: You’re not as boring as your content Being “professional” is boring. The universe gave us these magical tools where we can say anything …
: Can we all agree to stop being boring in the name of being “professional?”
: Giving someone something they don’t want or need isn’t generous - even if your intentions are pure.
: If you’re going to link to someone’s social post, leave a comment on their post telling them you’re …
: If your goal is to get clients from your content, then… When a potential client reads your social …
: Giving people permission to do what they want to do is powerful. Especially when they don’t realize …
: I’m curious: Do you wish you could become a better curator? That you could find better sources of …
: The more you accept things can’t always be good, the more likely you are to feel like things are …
: What you want is a moving target.
: A question I’m considering: Do I want my writing to support my business or my business to support my …
: The next time you’re waiting for something, try this: Instead of opening a social app on your phone …
: Nothing is actually “worth” anything. Everything is “worth” what you’re willing to pay for it.
: What if instead of setting out to create the best product or service, you tried to create the …
: If they can’t afford your service, they’re the wrong person for your service.
: Some people want to become better writers. Some want to get better results from their writing. Those …
: We tend to start our day by asking, “What do I need to do today?” Maybe “What do I want to do …
: I was driving with my wife and 3-year-old daughter. My wife said something and I replied, “You’ve …
: A ranking of 5 albums I listened to this week: Exodus by Bob Marley A classic with a few songs I’ve heard a million times before. But my favorite …
: You’re afraid to quit social media because it will make you feel invisible. The irony is that …
: Being honest will save you a lot of time.
: “That hit is a gift from your former self. Like all gifts, you don’t have to accept it. In addition …
: Maybe every writer should have a podcast where they simply read their writing?
: What you do most of the time is more important than what you do all of the time.
: When it comes to “social media” people often put too much emphasis on the media part and not enough …
: There’s no shortage of bad ads leading to bad sales pages that promote bad products.
: More buyers isn’t the only way to scale. Higher-price buyers works too.
: Lots of people say: “You can do anything you want.” It’s a shame more don’t say: “You can STOP doing …
: I’ve been thinking a lot about the word “Unearthed.” The definition: “To discover (something hidden, …
: A really big guy getting out of a really small car will never not be funny.
: Better clients leads to more clients. Not the other way around.
: “Most of creative work is problem solving.” Frank Miller
: Medium could have been Substack if only it would have emphasized newsletters. And it would have been …
: It’s impossible to understand the value of experience until you have it.
: “Sometimes the characters talk back and know more than you do.” Frank Miller on writing
: A lack of opportunities is more a function of not seeing them than not getting them.
: “Remove all apps from your phone where someone makes more money the more you use it.” Cal Newport
: There’s no such thing as too much white space.
: The easiest thing in the world is to find a reason not to publish.
: It won’t work if you’re not excited about it.
: I was helping a client clarify his niche today and asked him a question: If a college hired you to …
: 10 thoughts about writing: You don’t have writer’s block - you have an unwillingness to write something bad. Good writing …
: Writing is a collection of choices. The more choices you make, the more specific your writing gets, the more unique and interesting it …
: When I was a kid I used to fall asleep listening to talk radio. (Before talk radio was a cesspool.) …
: I was 88-years-old. I wrote my first novel. “You can’t write a novel.” Fuck you, …
: Why do you expect to be perfect? You don’t think anyone or anything else is perfect. Pretty good is …
: The more emotion you feel when writing, the more powerful that writing will be. Your best writing …
: “Every professional should have a five-minute demonstration of their skill that makes an important …
: Content creation is a lot more fun when you remember you can create whatever the hell you want. Free …
: Kids today will never know the joy of getting 12 CDs for a penny.
: A lesson for one of my writing partner clients When I work with clients as their writing partner I not only edit/rewrite their work, but I also …
: Austin Kleon on creating mixtapes “Every time I try to make these mixes more conceptual or abstract, I freeze up. But if I just start …
: Saw this post blowing up in Reddit’s Aging Parents subreddit. Not surprised - it’s a …
: Caring can be incredibly powerful. But so can not caring.
: The first thing Bill Parcells did in his first team meeting after being hired as the Giants coach …
: “I don’t understand this whole thing about computers and the superhighway. Who wants to …
: “Writing” is actually editing. And “first drafts” are actually thinking.
: If you’re always worried about what might happen… Nothing will ever happen.
: “In every man, there are many men.” Good line from the first episode of A Knight of the …
: Newsletter creators freak out when Apple or Google do something to make it easier for people to …
: Cool book concept - just bought it.
: No one ever feels good looking at their to-do list, it’s an inherently negative experience. A …
: This is a pretty compelling tease for an upcoming newsletter issue.
: The banner on Nike’s about page:
: Every masterpiece you see was created by someone who at some point wasn’t sure it was good enough to …
: Now THIS is how you welcome a buyer I bought a digital product from the Do Lectures. Here’s the excellent first email they sent me after …
: Someone asked me how I “read the entire internet” Here was my answer… I’ve been doing this a LONG time. True story: In 2000 I had a job writing a …
: Digital vs Analog Cal Newport on the challenge of our times: “A third of this is knowing what not to use - don’t get …
: Just another batch of restaurant coupons…wait…funeral catering???
: The goal of your first sentence is simply to get people to read the next sentence.. And with each …
: David Letterman kept a stack of cups in his dressing room - each one represented a completed show.
: New playlist: I’m a lover, not a fighter (these guys get it.)
: Dear email marketers and newsletter creators, You can stop automatically inserting each subscriber’s …
: If you can’t communicate what you want to say clearly in a sentence, you won’t be able to …
: All writing is about the reader…even when it’s about you.
: New playlist: you’ll be singing along by the end of the song this one started with a scene in “it’s …
: I wonder: Will more people set New Year’s resolutions to post more often on social media or to spend …
: New playlist: do me a favor and play those old bangers again they don’t make ‘em like they used to
: New playlist: it’s Xmas eve and everyone’s asleep but me Sounds good the other 364 days a year too.
: A new batch of books has arrived. Looking forward to them.
: When your ideal buyer doesn’t buy Something to say to people who were interested in working with you but never pulled the trigger: …
: Some good ideas in this video: 10 Minimalist Rules That Actually Work
: I’ve started making Spotify playlists on my morning walks. I pick one song I like and then build a …
: If you constantly chase after more you wind up constantly taking on… More. But if you chase less? …
: This is a good line from Jay Clouse in promoting his podcast: “You can literally learn almost …
: The growth cycle “I could NEVER do that.” “I don’t think I could do that.” “I guess I could try it.” “Maybe I’ll try …
: Love this line from Kieran Drew’s newsletter: “Freedom is not a lack of commitments. It’s committing …
: Sometimes we worry about things. Sometimes we convince ourselves we’re supposed to worry about …
: Relationships are much more valuable than followers. And yet… We spend most of our time trying to …
: Want to read more books? Try this: When you go to watch YouTube videos or scroll your social feed, …
: Most amazing creations go unnoticed by the masses. That doesn’t make them any less amazing. If your …
: “The best coaches make you less dependent on them and more confident in your own …
: If anyone ever asks you what day 90s culture began, the answer is is not January 1, 1990. The …
: I’ve been thinking about consistency a lot lately and I’m starting to think it’s incredibly …
: No one, but everyone. “There was no one else like them, except for everybody.” Chuck Klosterman wrote that …
: The “best” things money can buy Make a list of things you can buy for $50 or less that will make your life easier, simpler, or more …
: A nice soundtrack for a Sunday morning stroll.
: True freedom is listening to yourself.
: It’s your home, do whatever the hell you want with it. Turn your garage into a neighborhood pub or …
: It always feels like a red flag to me when people talk about how to “win” at business. Tough to …
: Self-imposed deadlines exist to pressure yourself into doing things you don’t want to do. But …
: AI can only show you what you know you’re looking for. It can only teach you what you know you want …
: "No one quite knows why it was started" Harvey Firestone, the tire tycoon, once said this about rich men building big houses: “Why is …
: The only 3 things you need to bring something to life You need effort. Creating something from nothing will never be easy. You need courage. Creation is …
: “I only scribble the essentials, that’s why erasers have pencils.” Brother Ali
: “The worst thing in the world is to have to convince somebody of something - that’s a lack of …
: What an “in the moment” business might look like I’ve been thinking about what it might look like to operate completely in the moment and how far …
: My newsletter is awesome. Want proof? Check out all 63 resources I shared in it last month, …
: When Jimmy Iovine retired from running a record label, Bruce Springsteen asked him why he’d retire. …
: “I have a vision for what it shouldn’t be and then I fall into what it should be.” Jimmy Iovine
: Make something cool. Give it to someone cool. Watch what happens. LeBron James’ business partner Maverick Carter was in music executive Jimmy Iovine’s office. On his …
: This is NOT your last chance to read this “Enrollment closes tonight” “Deadline” “Last chance” “Last call” “Last call (don’t miss out)” “Final …
: “A performer on stage doesn’t seek out new listeners during the show, they must focus on the people …
: It's that time of year “Parties are a public service, you’re doing people a favor by throwing them. Someone might …
: Sell products based on problems you’ve solved, not problems you have. Don’t ask people …
: Be careful what you track If you track how much traffic your website gets, you’ll start optimizing to get traffic. Maybe …
: A realization that seems obvious, but hasn’t been: My main business goal isn’t to make as much money …
: The thin line between success and falling off a zip line My daughter just rode a zip line at a playground for the first time. Her first ride started fine, …
: How much cool stuff have I missed because I wasn’t patient enough to discover it? Sometimes when I listen to a new album I’m quick to skip a song. If the first 30 seconds don’t grab …
: I’m not the only one who misses the early days of blogging “If you wanted people to read your blog, you had to make it compelling enough that they would visit …