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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 anything you want.”

I’ve been thinking a lot about the word “Unearthed.” The definition: “To discover (something hidden, lost, or kept secret) by investigation or searching.” It’s a big part of what I do, what I enjoy, what I’m good at, and the value I provide to others. 🤔

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 a MUCH bettwr version. Such an obvious missed opportunity.

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 teach any class you wanted, what would you choose to teach? The answer to that will likely be a good niche for your business and content.

10 thoughts about writing:: You don’t have writer’s block - you have an unwillingness to write something bad. Good writing begins with a goal - you don’t need to know what you’re going to write, but you need to know what you hope to get out of it. Writing is no less valuable today than it was 100 years ago and it will be …

Writing is a collection of choices.: The more choices you make, the more specific your writing gets, the more unique and interesting it becomes. Every idea is a choice. Every action is a choice. Every character is a choice. Every sentence is a choice. Every word is a choice. And there are no “wrong” choices. That’s …

When I was a kid I used to fall asleep listening to talk radio. (Before talk radio was a cesspool.) In retrospect, I probably learned a ton from that.

I was 88-years-old. I wrote my first novel. “You can’t write a novel.” Fuck you, I’ll write a novel. Jerry Izenberg

Why do you expect to be perfect? You don’t think anyone or anything else is perfect. Pretty good is more than enough.

The more emotion you feel when writing, the more powerful that writing will be. Your best writing probably happened when you were mad, sad, excited, scared, thankful, etc. Having big feelings? Might be a good time to pick up a pen.

“Every professional should have a five-minute demonstration of their skill that makes an important stranger say, “Oh, wow. Now I get it.” It’s the magician’s answer to the request, “Let’s see a trick.” It’s an outward-facing demo that proves your capability to others.” Mark Levy

Content creation is a lot more fun when you remember you can create whatever the hell you want. Free your mind and the fun will follow.

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 teach them why I make the changes I make and how they can become a stronger writer moving forward. Here’s an example of a note I gave to a recent client explaining an edit I made for him on his …

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 with a good leadoff track and ask myself, What do I want to hear after this? the mix just sort of makes itself. I think this is also true of writing and drawing, too: if you start with big, …

Saw this post blowing up in Reddit’s Aging Parents subreddit. Not surprised - it’s a great headline/hook that probably could be adapted and do well in other niches too.

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 was to yell at the players to sit up straight and take their hats off. Phil Simms turned to the guy next to him and said “We’re gonna win.”

“I don’t understand this whole thing about computers and the superhighway. Who wants to be in touch with all those people?” Ray Bradbury in 1995

“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 Seven Kingdoms

Newsletter creators freak out when Apple or Google do something to make it easier for people to unsubscribe. But here’s the thing: Why do you want people on your list who don’t want to hear from you? They’re doing you a favor.

Cool book concept - just bought it.

No one ever feels good looking at their to-do list, it’s an inherently negative experience. A done list is the opposite.

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 put into the world. Imagine how many masterpieces we’ll never get to see because their creators guessed wrong.

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 buying: SUBJECT: Thank you for the trust Hi Josh, I saw that you made your first purchase with us yesterday, I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for your time. Thank you for your trust. My …

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 daily blog for a film industry publication (before most people knew what a blog was). My job was to find the most interesting news of the day online and compile it into one blog post published every …

Digital vs Analog: Cal Newport on the challenge of our times: “A third of this is knowing what not to use - don’t get stuck using TikTok all the time. A third of it is knowing what to use - I need to take advantage of the opportunities that new technologies make possible. The other third is knowing the analog stuff to …

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 additional sentence you get someone to read, they become exponentially more likely to read the whole post.

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 first name into your emails. Everyone knows it’s automated. No one thinks you’re personally sending that email to them. You’re not fooling anyone.

If you can’t communicate what you want to say clearly in a sentence, you won’t be able to communicate it clearly in 100 sentences.

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 complicated”

I wonder: Will more people set New Year’s resolutions to post more often on social media or to spend less time on social media? I’m guessing the latter. I also bet the opposite was true a few years ago. Social media is broken and more and more people are realizing it.

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: “I’m always curious why people decide I’m a fit or not a fit for them. Is there any particular reason you’re hesitating? Or anything that would make it a no brainer for us to work together? No pressure - …

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 one-hour playlist around it. Here’s the first one - inspired by The Detroit Cobras song “It’s Raining.” It goes to some interesting places - let me know if you dig it.

If you constantly chase after more you wind up constantly taking on… More. But if you chase less? You know the rest.

This is a good line from Jay Clouse in promoting his podcast: “You can literally learn almost everything I know simply by binging the channel or podcast.”

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 it again.” “I did it!” “I bet I could do it again.” “I did it again!” “Maybe I can teach someone else how to do it.” “I don’t feel like doing it any more.” “Maybe I could do something else?” “Nah, I …

Love this line from Kieran Drew’s newsletter: “Freedom is not a lack of commitments. It’s committing to the things you love.”

Sometimes we worry about things. Sometimes we convince ourselves we’re supposed to worry about things. Those aren’t the same.

Relationships are much more valuable than followers. And yet… We spend most of our time trying to figure out how to get more followers instead of how to build more relationships.

Want to read more books? Try this: When you go to watch YouTube videos or scroll your social feed, pick up a book and read for 5 minutes first. Connecting a thing you want to do more of to a thing you already do too much of is a great way to build a new (and improved) habit.

Most amazing creations go unnoticed by the masses. That doesn’t make them any less amazing. If your creation doesn’t catch on, it doesn’t mean it’s not great. It just means it’s in the majority.

“The best coaches make you less dependent on them and more confident in your own problem-solving and decision-making capabilities.” Austin L. Church

If anyone ever asks you what day 90s culture began, the answer is is not January 1, 1990. The correct answer is September 24, 1991. Nirvana’s Nevermind, A Tribe Called Quest’s Low End Theory, and The Red Hot Chili Peppers Blood Sugar Sex Magik were all released that day.

I’ve been thinking about consistency a lot lately and I’m starting to think it’s incredibly misunderstood. This is a good example of one of those misunderstandings. Found it in Shaan Puri’s newsletter.

No one, but everyone.: “There was no one else like them, except for everybody.” Chuck Klosterman wrote that line to describe author Elizabeth Wurtzel and Mark Leyner in his book The Nineties. I’m not really familiar with either, but I love the concept. Successful artists have a unique ability to express …

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 enjoyable on an ongoing basis. Then buy them. A few examples: A nice glass to drink water out of instead of plastic bottles. A super comfortable piece of clothing (t-shirt, socks, pajamas, etc). A new …

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 live in your art.

It always feels like a red flag to me when people talk about how to “win” at business. Tough to “win” a game when everyone uses a different scorecard, plays by different rules, and the game has no end.

Self-imposed deadlines exist to pressure yourself into doing things you don’t want to do. But maybe you shouldn’t be doing those things in the first place?

Listen to this album.

AI can only show you what you know you’re looking for. It can only teach you what you know you want to learn. It can only answer questions you know to ask. The opportunity in an AI world is to give people what they don’t know to look for.

"No one quite knows why it was started": Harvey Firestone, the tire tycoon, once said this about rich men building big houses: “Why is it that a man, just as soon as he gets enough money, builds a house much bigger than he needs? I do not know why I do it - the houses are only a burden. But I have done it, and all my friends who have …

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 a scary process with an unknown outcome so it takes guts to pursue. You need commitment. You will fail, struggle, and want to quit often, so the only way to bring something to life is to ride out …

“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 freedom. It’s the worst.” Jimmy Iovine Side note: This is why I always say when it comes to selling my job isn’t to convince anyone of anything. It’s to make them aware of what I have to offer.

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 that approach to my work could be pushed. Some ideas: Nothing scheduled more than a week in advance. Every email is only opened once - it’s replied to, deleted or archived in the moment. All social posts …

My newsletter is awesome. Want proof? Check out all 63 resources I shared in it last month, conveniently linked on one page.

When Jimmy Iovine retired from running a record label, Bruce Springsteen asked him why he’d retire. He said: “When you’re on stage, millions of people are yelling Bruce. No one’s yelling Jimmy. I talk to scumbags all day.”

“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 way out the door, Jimmy gave him a pair of the new Beats headphones he had just developed with Dr. Dre to give to LeBron. A few days later, LeBron asked for 15 more headphones - he wanted to give them …

Relax.

This is NOT your last chance to read this : “Enrollment closes tonight” “Deadline” “Last chance” “Last call” “Last call (don’t miss out)” “Final call” “Last day” Those are the subject lines of 7 different emails I got from 7 different email lists I’m on TODAY. I know urgency works, but at a certain point they all sound the same and I tune …

“A performer on stage doesn’t seek out new listeners during the show, they must focus on the people right there in front of them. If they do a good job, perhaps they’ll talk to a few people afterwards, and get them to join their email list.” From Impress Humans, Not Algorithms

It's that time of year: “Parties are a public service, you’re doing people a favor by throwing them. Someone might meet their new best friend or future lover at your gathering. In the short term, lovely people may feel less lonely, and that’s thanks to you. In the long term, whole new children may ultimately …

Sell products based on problems you’ve solved, not problems you have. Don’t ask people to hire you to get them clients if you struggle to get clients. Don’t sell audience growth tips if you don’t have a large audience. This should be obvious. Apparently, it’s not.

Be careful what you track : If you track how much traffic your website gets, you’ll start optimizing to get traffic. Maybe that’s good, maybe it’s not. If you track how many likes you get, you’ll start posting things that get more likes. Maybe that’s good, maybe it’s not. If you track how consistently you publish, you’ll feel …

A realization that seems obvious, but hasn’t been: My main business goal isn’t to make as much money as possible. It’s not even to be profitable. It’s to have fun and enjoy what I do. Because if I don’t do that, what’s the point? I might as well get a job I don’t like if it’s just about the 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, then she fell off when she unwrapped her legs. I told her to keep her legs wrapped. The next time she did and had a great ride. Sometimes the difference between success and failure is someone telling …

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 me, I’ll skip to the next song because why waste my time? Other times I listen to all of every song - even the ones I don’t like at first. And when I do that, occasionally there’s a brilliant lyric or …

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 it, directly, because they wanted to. And if they wanted to respond to you, they had to do it on their own blog, and link back. The effect of this was that there were few equivalents of the worst …