive." "I'm not ready yet." "I don't have the right connections."

Meanwhile, Jibran is in rural Indonesia, teaching himself English from YouTube, betting his last $19 on a chance to create something remarkable.

The difference isn't resources. It's mindset. 🧠

"Nobody can stop me unless it's me. And I don't want to stop me either."

What This Teaches Us About Real Permission-Less Living

Jibran's story embodies every principle of permission-less living:

• 🚫 Stop Waiting for Gatekeepers: He didn't wait for an English teacher, film school, or the "right" background. He went direct.

• ⚡ Act on Partial Information: $19. That's all the info he had. No guarantees. No safety net. He moved anyway.

• 🎯 Design for Discovery, Not Comfort: Comfort was staying home, accepting his situation. Discovery was betting everything on an unknown opportunity.

• ❤️ Choose People Over Projects: When he told his wife they were moving to Bali: "Her eyes lit up. She started crying."

• 🏗️ Architect Experiences, Don't Consume Them: Instead of watching other people's success stories, he created his own impossible journey.

The Permission-Less Question That Changes Everything

The question isn't whether you're enough. The question isn't whether you have enough.

The question is: What will you do with what you actually have right now? 💭

Jibran had $19. Used it to get my contact. Spent all night creating custom work. Refused to let "not enough" stop him from taking the next step.

What do you have that you're not using because you're waiting for "enough"?

From $19 to Bali: The Power of One Decision

Right now, as I write this, Jibran is here in Bali working on documentary projects that could change everything for him and his wife.

Not because he waited for the perfect moment. Not because he had "enough." But because he decided $19 was enough to bet on himself.

That's permission-less living in action. 🌟

His mom, still waking up at 3 AM to make dough, taught him something no film school could:

"Most of the time I think we have two lives. The second life starts when you realize that you're alive right now."

Your Permission-Less Moment Starts Now

What's your $19 decision?

What's the thing you keep saying you can't do because you don't have "enough"?

What would change if you stopped waiting for permission and started architecting the experience you want with what you actually have right now?

Because here's what I've learned from watching Jibran work: The people who create extraordinary lives aren't the ones with the most resources. They're the ones who refuse to let resource limitations stop them from taking the next step.

Your permission-less journey doesn't start when you have enough.

It starts when you decide what you have is enough to begin. ✨