On this episode of This Magic Life, join Andrea as she sits down with Alex Ruiz, an Emmy-award winning animator and psychedelic artist who shares how he navigated his way from what felt like an earth-shattering rejection…

To a prestigious slot as an animator on The Simpsons, which, even dozens of seasons later, generates the fourth most demand of any tv show in the United States (and only accepted 3 portfolios out of hundreds of submissions the year they hired him!).

Alex’s story doesn’t end there, by a long shot. Listen to the full episode to hear how he achieved his teenage dream to work at Disney, but in a role that was very different from what he’d imagined.

He shares moments of serendipitous career victories, including the manifestation strategy behind booking his very first art show, and his deep resonance with one of the most twisted Simpsons characters that became his own…

As well as the candid truth behind one of the lowest points of his life and whose powerful work finally pulled him through that dangerous period of darkness.

Alex has worked as a professional artist and art instructor for the last 25 years and is dedicated to the transformative power of creativity, which has allowed him to create and manifest his dreams into reality, as well as show others how to do the same through their own art.

Tune in to the next episode of This Magic Life on May 29th to discover even more stories of serendipity and career magic with a well-known tech entrepreneur whose love of Italian sports cars back in college unexpectedly opened the door for him to work at Apple.

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In this episode, you'll discover:

• How to navigate being pigeonholed into one place/job/school.

• The biggest problem for creatives in the modern world.

• Alex’s top suggestion for young artist’s who want to monetize their work.

• The fake-it-til-you-make-it moment that led Alex to a serendipitous career change.

• How you can start with an epic fail and still end up with huge success.

• The candid, painful realization Alex had in March of 2018 that changed his life forever.

• How to borrow inspiration from artists you admire without feeling like you’re stealing.

• One of the best things an artist can do to improve their skills.

• The power of mindfulness to change Alex’s life.

• The deep importance of coaches for artists of all types.

• Different types, patterns, and structures of psychedelic art.

• The importance of loosening your grip on how your dreams are “supposed” to unfold.

• The advice Alex would offer his younger self about how to become a creator of his life.

• Why visualization is one of the most powerful tools for success.

• Alex reveals what he calls, “The greatest act of vandalism in film history.”

Resources to go deeper:

• Follow Alex on Instagram

• Visit Alex’s website

• Connect with Alex on Facebook

• Enjoy the art of Android Jones

• Discover Jesse Elder’s work