Adam’s Daily Post

Is good work enough?

Nope. You need it to spread, and for that you need good reach.

Is good work and good reach enough?

Nope. Then you need a bit of good luck.

Why?

Because the whole world is congregating online and competing for the same resources. Sometimes, things work out for some folks faster than others. Sometimes, your ‘break’ takes longer. Sometimes, much longer.

But that’s okay.

Nail the first two.

Keep them both up, even when it seems futile.

The third hits eventually, precisely for people who do.

When we say “that takes ages”, we tend to mean it as a bad thing.

When deciding how to build a body of work, “that’ll take a long time” is usually what is said right before the scope gets cut so that it can be achieved with less effort in less time.

But what if time was a feature?

What if the fact that it took you 100 hours instead of 10 hours – a real labour of love – is precisely the reason your choice of market will appreciate it so much?

What if the fact that it cost you quantifiably more resources, money, energy and effort – a journey that led to some of your best work – is precisely the sort of thing we should share in our sales letters and our love letters?

What if the gravity of the task ahead is something that would get more media attention, more presales, and more followers than the simpler, cut-down, half-as-good version you were thinking of reducing your work to, simply because you adopted the venture and dared to try?

If you write a great tweet but no one clicks ‘Like’, did it stop being great? Or is it still a great tweet, that would have benefitted from more algorithmic reach were you to have promoted it more?

If you make a great product but no one buys it, did it stop being great? Or is it still a great product, that simply needs more promotional activity to reach those who would gladly buy it?

If you run a great promotional campaign, but no one clicks or buys, did it stop being great? Or is it that the campaign lacked a great product or service to direct attention toward?

People are quick to dismiss something as not great without looking at the data.

If you’re doubting your skills, your product or your business…

…Maybe 99% of what you’re doing is great.

Maybe you’re just 1% away.

I taught myself how to draw, write, code, sell, animate, edit, network, promote, manage.

And before each one, I was convinced I wouldn’t be able to.

Yet for some reason, I went for it anyway despite that feeling, and proved myself wrong.

If you’re doubting yourself and think it’s something that will hold you back, think again. I later learned it’s a sign of intelligence to question that which is unproven. So doubt. Be unsure. Second-guess yourself. Wake up sometimes wondering what in the hell you’re doing.

And then choose to be crazy enough to do it anyway.

You don’t need to be certain.

You just need a little bit of crazy.

Corporations used to be the content. Now it’s creators.

Corporations used to manage the distribution. Now it’s creators.

Corporations used to power market innovation. Now it’s creators.

Corporations used to run your favourite channels. Now it’s creators.

Corporations used to offer the best customer service. Now it’s creators.

Corporations used to power the brands we love. Now it’s creators.

The future is creators.

The best YouTube channels don’t have the most videos.

The most profitable businesses don’t have the most product lines.

The most effective weekly plans don’t have the most action items.

The best books don’t have the most pages.

The best movies don’t have the longest runtimes.

The best restaurants don’t have the longest menus.

‘More’ isn’t always the answer.

Big businesses don’t care. You’re a number there.

Small businesses were the home of care. You went there to not be a number.

But the more small businesses try to become big businesses, the more they sacrifice what makes them special: care.

And while they’re busy chatbotting away their customer interactions and SOPing away the passion for their craft in pursuit of scale, customers are left to wonder…

…Should I just go with a bigger operation, if I’m a being treated like a number anyway?

…Or perhaps I should move over to this other small business where the founder remembered it was my son’s birthday this month.

Small isn’t weak. Neither is Big. But you’re vulnerable when you’re small and don’t care.

What makes a great brand?

A great brand might be one you wouldn’t want to wear on a keychain or hoodie. One that represents a trusted advisor or friend that you tell others about whenever it makes sense too. But putting your friend on a hoodie is weird.

A great brand might be one you absolutely would wear on a keychain or hoodie. One that represents your interests, desires, or ideals that you tell others about whenever it makes sense to. But calling it your trusted friend is weird.

These definitions are at odds with each other.

Yet they’re both great brands.

Maybe it’s not “one size fits all”.

Maybe you’re free to define greatness for yourself and just be that.

Permission granted!

Writing isn’t about writing.

Writing copy & scripts is:

• 50% knowing your audience
• 20% mentally entering their universe
• 20% mentally building worlds in that universe
• 10% writing & testing

The words are a by-product of a job well done.

If you run an ad, what happens?

You show up, directing people to your thing, right up until the point when you don’t show up anymore.

Then you’re gone, invisible.

What if you create the best videos and resources you can, then publish those online?

You show up and, when you’re gone, they’ll still be there helping people who, in turn, invite others.

What if you create that repository of value, then advertise that, what happens?

You introduce new people to a world of value to expedite the flywheel.

Worth thinking about. It helps make sense of the options available to you.