Author: admin
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Move the world
Writing is alchemy.
You take the base metals of thought.
Those raw, clunky nuggets of feeling, idea, and observation and through the weirdest, most mystical process, you turn them into something golden.
Words.
And words?
Words are power. They’re not just squiggly lines on a page or glowing glyphs on a screen.
Words move people.
They ignite a fire in the mind.
They punch hearts, twist guts, and, yes, sometimes, gently cradle the soul.
Writing isn’t just a skill. It’s a form of sorcery.
It’s the closest thing we have to real magic, and I’m not saying that lightly.
You can use writing to whisk someone away into a fantasy world where dragons breathe fire and heroes carry swords carved from the bones of dead gods.
You can use it to make someone cry over the heartbreak of a character who never even existed.
You can use it to explain how to bake a loaf of sourdough bread or how to build a life that feels meaningful. Hell, you can use it to convince someone to buy an air fryer or a self-help book or a ticket to an indie film they didn’t know they needed until you dangled the right combination of words in front of them.
Think about it this way…
Words make people do things.
They’re the spark. The catalyst. They can make people feel something so deeply that they act on it. They donate to charity. They quit their soul-sucking job. They call their mom. They fall in love with a character or a story or sometimes, if you’ve done your job right a better version of themselves.
And isn’t that what alchemy is? Transformation. Turning one thing into another.
Writing does that. Writing makes impossible connections. It takes one person’s experience, one person’s voice, and sends it out like a flare into the dark. And someone else, someone miles or continents or centuries away, sees it. Feels it. Gets it. Writing bridges gaps.
It’s empathy in action.
The only thing about writing and writing well?
That takes practice. It takes effort. It’s not just about knowing where to put the commas or how to structure a sentence (though, hey, those things help)
It’s about learning how to make people feel. It’s about learning how to bend words until they sing, so that they sting, so that they stick.
And everyone everyone should learn how to do it.
Not because we all need to write novels or screenplays or Instagram captions that make people weep (though, hey, those are all worthy goals too)
But because writing is connection. Writing is persuasion. Writing is the way you make your voice heard.
You want to build a business? Learn to write well.
You want to argue for change? Learn to write well.
You want to tell your story so that someone else feels less alone?
Learn to write well.
Good writing is clarity. It’s confidence. It’s compassion.
Scrawl something messy and weird and raw in the margins of your notebook.
Write badly. Write boldly. Write until you figure out how to make someone feel something.
Because when you do? That’s when the magic happens.
That’s when you turn words into gold.
Stephen Walker
P.S. The squirrels have been rather quiet lately. Probably learning something new…
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Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom -
Never apologize for being dope.
“There are some days when I think I’m going to die from an overdose of satisfaction.” – Salvador Dali
Before Salvador Dali became famous, he often signed restaurant cheques without paying.
His reason:
“Someday this signature will be worth far more than the meal.”
Imagine being his waiter:
You feed your family with the income you make from tips, and some dopey-looking mustached mfxer you’ve never heard of leaves you his autograph instead.
Now imagine you keep his signature, just in case.
And, ten years later, you buy yourself a damn house with it.
Mustache doesn’t look so dopey now, does it?
Of course, dining and dashing is still a dick move.
And leaving your autograph instead of cash is unforgivably arrogant.
But damn if it isn’t also kinda gangster.
I’m sharing this story as an extreme example of a principle that came up on a recent Path AMA call:
False humility is a lie.
Reducing yourself, hiding your accomplishments, shrinking to avoid threatening others, pretending you’re less than you really are…
…Is just as dishonest as over-inflating yourself.
The only truthful response is the truth.
No more, no less.
Of course, Salvador wildly over-inflated the value of his signature, which wasn’t worth the paper it was written on until years later.
(it only became true later on, which means it was still a lie in the moment)
So I’ll leave you with one more example, before we wrap:
A few years back, Billie Eilish cleaned out the Grammys, taking home five of the six awards she was nominated for.
Each time her name was called, she would blush and look away in embarrassment:
Shy, almost afraid to dominate the spotlight.
The next day, Alicia Keys called her and said:
”Never apologize for being dope.”
In other words:
Never say you’re greater than you are.
But never say you’re not as great as you are, either.
And never, ever leave without leaving a tip.
- T
P.S. Meanwhile, on X…
I just answered the (weird) question:
”Will meditation make me more money?”
Unsubscribe | Update your profile | 5-420 Erb St. W, Suite 433, Waterloo, ON N2L6K6
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Never apologize for being dope.
“There are some days when I think I’m going to die from an overdose of satisfaction.” – Salvador Dali
Before Salvador Dali became famous, he often signed restaurant cheques without paying.
His reason:
“Someday this signature will be worth far more than the meal.”
Imagine being his waiter:
You feed your family with the income you make from tips, and some dopey-looking mustached mfxer you’ve never heard of leaves you his autograph instead.
Now imagine you keep his signature, just in case.
And, ten years later, you buy yourself a damn house with it.
Mustache doesn’t look so dopey now, does it?
Of course, dining and dashing is still a dick move.
And leaving your autograph instead of cash is unforgivably arrogant.
But damn if it isn’t also kinda gangster.
I’m sharing this story as an extreme example of a principle that came up on a recent Path AMA call:
False humility is a lie.
Reducing yourself, hiding your accomplishments, shrinking to avoid threatening others, pretending you’re less than you really are…
…Is just as dishonest as over-inflating yourself.
The only truthful response is the truth.
No more, no less.
Of course, Salvador wildly over-inflated the value of his signature, which wasn’t worth the paper it was written on until years later.
(it only became true later on, which means it was still a lie in the moment)
So I’ll leave you with one more example, before we wrap:
A few years back, Billie Eilish cleaned out the Grammys, taking home five of the six awards she was nominated for.
Each time her name was called, she would blush and look away in embarrassment:
Shy, almost afraid to dominate the spotlight.
The next day, Alicia Keys called her and said:
”Never apologize for being dope.”
In other words:
Never say you’re greater than you are.
But never say you’re not as great as you are, either.
And never, ever leave without leaving a tip.
- T
P.S. Meanwhile, on X…
I just answered the (weird) question:
”Will meditation make me more money?”
Unsubscribe | Update your profile | 5-420 Erb St. W, Suite 433, Waterloo, ON N2L6K6″There are some days when I think I’m going to die from an overdose of satisfaction.” – Salvador Dali
Before Salvador Dali became famous, he often signed restaurant cheques without paying.
His reason:
“Someday this signature will be worth far more than the meal.”
Imagine being his waiter:
You feed your family with the income you make from tips, and some dopey-looking mustached mfxer you’ve never heard of leaves you his autograph instead.
Now imagine you keep his signature, just in case.
And, ten years later, you buy yourself a damn house with it.
Mustache doesn’t look so dopey now, does it?
Of course, dining and dashing is still a dick move.
And leaving your autograph instead of cash is unforgivably arrogant.
But damn if it isn’t also kinda gangster.
I’m sharing this story as an extreme example of a principle that came up on a recent Path AMA call:
False humility is a lie.
Reducing yourself, hiding your accomplishments, shrinking to avoid threatening others, pretending you’re less than you really are…
…Is just as dishonest as over-inflating yourself.
The only truthful response is the truth.
No more, no less.
Of course, Salvador wildly over-inflated the value of his signature, which wasn’t worth the paper it was written on until years later.
(it only became true later on, which means it was still a lie in the moment)
So I’ll leave you with one more example, before we wrap:
A few years back, Billie Eilish cleaned out the Grammys, taking home five of the six awards she was nominated for.
Each time her name was called, she would blush and look away in embarrassment:
Shy, almost afraid to dominate the spotlight.
The next day, Alicia Keys called her and said:
”Never apologize for being dope.”
In other words:
Never say you’re greater than you are.
But never say you’re not as great as you are, either.
And never, ever leave without leaving a tip.
- T
P.S. Meanwhile, on X…
I just answered the (weird) question:
”Will meditation make me more money?”
“There are some days when I think I’m going to die from an overdose of satisfaction.” – Salvador Dali
Before Salvador Dali became famous, he often signed restaurant cheques without paying.
His reason:
“Someday this signature will be worth far more than the meal.”
Imagine being his waiter:
You feed your family with the income you make from tips, and some dopey-looking mustached mfxer you’ve never heard of leaves you his autograph instead.
Now imagine you keep his signature, just in case.
And, ten years later, you buy yourself a damn house with it.
Mustache doesn’t look so dopey now, does it?
Of course, dining and dashing is still a dick move.
And leaving your autograph instead of cash is unforgivably arrogant.
But damn if it isn’t also kinda gangster.
I’m sharing this story as an extreme example of a principle that came up on a recent Path AMA call:
False humility is a lie.
Reducing yourself, hiding your accomplishments, shrinking to avoid threatening others, pretending you’re less than you really are…
…Is just as dishonest as over-inflating yourself.
The only truthful response is the truth.
No more, no less.
Of course, Salvador wildly over-inflated the value of his signature, which wasn’t worth the paper it was written on until years later.
(it only became true later on, which means it was still a lie in the moment)
So I’ll leave you with one more example, before we wrap:
A few years back, Billie Eilish cleaned out the Grammys, taking home five of the six awards she was nominated for.
Each time her name was called, she would blush and look away in embarrassment:
Shy, almost afraid to dominate the spotlight.
The next day, Alicia Keys called her and said:
”Never apologize for being dope.”
In other words:
Never say you’re greater than you are.
But never say you’re not as great as you are, either.
And never, ever leave without leaving a tip.
- T
P.S. Meanwhile, on X…
I just answered the (weird) question:
”Will meditation make me more money?”
Unsubscribe | Update your profile | 5-420 Erb St. W, Suite 433, Waterloo, ON N2L6K6
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Nostalgia-jacking
Today we’re weaponising nostalgia like a memory merchant dealing in pure, uncut feelings.
Sometimes we go back to the good ol’ days.
And we bust out the things that have been deeply rooted in our minds that take us back down memory lane.
Case in point.
Tonight I’m watching The Goonies again.
I haven’t watched it in forever but talk of it with a friend brought all of those memories back.
Nostalgia isn’t just a trip down memory lane. It’s emotional cocaine wrapped in the comfort blanket of your childhood.
It’s that dial-up internet sound that still makes your brain tingle. It’s the smell of Pop-Tarts on Saturday morning while watching cartoons.
It’s the feeling of being young and unbroken, before the world decided to put our dreams in a box and pop on a shelf a little higher than our reach.
And now we’re going to hijack those feelings…
WHY?
Because nostalgia hits harder than:
Your first breakup
That time you tried to fight a goose
My ninth cup of coffee
The realisation that you’re now older than the parents in Home Alone
When you tap into nostalgia, you’re not just writing, you’re performing temporal surgery on your readers’ hearts.
You’re reaching through time and space to grab them by their emotional giblets and whisper, “Remember when everything didn’t suck?”
And so we weaponise the past.
- EMOTIONAL ARCHAEOLOGY
Dig up those feelings like you’re Indiana Jones of the soul:
- The sound of a GameBoy starting up
- The taste of Dunkaroos
- The way your grandmother’s house smelled when she baked an apple pie
- That one summer when everything was perfect
- MEMORY MIXOLOGY
Blend the old with the new like some kind of time-traveling bartender:
- Modern problems, retro solutions
- Old school feelings, new school delivery
- Yesterday’s comfort, today’s chaos
- TACTICAL FEELING DEPLOYMENT
Drop those nostalgia bombs with surgical precision:
- Reference the shared past
- Twist the familiar
- Make them feel safe, then punch them in the feels
People don’t just want to remember.
They want to feel. They want to reconnect with that version of themselves that still believed in magic, that thought where adulthood would have more sword fights.
If we could build a time machine and feed it emotion for fuel, then we’d never have issues connecting with people via our words.
Stephen Walker
And if you wanna discover the little tricks to apply this to your writing, your marketing and your life come join us below
https://stphnwlkr.com/theleagueP.S. Yes, I wrote this while wearing my original Goonies t-shirt that’s 15+ years old…
P.P.S. The squirrels watching through my window seem nostalgic today. They’re probably remembering simpler times, before they started working for the government.
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Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom -
Kobe nailed this
“Some of our greatest breakthroughs came when everything seemed to be falling apart.” – Phil Jackson
Kobe Bryant once described Phil Jackson’s coaching style like this:
(paraphrasing because I can’t find the exact quote…)
“Imagine a ship lost at sea, tossed around by storms, crew panicking, scrambling to stay afloat.
This goes for weeks and months.
Until, one day, the ship washes up on the shore of its destination.Fully intact. Safe and sound. Mission accomplished.
That’s Phil.”
In other words:
Phil was a master at turning chaos into opportunity, not only because he embraced chaos…
But because he would actually create chaos:
Throwing his team into storms and forcing them to find their way, like a ship captain who teaches his crew how to swim by tossing them overboard.
For example:
He refused to call timeouts when opposing teams caught fire, insisting his players find solutions on the fly.
He deliberately mis-matched players in practice, pushing them into unfamiliar positions.
He changed rules mid-scrimmage without warning (once causing MJ to storm out of the gym).
He gifted books to his players that were intentionally triggering; forcing his players to see uncomfortable sides of themselves.
He even manipulated the media to create drama between his star players.
All on purpose.
The result:
Eleven championship teams, all famous for their cool, steady resolve under pressure.
Teams that could brave storms, navigate crisis, and turn chaos into opportunity.
Because, as Phil knew:
Chaos is guaranteed.
Nobody wins a world championship…
…Or, for that matter, builds a successful business, creates a lifelong relationship, raises a happy family, reaches mastery, insert big goal here…
…Without facing storms, chaos, and crisis.
Repeatedly.
And the defining feature of those who accomplish big goals, with no exceptions:
Is that when chaos inevitably comes…
When the waves crash, the wind howls, and the storm thunders overhead…
When others retreat and run for cover…
They steady their stance, steel their mind, and step into the storm head-on.
And, when the storm is too big to bear…
They themselves become bigger.
Happy Tuesday.
- T
P.S. In case you missed it yesterday…
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The Hungry Ghost
“We may not be responsible for the world that created our minds, but we can take responsibility for the mind with which we create our world.” – Gabor Maté
Huge belly, tiny mouth.
Always hungry, never full.
This is the state of The Hungry Ghost that lives within each of us:
Always wanting but never getting, because the more it gets, the more it wants.
The Hungry Ghost is a metaphor for the impulsive human mind, taught in various forms by nearly every spiritual tradition throughout history.
It is the impulse that drives us to do more of what makes us sick, and less of what makes us healthy.
To reach for our phone without reason, and scroll without knowing what we’re looking for.
To eat what satisfies our mouth but harms our body.
To hunt for pleasure that stunts our progress.
To seek validation from others instead of from within.
The Hungry Ghost sits at the root of our pain, our suffering, and our dysfunction…
Feeding on what makes us sick, and growing hungrier with every bite.
And there is only one antidote:
Stop feeding it.
Whatever your own Hungry Ghost is growing hungrier for…
…Whatever you are doing that you know you need to stop doing…
…That is holding you back or even hurting you:
Stop, and let it starve.
Yes, The Hungry Ghost will scream.
It will wail and howl and beg.
But each time we refuse, its cries grow quieter.
It loses power, and begins to shrink.
And, as it shrinks:
We begin to grow.
- T
P.S. This just dropped. Banger.
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- T
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Making mugs that scream truth at your face
I’m about to tattoo some truth onto your souls, and like that time you tried to give yourself a stick-and-poke at 2 AM (we’ve all been there), this is gonna sting.
First off, let’s talk about those “New Year, New Me” posts flooding your timeline like a sewage backup of false promises.
You know the ones. They’ve got the lifespan of a mayfly with commitment issues.
Everything you are right now.
Every victory, every face-plant into the concrete sidewalk of reality, every “well, that plan went to hell in a handbasket” moment.
It’s ALL ON YOU.
WAIT!
Don’t throw your device across the room like it just insulted your mother.
I know what’s screaming in your skull palace right now
“But Stephen, what about that editor who ghosted me?”
“What about when my laptop died mid-manuscript?”
“What about when the squirrels stole my outline?”
Even when it’s not your fault, MAKING IT YOUR FAULT is your superpower
Let’s do some soul-surgery with these questions (grab your notebook)
- What bullshit story are you telling yourself about why you’re not writing/creating/conquering? (Be brutal. Your ego’s been asking for a beating)
- If everything was 100% your fault, what would you do differently tomorrow? (This one’s gonna hurt worse than gas station sushi)
- What are you avoiding owning because it’s easier to blame Mercury being in Gatorade? (Yeah, THAT thing)
- If Future You kicked down your door right now, what would they scream about your current weak-sauce mindset?
The moment you start treating every obstacle like it’s a personal invitation to level up your game, that’s when shit gets real. That’s when you transform from background character to protagonist in your own weird-ass story.
You’re not a victim of circumstances. You’re the slightly unhinged architect of your own destiny. Even when life’s being a complete thunderweasel, your response is your responsibility.
So grab your metaphorical sword (or actual sword – I don’t judge, I write in a murder shed), and start owning every piece of your story. Even the parts that make you want to hide under your desk with a family-size bag of chocolate and your emotional support coffee mug.
Stephen Walker
http://stphnwlkr.com/
P.S. Yes, I wrote this without pants while making “Own Your Chaos” mugs. Multitasking is my superpower.
P.P.S. The squirrels watching through my window seem inspired. This is concerning.
P.P.P.S. No refunds on personal growth. Terms and conditions may apply. Side effects may include increased responsibility and decreased ability to blame Mercury retrograde for your problems
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Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom -
Stop fussing and write the damn thing
Oh, sweet baby formatting Jesus, look at this shiny, precious thing.
A formatting feature in Facebook groups?
Oh, the possibilities!
It’s gonna be amazing for writing posts. I’m practically drooling, imagining perfectly spaced lines, clean breaks between paragraphs, the kind of formatting that’d make Helvetica weep.
And then reality comes along, kicks down the door, and smacks me upside the head with a chair.
Because what happens? You spend hours fiddling. Hours. Spaces, line breaks, indents, making sure it all looks just so. And then—oh, and then—it shits the bed.
It collapses into a flaming pile of hot, glitchy garbage.
Your carefully curated masterpiece looks like it was formatted by a drunk squirrel with a vendetta against whitespace.
But you know what?
This isn’t about Facebook formatting. Not really.
I mean this also just an email…
And totally not me telling you need to join my group because I’m going to sharing even more in depth posts over there…
It’s about perfectionism.
Perfectionism is the serial killer of creativity. It wears a mask of virtue, whispering sweet nothings in your ear: “I just want it to be right. I just want it to look good. I just want it to be perfect.” Meanwhile, your story is bleeding out on the floor, dying a slow, agonising death by a thousand tiny, nitpicky cuts.
So here’s what I’ve started doing. I write my posts/emails in Notepad. Basic-ass, boring Notepad. No formatting, no distractions, no blinking cursor judging me like it’s auditioning for a Black Mirror episode. Just words on a screen. And then I throw it into Facebook and let the formatting gods do their worst and here in these emails I just spice it up so it makes your reading a little easier…
Because here’s the thing: You’re wasting time. You’re wasting so much time. The same way you waste time adjusting margins, downloading new fonts, or rearranging your desktop icons for the thirteenth time today. Your coffee’s cold. Your post is unwritten. Your story is still a limping idea trapped in your head.
And somewhere out there in the multiverse, your future readers—your audience, your people—are aging. They’re waiting for the book or post or story you’re too scared to write badly.
Stop it.
STOP IT RIGHT NOW.
Here’s the unglamorous, unsexy truth about writing.
It’s not about inspiration striking like a goddamn lightning bolt from Olympus. It’s about showing up. Every day. Like a stubborn postal worker in a hurricane.
“Neither snow, nor rain, nor poorly aligned paragraphs shall stay this writer from their appointed word count.”
You don’t need perfect. Perfect is a lie. Perfect is quicksand and it just filled with procrastination.
Because here’s what’s going to happen:
- Facebook will eat your formatting.
- Microsoft Word will crash and take your unsaved work with it.
- Scrivener will update itself into a whole new language just when you’ve finally figured out how to use it.
The universe does not care about your pursuit of perfect. The universe mocks your Helvetica fetish. (And I get it—god, I love Helvetica—but still.)
So write it anyway. Write it messy. Write it ugly. Write it like a caffeinated squirrel fighting a keyboard. That’s not a bug; it’s a feature.
First drafts are supposed to look like a crime scene. You’ll clean it up later. Polish comes later. Right now, your only job is to vomit those words onto the page.
Want to know the big secret handshake of successful writers?
They finish the damn thing.
That’s it. That’s the secret. They wrote the book, ugly and raw and messy as hell. They finished it. Because a finished, imperfect book is worth infinitely more than the perfect one still trapped in your head.
So close the tab with writing tips. Shut down Pinterest. Stop rearranging your desk like it’s some sacred writing ritual. Open literally anything that can hold words, and write.
Write like someone’s holding your coffee hostage.
Write like autocorrect isn’t actively plotting your demise.
Write like there’s a fire in your gut and the only way to put it out is to get the words down.
Write the messy Facebook post. Write the ugly first draft. Hit send. Hit save.
Done is better than perfect.
The world doesn’t need another perfect manuscript gathering dust on an old hard drive that’s one power surge away from death. The world needs your story. The messy, imperfect, glorious chaos only you can create.
So go. Write it. Make it ugly. Make it real. Make it yours.
And for the love of all that’s holy, hit save occasionally. Because nothing kills the soul quite like losing a banger of a post to a browser crash.
Now get to it.
Stephen Walker
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Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom -
Phoenix the hell out of this year
aggressively sips first coffee of 2025 while organising chaos manifestos in the murder shed
We’re about to turn this year into something that makes 2024 look like a practice run at life.
First off, let’s talk about what we’re leaving behind in 2024:
- Self-doubt (that toxic ex who keeps drunk-texting your creativity)
- Imposter syndrome (that roommate who never pays rent but eats all your food)
- Creative blocks (they can go live with your high school English teacher)
- Whatever the hell Twitter/X is doing (seriously, what IS that?)
- People who say “just write” (straight to jail)
Now, let’s talk about what we’re bringing into 2025:
CONSISTENCY:
Not the boring kind where you eat the same sad lunch every day, but the kind where you:
- Show up for your art like it’s a caffeine addiction
- Write even when your brain is throwing a tantrum
- Create with the regularity
- Build habits that make the chaos productive
COMMUNITY:
We’re building something here, A tribe of:
- Creative lunatics
- Word-wielding warriors
- Art-making anarchists
- Coffee-powered revolutionaries
- Pants-optional professionals
PEACE:
Not the boring kind where everything’s quiet and still (gross), but the chaotic peace of:
- Knowing your weird is your superpower
- Understanding that your path doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s
- Accepting that sometimes your best writing happens at 3 AM while arguing with squirrels
- Finding calm in the creative storm
This is the year we:
- Write the weird stuff
- Make the art that scares us
- Build the things that make normal people uncomfortable
2025 isn’t just going to be a year. It’s your personal renaissance, your creative revolution, your artistic uprising. And you’ve got an army of equally unhinged creators right here with you.
Here’s to:
- More words
- Better art
- Stronger coffee
- Fewer pants
- Zero fucks given about “proper” creative processes
Stephen Walker
P.S. Yes, I wrote this while pantsless. New year, same chaos.
P.P.S. The squirrels watching through my window have new notebooks. They’re obviously planning something for 2025.
If you’re not diggin’ these tasty little emails anymore you can hit the unsubscribe button right here >>> unsubscribe
Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom -
Tired of watching other creators blow up while you remain invisible?
You’re probably familiar with the proverb, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
That’s true.
But here’s the real kick in the teeth.
Taking that first step means jackshit if you’re walking in circles.
Let’s be honest.
You’ve started projects, built worlds, created art… only to watch them die in obscurity while some teenager on TikTok gets famous for eating soap. (Don’t eat soap, kids.)
You’ve probably got notebooks full of ideas, hard drives packed with unfinished stories, and a gnawing feeling that you’re missing something crucial.
I get it. I’ve been there.
That hellish loop of creating something awesome, throwing it into the void, and hearing nothing but crickets.
It’s like screaming into a pillow made of rejection letters and zero social media engagement.
The worst part? Watching other creators build rabid fanbases while you’re still trying to convince your mom to read your blog.
Here’s the thing, though.
You don’t have to keep banking on luck or praying to the tech overlord-gods.
I’m taken everything I learned from 15+ years of building worlds, writing books, tech sales and growing an audience of art-loving weirdos, and distilled it into a place to hang out that doesn’t require you to sell your soul or dance like a monkey on social media.
It works by tapping into the psychological triggers that make people not just notice your work, but become evangelists for it.
(What marketing nerds call “organic advocacy” – fancy, right?)
If you’re ready to stop being the internet’s best-kept secret, if you’re tired of creating amazing stuff that nobody sees, then this is the roadmap you’ve been missing.
I’ve been having a chat to a lovely human who I absolutely adore and we’ve both noticed that social media in general is just a cesspool of sell sell sell.
There’s no community and no connection and while some people are pushing for certain platforms…
What’s considered OG (Facebook) is still the best place to hang.
So in 2025 I’ll be opening up a Facebook group.
My plan is to make it the most fun and most addictive place you’ve ever hung out online.
It’ll be going back to the old blogging days of sharing, where you can be yourself without judgement.
There will be strict laws, rules and a manifesto to follow.
You’ll get to pick my brain and I’m already working on everything I’m creating into modules you can learn from.
And I hope when you do join, you start to apply what you learn and create your own group aka cult of raving fans.
2025 is going to be all about going back to community and that’s my prediction, but not many people know how to do that. I’ll be sharing the secret sauce, cause what works here in my emails to you. Is addictive on Facebook.
So let’s end 2024 on a high and get ready to kick 2025’s ass.
Stop watching other creators live your dream. It’s time for you to build the audience YOUR art deserves and I’ll catch you next year
To Art + Chaos and Community.
Stephen Walker
P.S. Seriously, don’t eat soap.
P.P.S. I’ll need to get one of you to help keep the squirrels out…
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Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom -
New Year, Same Me
The social feeds are going to be FLOODED with “New Year, New Me” posts.
So brace yourselves.
Now for me. I like personal development. Growth is always a good thing.
Doing the inner work is a must, even if it makes you curl up in a corner and ugly cry while eating the left over cheeses and Christmas cake.
The thing is. We’re creative folk. We do things differently. We are quick to help others out of a jam but we definitely neglect ourselves in that sense.
So let’s do something a little different in 2025.
Love ourselves more and know fully that we deserve ALL of the good things coming up.
We have this odd self image of ourselves that can stop us from making the necessary changes that’ll move us closer to our ideal lives.
Yes it’s okay to have bad days and I fully encourage you to sit with all of those emotions and work through them.
When you ignore them and try bottle them up inside. When they do come out, they come out with a vengeance and people who are caught in the crossfire get utterly demolished by it.
This is a little more of a serious musing inspired by another lovely human who I adore.
So let’s go in to 2025 loving ourselves a little more than we did before and realise that it’s all a beautiful journey of growth and self acceptance.
Dig deep, eve if it sucks and hurts and makes you want to give up, cause that’s where the real change happens.
We just need to be consistent about it and also not forget to have fun as well. Go back to the things you did that set your soul on fire.
Read, write, paint, sing, play games, watch your favourite series and movies…EAT more cheese. Drink more amazing coffee…
You name it. If it makes you happy, do more of it and be ruthless to the things that suck the energy right out of you.
Stephen Walker
stphnwlkr.com
P.S. No squirrels were seen today. I think they know that I’m on to them…
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Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom -
My world is like North Korea
Good morning comrades…
Here’s a little post about why my online presence is basically North Korea.
And why your social media presence needs to be run like a dictator’s fever dream.
You need to create a manifesto of some sorts, except it needs to be fun and here’s why…
When people follow you they’re given;
- THE ILLUSION OF CHOICE
Your subscribers, fans and followers aren’t just following you. They’re being GRANTED ACCESS to your carefully curated realm of creativity.
Like any good communist state, they should feel privileged to be there.
Sure, they could leave, but why would they want to when you’re providing:
- Daily rations of unhinged wisdom
- Strategic deployments of coffee-fuelled insights
- Carefully controlled doses of behind-the-scenes chaos
- The warm embrace of collective creative madness
- THE SOCIAL CONTRACT
Every communist dictatorship needs its rules.
Your followers aren’t just clicking “follow” They’re signing a social contract written in metaphorical blood stains and rebellion.
They need to…
- Respect the collective
- Share the propaganda (I mean, content)
- Support your fellow comrades
- Never question why I write without pants
- THE GREAT PURGE
Sometimes, you need to clean house like Stalin cleaning his Twitter feed if he had one that is…
- Trolls? Straight to the gulag but right after you profit from exposing them to the commune.
- Spam bots? Off to the salt mines.
- Energy vampires? Immediate exile.
- People who say “just write”? Believe it or not, also gulag time…
- THE INNER CIRCLE
Create a hierarchy that would make Lenin proud:
- Outer Circle: Regular followers (the proletariat)
- Middle Circle: Engaged commenters (the party members)
- Inner Circle: True believers who get your most unhinged jokes (the politburo)
- Inner-Inner Circle: People who understand why the squirrels are government spies etc.
It’s about creating language and in-jokes / references that only you and your community understand.
When people leave or if they get banned for not following your ways you can introduce:
- THE REHABILITATION PROGRAM
For those who wish to return after exile:
- Written self-criticism (must include at least three coffee metaphors)
- Public acknowledgment of their capitalist content crimes
- Solemn vow to never again suggest that Comic Sans is acceptable
- Tribute in the form of good coffee beans or anything else you deem valid for re-entry and even then it’s not guaranteed.
When creating content you need to think of it as a:
- THE PROPAGANDA MACHINE
Your content isn’t just content, it needs to come across as state-sponsored art:
- Every post should reinforce the collective narrative
- Every story should strengthen the community bonds
- Every joke should remind them why they pledged allegiance to you
- Every coffee reference should be both threatening and comforting
As you can tell, I write about a lot of topics which tie in to what I do.
There’s always a common theme mixed with a little humour.
I’m a coffee snob, I make jokes about the squirrels and I don’t take anything too seriously.
Metaphors and analogies are how I get my ideas and points across and they’re used to indoctrinate you into my way of thinking.
When you do this you need to remember that what you’re building is a MOVEMENT.
There should always be a summary of your laws that you spread every now and then.
Not everyone is going to see all of your messages, so you need to reinforce it and re-share it.
Make it a pinned post on Twitter or Facebook, create a blog post. Reference it in emails every now and then.
When people come into my world they know…
- The Leader (that’s me) is always right
- If the Leader is wrong, refer to Law 1
- Coffee is mandatory
- Pants are optional
- Squirrels are suspicious
Obviously you can make up your own laws / maxims / rules but they need to part of you and what you’d consider your “brand”
I’m here to make things fun and give you a little bit of entertainment from all of the wild stuff going on in the world.
In 2025 like everything else, the focus should be on a community. People crave being part of a collective of others who aspire to or look up to someone who is on a mission. Whether it’s to inspire them to do the same or if they just want to tag along for the ride.
As more people get glued to Youtube and Tiktok and have their brain rot because it’s designed just to get you to waste time. A lot of the content is there to get you distracted for a few minutes here and there.
A community is where you can come together and share ideas and just find people who are like you to talk to and become friends with.
After all, everything out there should be used as tools to suck people into your world (community) and that should be the aim for 2025 and onwards.
Stephen Walker
stphnwlkr.com
P.S. Yes, this manifesto was written without pants, as all great revolutionary documents should be.
P.P.S. The squirrels watching through my window are taking notes. I’ve seen them organizing. They’re definitely CIA.
P.P.P.S. If anyone needs me, I’ll be in my murder shed, planning the next phase of our creative revolution while drinking coffee strong enough to raise Marx from the dead.
GLORY TO THE CREATIVE COLLECTIVE!
(Terms and conditions apply. No refunds. All hail the tasty black bean juice.)
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Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom -
Writers block is a lying liar that lies
This is the regular end of the year talk about that mythological beast people call “writer’s block”
That mind-fucking Medusa that’s allegedly turning your creativity into stone while your muse drinks Mai Tais in Maui with your motivation.
PLOT TWIST: It’s all horseshit.
(Yeah, I said it. Come at me with your artisanal fountain pens and vintage Moleskines.)
I’ve got a cute one with a little lego patch on and I can stick things on it, so yeah I guess you’re jealous, now eh?
But here’s a little meat-marinated truth sandwich, served with a side of wake-the-fuck-up sauce…
Writer’s block is about as real as Shakespeare’s Twitter account or my chances of winning “Britain’s Next Top Productivity Guru.” What you’re actually experiencing is one of these shit-shellacked situations:
- Your brain is playing Pokemon Go with your anxiety
- Depression is sitting on your face like a narcoleptic elephant (Definitely not the type of sexy thing you were probably thing that involves, never mind…)
- Your inner editor has gone full Dictator Mode™ (now with 100% more self-loathing!)
- You’re afraid of writing hot garbage (NEWSFLASH: we all write hot garbage and I mean I write hell of a lot of hot garbage.)
“But Stephen,” you whimper into your fourth cup of coffee, “I can’t even get out of bed, let alone write the next Great American Novel!”
THAT’S EXACTLY WHEN YOU SHOULD BE WRITING.
Think of writing like a constipated dragon.
Sometimes all you need is one tiny spark to get things moving. (Sorry for that image. Actually, no I’m not.)
Here’s your depression-proof battle plan on the days where your creativity told you to eat shit:
- Write ONE sentence. Just one. Even if it’s “Fuck this day with a rusty spork.”
- Write it BADLY. Channel your inner drunken raccoon trying to write poetry while wearing oven mitts.
- Write in BED. Your laptop knows what it signed up for.
- Write ANYTHING. Grocery lists. Hate mail to your writer’s block. Fanfiction about your coffee maker.
The thing about writing when your brain is being a spectacular asshole, is it’s like doing push-ups with your creativity. Every word is a middle finger that ripples out into the distance. Every sentence is a tiny revolution against the darkness you feel your self getting sucked in to.
(And yes, I just compared writing to exercise. I’m as disappointed in me as you are.)
BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! (RIP BILLY MAYS)
The secret sauce, the holy grail, the philosophical butter on this truth sandwich is this:
Writing isn’t about waiting for inspiration to descend like some kind of muse-shaped UberEats delivery. It’s about showing up, day after day, even when your brain feels like it’s been replaced with expired cottage cheese.
Remember this from some of my favourite writers:
- Hemingway wrote hungover
- Mary Shelley wrote while grieving
- Kafka wrote with crushing anxiety
- I’m writing this while my coffee maker judges me silently
The point isn’t to write well. The point is to write AT ALL.
Think of each word as a tiny light in the darkness, like a firefly with a drinking problem – it might not be flying straight, but it’s still making light, dammit.
Now, get your ass in that chair (or stay in bed, I’m not your mom) and write something. Anything. Even if it’s just:
“Dear Writer’s Block,
Eat a bag of dicks.
Sincerely,
Me”
Because that’s still writing,That’s still moving the needle. That’s still telling your brain-demons to go fuck themselves with a thesaurus.
One last thing to remember is, writer’s block can’t read. But you can write. And that’s your superpower.
(And if anyone asks, tell them your unhinged writing coach said it was okay.)
Now go out and ART HARDER
Stephen Walker
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Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom -
Rage, rage against the dying of your dreams.
In 2025 we become chaos merchants.
I’m about to channel Dylan Thomas through a megaphone made of pure creative warfare.
“Do not go gentle into that good night” isn’t just poetry anymore.
It needs to be a battle cry and part of our Manifest for 2025.
We’re not tiptoeing into the new year like we’re trying not to wake up our inner critics.
We’re kick-flipping through its front door while dual-wielding creativity like we’re in some kind of artistic John Woo movie.
Let’s be honest for a second or two. The last four years have been a dumpster fire wrapped in a train wreck, stuffed inside a carnival of chaos.
Since 2020, we’ve been living in what feels like a badly written dystopian novel where the editor just gave up and said “fuck it, print it.”
But you know what? ENOUGH of all that bs.
We’re done with these things:
Playing small
Writing safe
Creating cautiously
Waiting for permission
Making excuses
Living in the shadow of “what if”
2025 isn’t just another year we’re going to let roll out and do whatever.
Tit’s our revenge story against mediocrity. It’s time to go full John Wick on our creative blocks, except instead of a pencil, we’re armed with…
Unhinged imagination, caffeinated determination, the kind of attitude that makes squirrels nervous and whatever the hell comes out of our brain at 3 AM.
(Yes 3AM is just something spiritual to me at this point)
This isn’t about “new year, new me”
That’s bumper sticker philosophy for people who think missionary position is adventurous.
This is about “new year, same chaos goblin, but now with PURPOSE.”
Your dreams? Not just wishes anymore. They’re targets.
Your goals? Not just plans. They’re declarations of war.
Your creativity? Some people called it a hobby. It’s NOW, your weapon of choice.
When December 2025 rolls around, I want us all to look back and say, “Holy shit, did I really do all that?” while covered in the metaphorical blood, sweat, and coffee stains of whatever creative battle we’re going to head in to.
Mediocrity is comfortable. It’s safe. It’s the warm bath of creative death. But you weren’t built for comfortable.
You were built for;
Stories that punch readers in the face
Art that makes people question reality
Content that makes the our tech overlords cry
Creation that leaves an actual mark out in the world
So rage, Rage against playing it safe.
Rage against “maybe later.”
Rage against every “you can’t” that’s ever been thrown at you.
Rage against the dying of your creative light until it becomes a forest fire of pure artistic bliss.
Stephen Walker
P.S. Yes, I wrote this manifesto without pants. Revolution doesn’t require formal wear.
P.P.S. The squirrels watching through my window are stockpiling nuts like they know what’s coming. THEY SHOULD BE AFRAID.
P.P.P.S. If anyone needs me, I’ll be in my murder shed, planning creative warfare while drinking coffee strong enough to raise the dead.
Also, Dylan Thomas wasn’t just writing poetry. He was giving us permission to burn down the house of mediocrity and build something beautiful from its ashes.
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Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom -
My fridge looks like a dairy apocalypse
There’s a MOUNTAIN OF CHEESE currently occupying my refrigerator like some kind of cultured terrorist organisation.
The thing about cheese is, It’s like story ideas…
You can never have too many, and some of them get better with age. Currently, my fridge looks like a French cheese shop had a torrid affair with a Wisconsin dairy farm, and their offspring has staged a coup.
The cycle is eternal:
Buy Christmas cheese Eat Christmas cheese Buy more cheese because you're running low on Christmas cheese Find forgotten Christmas cheese behind newer cheese Repeat until the heat death of the universeIt’s the circle of life, if life was made entirely of dairy products and poor impulse control.
So while there’s still festivities about. I’m just trying my best to not get sucked into a lactose induced coma.
But it’s going to be a day of Christmas movies, again.
Also, tell me about your Christmas. What was good, bad and all the things in between. Did YOU have a enough cheese?
Hit reply. Don’t be shy.
Stephen Walker
P.S. Yes, I wrote this without pants while eating Brie at 3 AM.
P.P.S. The squirrels watching through my window are judging my cheese-to-human ratio. JUDGE AWAY, RODENTS.
P.P.P.S. If anyone needs me, I’ll be building a fortress of Gouda and regretIf you’re not diggin’ these tasty little emails anymore you can hit the unsubscribe button right here >>> unsubscribe
Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom -
A CAFFEINATED CHRISTMAS THANK YOU FROM THE MURDER SHED
emotionally sips coffee while organizing gratitude notes written on gas station receipts
I’m about to get uncomfortably sincere for a minute (Which is like the second time this year), and we all know that’s not my natural state.
This year has been wilder than that time I tried to fight a goose while hopped up on my ninth espresso. We’ve survived AI trying to steal our jobs, billionaires playing space cowboys, and whatever the hell happened on Twitter/X/Whatever-It’s-Called-This-Week.
But you know what made it all worthwhile? You beautiful creative meat sacks showing up here, reading my unhinged rants about writing, creativity, and why pants are optional when crafting fiction.
You’ve turned this little corner of the internet into something special, like a coffee shop run by perfectly chaotic librarians who occasionally break into interpretive dance.
Thank you for letting me into your inbox like some kind of word-gremlin.
Thank you for making this place feel like home, if home was run by slightly unhinged creative types who think 3 AM is a perfectly reasonable time to start writing.
So whether you’re:
Traveling (may your flights be smooth and your road trip snacks plentiful)
Staying put (may your WiFi be strong and your coffee stronger)
Celebrating (eat ALL the cheeses)
Not celebrating (may your day be peaceful and your Netflix queue endless)
Just existing (you’re doing great, keep breathing)
Remember this: You matter. Your stories matter. Your art matters. Even if right now it feels like you’re just screaming into the void, know that somewhere out here, another creative like you is screaming back in solidarity.
Stephen Walker
https://stphnwlkr.com/P.S. Yes, I wrote this heartfelt message without pants. Traditions matter.
P.P.S. The squirrels watching through my window seem touched. Or they’re plotting something. Hard to tell with squirrels.
P.P.P.S. May your holidays be bright, your coffee be strong, and your creative spirits be unbreakable.If you’re not diggin’ these tasty little emails anymore you can hit the unsubscribe button right here >>> unsubscribe
Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom -
Santa goes John Wick before Christmas
aggressively sips eggnog-spiked coffee from murder shed
We’re all slowly winding down a little before eat more roast potatoes and all of the Christmas-y foods…
I need to tell you about the greatest Christmas violence since Hans Gruber fell from Nakatomi Plaza.
You know how sometimes you need a break from writing about murder to watch some murder instead?
Well, let me introduce you to Violent Night, where Santa Claus goes full John Wick on some unfortunate bastards who clearly didn’t read the “naughty list” fine print.
David Harbour (looking like me after a three-day writing binge) plays Santa, but instead of just dropping presents down chimneys, he’s dropping bodies. It’s like someone took every Christmas movie cliché and gave it a battlefield promotion.
The premise is simple. Bad guys try to ruin Christmas. Santa says “ho-ho-holy shit” and proceeds to turn festive decorations into weapons of yuletide destruction. It’s everything I never knew I needed in a Christmas movie, and I once wrote a 3,000-word essay about why Die Hard is the greatest holiday film ever made. I’ll have to dig it up sometime.
What makes this beautiful film work is that it’s exactly what it says on the tin. No pretence.
No “but what does Christmas really mean?” philosophical nonsense. Just Santa going full Viking (yes, that’s actually part of the plot) on people who definitely won’t be getting presents this year. Unless you count concussions as presents.
It’s the perfect movie to watch while taking a break from your own writing, questioning your life choices, wondering if you could fight off home invaders with Christmas decorations and drinking something festive and possibly questionable.
The best part? It’s basically a masterclass in genre-blending storytelling. They took two completely different concepts (jolly gift-giving and brutal revenge), threw them in a blender, and somehow made it work. As a writer, that’s the kind of beautiful chaos we should all aspire to create.
Stephen Walker
Obviously I was going to put the trailer in here cause now you’re curious and want some of THAT festive cheer
P.S. Yes, I watched this without pants. Santa doesn’t judge.
P.P.S. The squirrels watching through my window seemed disturbed by my enthusiastic cheering during the hammer scene. GOOD.
P.P.P.S. If anyone needs me, I’ll be in my murder shed, writing a spec script for “Easter Bunny: Chapter 1 – The Hop of Vengeance.” probably…
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Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom -
Is it shallow to want to make money?
“The greater the outward show, the greater the inner poverty.” – Jiddu Krishnamurti
Quick note before we begin:
This is our second last email before I take a (much needed) holiday break.
Our final email will land sometime later this week.
(I’m thinking of writing it during my flight to Costa Rica on Wednesday. So it will probably arrive on Thurs or Fri.)
Today, I want to finally, definitively, answer the very silly question…
“Is it shallow to want to make money?”
…Which is usually accompanied by even sillier answers like:
“Yes” or “no.”
Because as usual, the correct answer is:
“It depends.”
Depth is a measure of the part of your psyche the motivation comes from.
Is it coming from a superficial, fear-based impulse to impress others so you can feel worthy?
To gain status? To stunt?
To flash shiny things that hide deeper insecurities?
If so, welcome to the kiddie pool.
Splash around all you like, just don’t pretend you’re swimming in the Olympics.
Or, maybe your motivation is coming from the very normal need to provide for yourself and your family.
To to live well, free from survival pressure.
To do good work in an honest way.
Well, that’s deeper.
Deeper still…
Maybe you want to make money to fuel a greater vision:
A creative imperative, a purpose, a project that pushes humanity forward.
That’s even deeper.
Of course:
We all go shallow before we can go deep.
And for many of us, the kiddie pool is where we learn how to swim.
All good, fair play.
The only shame is to never graduate to the deep end:
To never experience how vast this ocean can be.
Bottom line, there are levels to the game.
And making money for the sake of making money is only level one.
- T
P.S. A huge, enormous, gigantic shout-out to everyone who joined our 2k25 clarity – strategy – execution workshop on Saturday.
One entrepreneur’s review:
“I can easily say today changed the entire trajectory of my year.
Clarity and strategy is something I struggled with for years. I now feel more empowered to accomplish my goals than I ever have.
This workshop, in one single day, has given me all the tools necessary to succeed.”
- Ethan Simons, co-founder Bullish Events
Another simply said:
”Toby Maguire got bit by a spider. You must have been bit by a GOAT.”
- Nicolas Bruno, business student
We did that sh*t, y’all.
So, so good.
Just remember…
Unsubscribe | Update your profile | 5-420 Erb St. W, Suite 433, Waterloo, ON N2L6K6
-
No time for depresso, drink an espresso.
I’m about to tell you why the current state of marketing makes me want to throw my laptop into traffic while screaming Shakespeare insults at our digital overlords.
The last year has been about as exciting as watching paint dry in slow motion while someone explains cryptocurrency.
Every email, every sales page, every “revolutionary” marketing approach has been as predictable as my morning coffee addiction
(which is to say, VERY)
Close your eyes and imagine this:
You’re at a party. There are two people trying to tell you about their products/business/self etc.
Person A is wearing a suit, droning on about “paradigm shifts” and “synergistic opportunities” like they’re reading from a Business Buzzword Bingo card.
Person B is dressed like a chaos goblin, telling you wild stories about how they discovered their product formula while fighting off raccoons in their backyard at 3 AM, and somehow making it relevant to your life through a series of increasingly unhinged but entertaining metaphors.
Who are you going to remember? Who are you going to want to hear more from?
We’re not just competing with other marketers anymore. We’re competing with:
TikTok dancing pandas
Instagram reels of people falling into pools
YouTube videos of cats knocking things off tables
Netflix’s entire content library (Tbh I should get an achievement for completing Netflix in 2024)
That weird thing your aunt shared on Facebook
And we’re showing up to this entertainment Thunderdome with… bullet points and testimonials?
(I can’t help myself with making Mad Max references cause it’s ONE of my favourite Christmas movies, okay…)
WAKE UP AND SMELL THE BURNING ENGAGEMENT METRICS.
I’ve spent the last year watching my inbox fill up with emails that have all the personality of a corporate tax return.
It’s like everyone forgot that humans are basically just storytelling monkeys with credit cards and anxiety.
You want to know what works? ADVENTURE. CHAOS. FUN.
Example: I once wrote a sales page for a writing course that was structured like a choose-your-own-adventure book. Was it professional? Hell no. Did it convert? Like a caffeinated squirrel finding an unattended nut warehouse.
People bought because:
- They were entertained
- They wanted to see what other crazy shit I’d come up with
- The actual product was good (important detail)
- They felt like they were part of something more interesting than another “7-step system to success”
Here’s another little nugget of truth: Your audience doesn’t wake up in the morning thinking, “Gosh, I hope someone tries to sell me something today in the most boring way possible!”
They want:
Stories that make them forget they’re being sold to
Characters they can relate to (even if that character is your caffeinated, pantsless marketing persona)
Adventures they can be part of
Entertainment that doesn’t make them feel like they’re reading a terms of service agreement
So here’s my challenge to you as we sneak into 2025.
Stop being boring. Stop writing like you’re trying to impress your high school English teacher. Start writing like you’re telling stories at a bar after your third Espresso Martini (or whatever your beverage of choice is)
The little known secret that everyone forgets is…
People will buy from you not just because they need your stuff, but because they want to be part of your story.
They want to be part of something fun, something different, something that makes them feel alive in all of this digital world of “limited-time offers” and “exclusive bonuses.”
Stephen Walker
AND OFC I AM DEFINITELY NOT DRINKING AN ESPRESSO MARTINI IN THIS PICTURE YOU’RE NOT GONNA CLICK ON
P.S. Yes, I wrote this entire manifesto without pants. It’s part of my brand now.
P.P.S. The squirrels watching through my window are taking notes. They’re clearly planning something.
P.P.P.S. If anyone needs me, I’ll be in my murder shed, writing sales pages that make people question their reality while being entertained enough to actually read them.
Remember: Life’s too short for boring marketing. Make it weird. Make it fun. Make it memorable. And for the love of all things caffeinated, make it something that doesn’t make people want to gouge their eyes out with a rusty spoon.
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Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom -
My brain is currently a janky windows 95 computer
So today I woke up and my skull-computer is throwing up the blue screen of death.
Not because there are actual worms up there (probably), but because gestures at everything THIS and points at calendar THAT have turned my neural networks into a malfunctioning carousel operated by God knows what.
I completely whiffed on the gift guide this year and by the time my brain cells held their emergency meeting, it was too late. “Hey, let’s do a gift guide!” screamed one neuron. “Sir, it’s December 22nd,” replied another, more responsible neuron, before being thrown out the window.
So I got 2 secret Santa thingies and well, hopefully people don’t end up crying.
My brain has gone full goldfish. It’s floating in its glass… its glass… its spherical fish apartment… its goldfish palantir… FISHBOWL.
(It took me longer to remember that word than it takes to brew coffee, and that’s saying something which is weird cause I’m usually pretty good with this whole words thing)
I feel like I’m iving in the eternal now because looking backward is like stepping on scripted word-y landmines, and looking forward feels like volunteering for a black hole vacation, which tbh. Sounds pretty cool.
But it’s fine! Everything’s fine! My brain is totally not a dumpster fire!
The end of 2024 is near and well it’s been wild. So I’m going to ease into the new year with some more books I’ve treated myself to.
So if you fancy the equivalent of Deadpool + Vampires you need to check this out…
I’m a few chapters in and it’s entertaining as all heck.
Stephen Walker
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Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom -
Stop hiding behind your words
Look, I get it. You’re a writer. Your natural habitat is behind a keyboard, preferably in a dark room, possibly pantsless (or is that just me?)
The thought of showing your face or gasp SPEAKING makes you want to crawl into your murder shed and never come out.
BUT HERE’S THE THING.
I know you’re not here just for the words. You’re buying into what is considered my own little circus, where I make the rules.
You want the full disaster experience. You want to see the crazy behind the prose, hear the unhinged voice behind the vocabulary.
Another way to think of this is like this…
I’m not building just a readership, I’m cultivating a cult (the legal, non-poisoned-Kool-Aid kind) And cults need more than just sacred walls of text.
They need a presence, a voice, a face of their perpetually exhausted leader.
So my mission for 2025 be this;
Write my face off (obviously)
Show the suck (photos/screenshots)
Record my high on caffeine rants (audio/video)
And house it where it’s easily accessible. (A commune of sorts)
I know when people connect with my flavour of madness. They won’t just be buying my books/stories/products they’ll be investing in my entire apocalyptic aesthetic.
Stephen Walker
P.S. Yes, I recorded this email’s audio version without pants but it was a bit shitty cause I was out in the wind.
P.P.S. The squirrels filming my content look concerned. GOOD.
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Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom -
There always need to be a reason
And that reason is I accidentally pressed send on my previous email that went out just before midnight last night, when I should’ve woken up early, edited it and make it not so long…
So you get 2 emails from me today, as a treat.
Think of that as an early Christmas present…
The other reason is to keep people guessing what’s coming next.
I usually like to make things vague-ish and entertaining and then send your eyeballs elsewhere to check things out.
If you can create intrigue and curiosity with whatever it is you’re doing. There will be fans that will follow along for the ride.
After all, we’re all voyeurs.
You definitely don’t want to click on this link and watch this video, cause it can be used for good, evil or fun and profits.
Stephen Walker
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Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom -
How I learned to stop bullshitting and embraced the chaos
Here’s how I cut through the noise without becoming another crypto-bro.
A follow up to yesterdays email and why this can be VERY good for you…
- KILL THE CORPORATE VOICE
Stop sounding like a LinkedIn algorithm had a baby with a customer service manual
Write like a human who gives a shit
Here’s an example: Not “We’re excited to announce our new product launch!” but “HOLY SHIT Y’ALL, WE MADE A THING AND IT ACTUALLY WORKS”
- DOCUMENT, DON’T MANUFACTURE (A Gay Vee-ism or whatever)
Show the stained, exhausted, error-message of your reality
Share your failures (people love a good dumpster fire)
Behind-the-scenes content that isn’t staged like one of those god awful British reality TV shit shows…
- THE TRANSPARENCY HACK
When something goes wrong, own it faster than your ginger cat knocking over your favourite water glass
Share real numbers/results (even the ugly ones)
Let people see the humans behind the brand (messy hair and all)
- ENGAGEMENT THAT DOESN’T MAKE PEOPLE VOMIT
Drop the “comment below!” garbage
Actually talk to people like they’re not NPCs in your newly polished marketing vidya game.
Share other people’s content without expecting something in return (revolutionary, I know eh?)
- THE CONTENT TRUTH BOMB
Stop chasing trends like a desperate teenager
Create stuff that actually helps your audience
If it feels fake while you’re making it, it IS fake…
REAL EXAMPLE:
Instead of: “Our revolutionary productivity app helps optimise your workflow!”
Try: “We built this because we kept forgetting important shit and nearly lost our minds. Here’s how it saved our collective asses…”
Building trust is like making sourdough starter kit. Tt takes time, it sometimes smells weird, but the end result is worth it.
And the thing is, It’s so rare these days, but you’ll probably go viral just for not being full of shit.
Stephen Walker
++
If you made it this far here’s a little bonus if you wanna check out companies who have kicked social media’s ass:
BRANDS THAT ACTUALLY GET IT – MASTERCLASS IN NOT SUCKING AT SOCIAL MEDIA
WENDY’S
Turned savage Twitter replies into an art form
Actually funny without trying too hard
Called out McDonald’s for frozen beef with zero chill: “What do you call a frozen beef patty that’s sad? A Big Mac.”
PATAGONIA
Literally tells people “Don’t Buy This Jacket”
Shows the ugly bullshit about supply chains
Would rather lose money than bullshit about climate change
Their Black Friday ad once said “Don’t buy what you don’t need”
DARN TOUGH SOCKS
Brutally honest guarantee: “If you can wear these out, we’ll replace them free”
Shows their Vermont factory workers instead of models
Actually responds to complaints with solutions, not corporate speak
BURGER KING
That time they admitted their food looked artificial in ads and showed the real deal
“We removed artificial preservatives and it made our food look like shit. That’s the beauty of real food.”
DUOLINGO
Their TikTok is unhinged in the best way
Turned their mascot into a psychotic green owl who threatens people to learn languages
Embraces the memes about their aggressive notifications
SKATEBOARD COMPANY POWELL PERALTA
Shows failed tricks alongside successes
Raw footage of product testing/breaking
Zero attempt to look “professional”
THE COMMON THREAD:
They’re comfortable being uncomfortable
They admit mistakes faster than a kid with chocolate on their face
They pick fights (with purpose)
They break “professional” marketing rules
They let their weird flag fly
WHY IT WORKS:
People are sick of polish
Gen Z can smell BS from 12 miles away
Authenticity is now a survival trait
The internet rewards chaos (controlled chaos, but still chaos)
THE ANTI-LESSON:
Don’t try to copy these brands. That’s like wearing someone else’s skin. Creepy and ineffective. Instead, find your own authentic voice.
The goal isn’t to be edgy. The goal is to be real. Sometimes real is edgy. Sometimes it’s quiet. Sometimes it’s admitting you have no fucking clue what you’re doing but you’re trying anyway.
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Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom -
5 Ways To Guarantee Goal Achievement
“Action without planning is the cause of every failure.” – Peter Drucker
As the deadline approaches to register for Saturday’s workshop…
2k25: Clarity – Strategy – Execution
…I want to offer you a powerful question to ask yourself over the holidays.
It’s very simple:
How could you guarantee you achieve every goal you set for 2025?
I know it’s a tough question, but it’s a potent one.
So let’s explore it…
1. You’re know exactly what you’re trying to achieve.
Every goal is specific, measurable, and broken down into achievable targets.
Just point, aim, and fire.
Perfect clarity.
2. You know exactly what to do and when to do it.
Every target is broken down into clear action steps, and every action step is scheduled.
No confusion, no guesswork.
All you need to do now is execute.
- You have reliable systems that make execution smooth and automatic.
Your daily workflow has been streamlined so that your tasks feel frictionless.
Instead of grinding, you sink into a smooth rhythm of deep, productive work:
Getting far more done in every block of time you spend.
4. You have an experienced coach optimizing your strategy, and a team holding you accountable.
Spotting your blindspots.
Making critical adjustments.
Breaking through sticking points.
Helping you course-correct.
And, making absolutely sure that…
5. You execute the plan.
And you don’t stop executing until you hit your target.
Does this guarantee you’ll achieve every goal you set for 2025?
Of course not.
Guarantees of success don’t exist.
But we just got you as close as it gets.
And, for my money…
…If you hit all five points above, it will be hard not to succeed.
So that’s exactly what we’re doing on our workshop, this Saturday:
Combining perfect clarity with detailed strategy and systematic execution…
…While coaching, supporting, and holding you accountable every step of the way…
…Until you’re locked in, riding a wave of momentum that carries you into the greatest year of your life.
Here’s where you can join us.
- T
P.S. Two quick reminders:
1. Recordings will be available if you can’t attend live.
It’s easy to follow along on your own schedule, and I’ll be there to answer your questions in our coaching group.
2. Registration closes at midnight this Friday…
…And the workshop goes live Saturday morning at 9 am EST.
So if you want in, move quick.
Here’s the link one more time.
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Ryan Gosling F’d Up 2025
“If the truth hurts, pain is our ally.”
Quick item of business before we jump in:
Tomorrow at midnight, registration for our final workshop of the year…
2k25: Clarity – Strategy – Execution
…Will close, and preparation for Saturday’s war room will begin.
So if you want in, now’s the time.
Second item of business…
Does this sound familiar to you?
Thought so 🙂
Don’t be shy, we’ve all done it.
The difference between us and RG is, now we know the truth:
Every year we stand still, moving forward gets harder.
Not only because the world is changing rapidly:
Competition is fiercer, the bar for success is higher, the bots are taking over, etc…
But because every year we don’t make tangible progress toward our vision, we lose faith that we ever will.
That’s the knife twist in the gut nobody talks about.
Every time we:
Set a goal Make a plan to achieve it Psych ourselves into thinking we're really, actually, honestly going to do it this time Only to sink back into old habits and fail to execute our plan
…Our confidence shrinks, and we lose trust in ourselves.
Because trust isn’t earned with thoughts and words.
It’s earned with actions and behaviours.
And every time we fail to take action, we begin to see ourselves as someone who fails to take action.
Which means — you guessed it:
We’re even less likely to take action next time.
I know that’s a painful truth, but if the truth hurts, pain is our ally.
And the truth is, the urgency is real.
Whether our boy Gosling feels it or not.
(I guess once you’ve married Eva Mendes there’s not much else to achieve…)
Anyway, that’s my speech.
If you’re ready to make real moves in 2025:
Come join us in the 2k25 war room, and let’s make it happen.
- T
P.S. The sunny side of today’s lesson:
Self-belief is a trainable muscle.
Yes, it grows weaker every time you hesitate, procrastinate, and fail to execute.
But it also grows stronger every time you follow through.
So if you’re joining the 2k25 workshop (or watching the recordings on your own time), know this:
Whatever your goal, whatever your strategy, whatever your plan of execution…
We’re going to hold you to it.
Here’s the link one more time.
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The truth is dead
We need to talk about why telling the truth is about as effective as using a pool noodle to fight off brown bear on cocaine…
spoiler alert: you’re gonna get your face eaten
So for decades, honest business folks thought they could just wave their truth-flag around like some magical victory pennant.
“Look at our superior widget! It’s actually superior! We promise!” Meanwhile, the snake-oil salesmen were out there doing jazz hands and promising their inferior crap would cure cancer, solve world hunger, and make your genitals sparkle in the moonlight.
(I still don’t have sparkle-y genitals and I’m MAD!)
Guess who won that fight?
(Hint: Not the truth-tellers)
So what happened? The honest folks got desperate.
They watched their kids’ college funds circle the drain while Lying Larry’s Discount Emporium made bank selling repackaged garbage.
And they thought: “Hell, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.”
That’s how we ended up in this dumpster fire of modern advertising, where everything is MARKED UP 300% SO WE CAN MARK IT DOWN 50% AND CALL IT A DEAL OF THE CENTURY, FOLKS!
But here’s the plot twist…
The truth wasn’t the problem. The delivery system was.
It’s like serving a gourmet meal on a garbage can lid. The food might be Michelin-star quality, but nobody’s gonna want to eat it.
The real art? Making people REALISE the truth. That takes more finesse than just projectile vomiting facts at people’s faces.
You NEED strategy, skill, and probably a smoke bomb or two (metaphorically speaking, put down that smoke bomb, Kevin)
Here’s your takeaway, because I know you’re all skimming this anyway:
Truth without persuasion is like a bird without wings.
Technically still a bird, but it ain’t gonna fly.
Want to win? Learn to package truth in a way that makes people’s brains light up like a pinball machine.
That’s not manipulation. That’s communication that actually works.
Because in the end, honest persuasion isn’t just the right way, it’s the only way that’s going to survive in a world where people are getting harder to fool by the second.
You have to tell the truth, but for fuck’s sake, make it interesting.
Stephen Walker
And for a buck fifty two, you can get your hands on what I consider one of the most influential guides on this out there…
P.S. Kevin is one of the squirrels still sneaking about…
If you’re not diggin’ these tasty little emails anymore you can hit the unsubscribe button right here >>> unsubscribe
Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom -
The most dangerous game known to man
“Beware the old soldier. He’s old for a reason.” – Taylor Sheridan, Lioness
I just finished watching Lioness…
A (banger) show about a small CIA special forces unit that hunts down and takes out the world’s worst people.
They’re playing the highest-stakes game known to man:
A game so risky, so dangerous, and so brutally violent that captain (Zoe Saldana) said to her team:
”If you want a challenge, go fight in the UFC.”
In other words, referees will not save you out here.
You accomplish the mission — no matter how challenging it is — or you die.
Now, imagine you’re in charge of designing a mission strategy for the Lioness team.
Imagine the level of detail you’d need to consider:
Not only setting your target…
…But knowing your target’s target:
Knowing every step he will take before he takes it, so you always stay two steps ahead.
Your back-up plans would need back-up plans.
Every potential problem solved in advance.
Every roadblock removed before you move forward.
Every phase of your plan broken down into clear, precise steps.
Every step executed perfectly.
Because if you find yourself a step out of place…
You and your team die.
Positive thoughts and pretty self-talk ‘aint gonna save you out there.
What will save you?
Clear targets, bulletproof strategy, and sharp, systematic execution.
That’s how high-stakes missions are accomplished, and it’s the only way they’re accomplished…
Whether you’re running a special forces unit.
Launching rockets into space.
Building a business.
Or, creating your life.
That’s right, your life:
The highest-stakes game there is.
And almost everyone plays it with lazy goals, vague strategy, and sloppy execution.
Is it any wonder most people keep falling short?
Keep feeling their lives slip by with no tangible accomplishment to show for it?
Keep shrinking to fit the box society pushed them into, never taking creative control over their own lives?
That’s why I’m taking this workshop so seriously…
2k25: Clarity – Strategy – Execution
…And putting so much time into making sure it’s the single most powerful day of the year:
The day we lay the foundation for the most transformative year of your life in 2025.
Registration closes on Friday.
And the work begins on Saturday.
Come join us.
- T
P.S. Two reminders:
1. Recordings will be available if you can’t attend live.
It’s easy to follow along on your own schedule, and I’ll be there to answer your questions in our coaching group.
And, just in case you missed the note above:
2. Registration closes at midnight on Friday…
…And the workshop goes live Saturday morning at 9 am EST.
So if you want in, move quick.
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