Creator Leverage: Master AI. Build Systems. Grow Your Business

I’m a big Apple Notes guy, but my note-taking system has a big flaw. I’ve got hundreds of notes. Book insights. Podcast gems. Random shower thoughts. Client breakthrough. But Apple Notes search, despite those Cupertino mega dollars, is dumb. Try this and you’ll see why: Create a note called doorbell. Search for “doorbell” and Notes will find the term. Next, search “door” and it’ll find that too. Now, search for “bell”. Nothing. You and I know these words are related, but Apple Notes doesn’t....

I trained for an Ironman in Germany earlier this year. My coach gave me a training plan every week. 3–4 hour bike rides, long runs along a local Irish canal, and swims in a 50 metre pool that left my shoulders screaming. The swim, cycling, and run workouts were hard. But these workouts alone didn’t get me race-fit. My coach also scheduled rest days and down weeks, because that’s when my body absorbed the training. Muscles don’t grow during the workout. They rebuild in the white space after,...

Last week, readers told me they're number one problem is find time and space to write. I'm creating a new challenge that can help. The White Space Challenge: Build a Daily Creative Routine in 30 Days Do you want early access? Reply with "I'm In" and I'll send you info on the pre-sale.

Last month, I took every book I've read off my bookshelf, put them into a black bag, and gave them all to a local charity shop. Then, I opened a mega To Read list I keep in Apple Notes and ordered a few hundred dollars' worth of books from Amazon. I mainly bought non-fiction, memoirs, and philosophy books. I enjoy tracking what I've read and what I want to read. Seeing a bookshelf full of unread books is far more likely to convince me to put away my phone and read an actual book versus...

Yesterday, I wrote about balancing creating work with a business. Building on that theme, today I’ll cover managing real-world intrusions. Respondents to last week’s survey said they struggle with finding time to write or create content because of, you know, life. I’ve been working from home since 2015. I’ve three kids, aged 7–19 (okay, arguably that’s two kids and one adult!). For a few years, I found real-world intrusions stressful, such as our youngest coming into the office looking for...

I divide my workday into two different modes. I’ll explain why in a moment… Last week, I surveyed newsletter readers. Respondents submitted variations of this theme: being consistent. One reader said: I want to reach a point where I am consistent with both the business side and the creative side of writing. Did the balance come to you naturally? How did you get to the place where such things as sudden algorithm changes weren’t major derailments in your writing and business?" Finding time to...

I spent over $1,000 on AI tools for my business last month. Crazy? Maybe. But these tools are helping me save money and ship projects faster than ever. Every day I write a 500-word newsletter. I use Grammarly to catch typos and mistakes. It costs $30 per month, but its AI-powered assistant is a timesaver. I can quickly accept changes and suggestions at a click, going from draft to published much faster. Get a discount here. A year or two ago, I relied on a human editor. That got expensive...