“Take the action and the insight follows.” – Anne Lamott
For the first time in 3 years, I’m creating original content for YouTube again.
I’m only three videos in, but the learning has come quickly.
So I thought I’d share a few of my biggest insights, today…
Many of which apply beyond YouTube:
To business, content creation, and even life in general.
Let’s jump in.
- Specific beats general.
The channel has been stuck for the past few years, because I’ve treated it like a public Dropbox:
Posting whatever I want, with no regard for strategy.
Sometimes business, sometimes relationships, sometimes personal development, sometimes angry rants about hustle-bro culture that very few people ever hear because…
…YT has no idea who my audience is.
And that’s my fault, because I’ve been way, way too general with the content I post.
The lesson:
Keep content in one specific lane, for one specific person.
It’s not quite as fun, but those are the laws of the jungle on YT.
- Less perfect, more organic.
Maybe this is just the awkwardness of watching myself speak on camera.
(or the fact that I haven’t done it in ~3 years)
But our last three videos — where I’m speaking to a camera, rather than a live audience — feel a bit too…
Performative?
That’s probably not the right word, but I know my speaking isn’t as natural as it could be.
My aim is to make these talks feel like a conversation between friends.
Less perfect, more casual & organic.
Work in progress.
- Make content only I can make.
Initially, I felt an impulse to study what’s working for similar channels, and speak about similar topics (in my own way).
That’s what basically everyone does, because it works.
But it’s not the only strategy that works.
And there are topics nobody else in the world (that I’m aware of) can speak about — or even knows about.
Topics like…
Spiral Dynamics for entrepreneurship
Applying the TCM 5 element system to business
Advanced internal practices for entrepreneurs
Unlocking higher intelligence for business
Founder psychology & thinking systems
Mastering the nervous system for business performance
Advanced communication & persuasion
Plant medicine for entrepreneurs
Business as a spiritual path
…And many, many more that are already cooking in my Notion dashboard.
I have no idea how these will “perform.”
(depends how I package them, I guess)
But I do know I want them to exist.
And I don’t know who else is going to create them, if not me.
Let me know if anything on that list jumps out to you; if there’s enough interest I’ll move it higher in the cue.
- Start strong — and finish strong.
The first ~20 seconds of each video is obviously important.
But so is leaving on a high-note, because that’s what viewers remember after the video is over.
(think of a first date; your first and last impression are the moments that stand out in the other person’s mind)
So I’m going to try planning my closing “punchline” for each video ahead of time.
(I really liked how the close turned out in this week’s talk — lemme know what you think)
- Action really does create clarity.
I know it’s a bit cliché, but damn is it true.
And making content over the past few weeks has been a real-time reminder of how true it is.
I’ve learned more in the process of creating these three videos than I have in all my hours of:
Thinking about making content
Planning to make content
Watching content about making content
Watching myself plan to think about making content
Combined.
It’s not surprising, but it’s worth remembering:
Nothing — nothing — replaces direct experience.
There’s probably more to share, but this is getting a bit long.
Lemme if any of these landed for you.
And…
If You’re An Entrepreneur In Your 20s, Watch This.
- T
P.S. Quick reminder in case you missed it:
I created a list of must-read books for 20-30 year old entrepreneurs.
If you’d like it, comment “book list” under the video and we’ll send it over.
(if you don’t receive it for some reason, just reply to this email)
“The more you do things that are natural to you, the less competition you have.” – Naval Ravikant
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