Talk. Navigate. Create.

Why I’m Shifting Gears: From Gaming to Growth

Hey everyone — my name’s Will, though most people online know me as Cuban. If you’ve been around for a while, you probably recognize me from my YouTube channel as TNC Cuban. That name has stuck with me for years, and honestly, it’s become a part of who I am.

This post marks something new — not necessarily a rebrand, but more like a step forward. You could call it growth.

I’m not walking away from Minecraft or the gaming roots that helped build this community. I’m simply expanding — exploring new ideas, deeper conversations, and meaningful connections that reach beyond the game screen. I’m starting a podcast-style format and writing blogs like this one because, at my core, I’ve realized something important: what I really love is connecting with people.

A few years ago, life looked very different.

I had become a 100% disabled U.S. Army veteran after back injuries and ultimately surgery which changed the course of my life. Before that though, I worked as a mechanic, it something I was great at — ASE-certified, detail-driven, and passionate about diagnostics. But when my doctor told me that if I wanted to stop hurting, I had to stop working, I didn’t know what to do with myself.

Suddenly, I went from fixing engines to sitting at home, stuck in my thoughts, unable to physically do what I’ve done all my life. So, I started playing Minecraft — a lot. It wasn’t just a game though; it was a way to build again, to make something when everything else felt like it had fallen apart.

Through Minecraft, I met other creators, and one of them told me, “Why don’t you make YouTube videos?”

That one question changed everything.

I hit record, made my first video, and something clicked. I realized that creating wasn’t just about entertainment — it was about storytelling. It was about rebuilding myself.

The Beginning: Pain, Purpose, and Pixels

As I grew into a content creator, people told me I needed to find my niche. Back then, I didn’t even know what that meant. But now, in 2025, I believe I understand it.

You don’t always find your niche — sometimes, your niche finds you.

It finds you when you start doing what you love and keep doing it long enough for it to shape who you are.

For me, that niche started with Minecraft, particularly Minecraft Bedrock Edition, because it builds more community. In Java Edition, worlds can feel more individual, Bedrock though connects people across many different devices and experiences. It allows players — and creators — to come together in one shared space.

But over time, I realized something: while the game connected me to others, what I truly loved was simply the connection itself.

Finding My Direction

What I Learned About Connection

Through streaming, gaming, and now studying Mass Communication and Communication Studies at Colorado Mesa University, I’ve learned that communication is at the core of what makes us human.

Everyone — no matter who they are — wants to feel understood.

That’s the foundation of connection, community, and even persuasion.

In one of my Communication Studies Persuasion class, I've learned that persuasion isn’t just about changing someone’s mind; it’s about reaching an agreement between people. It’s the moment where two different perspectives meet halfway and say, “You know what, I get where you’re coming from.”

To me, that’s what community really is. It’s not about everyone thinking the same — it’s about finding common ground so we don’t tear each other apart.

Jordan Peterson once said that if you put one person on this earth, they’ll go crazy from isolation. Two people? They’ll probably drive each other nuts. But when a third person comes in, something changes. Suddenly, there’s balance — because connection and cooperation become necessary for survival.

And I believe that’s true.

If humanity was more evil than good, we’d all be gone by now. The reason we’re still here is that most people, deep down, want to do good. They want to connect, understand, and keep moving forward.

That’s why my brand — TNC: Talk. Navigate. Create. — still matters.

You’re Not Alone

It’s not just a slogan; it’s a personal philosophy.

Talk: because conversations build bridges.

Navigate: because life doesn’t come with a map.

Create: because creation is how we grow, heal, and make meaning out of the chaos.

I’m not giving up gaming. Minecraft will always be the foundation of where I started — a visual representation of what I believe: you can build anything out of what’s been broken.

But now, my focus is on talking — through blogs, podcasts, and interviews. I want to sit down with people, virtually or in person, and explore ideas that matter. Topics that challenge us, inspire us, or simply make us curious. Whether it’s news, culture, faith, or personal growth, I want to open up real conversations — not to prove who’s right, but to understand why we all think the way we do.

At the end of the day, I don’t believe we were meant to walk this life alone.

Even in the biblical story, Adam wasn’t left alone — Eve was created, and God was with them both. That third presence, that divine connection, reminds me that humanity is built on relationship.

No matter your background, beliefs, or experiences — every person has a story, and that story carries truth. Maybe not universal truth, but personal truth. And when we share those truths, we learn to see each other a little better.

That’s what this next chapter of TNC Cuban is all about.

It’s not just about content — it’s about connection.

It’s not just about building in Minecraft — it’s about building community.

It’s not just about speaking — it’s about listening.

This is where I’m starting.

This is my growth.

And this is where I invite you to join me.

Talk honestly. Navigate wisely. Create freely.

Catch you on the flip side.

— Will (aka TNC Cuban)