The Paradox of Get Rich Quick Schemes
Hey friends, happy Sunday!
This week I've decided to change up the Filter as I try find the right balance to make this email the best thing you receive in your inbox every week!
Hopefully the changes help to focus more on interesting ideas and lessons making the newsletter actionable and interesting to read - let me know what you think [just reply to this email].
Let's get into the Filter.
The Paradox of Get Rich Quick Schemes
We all know get rich quick schemes don't work. Someone promising to show you how to make money quick is someone selling to you - usually a $1997 course full of BS.
Yet it's easy to be oblivious to the same concept when starting on something new. Whether that's a business, a skill, or just a side project, we spend our time looking for shortcuts and hacks instead of focusing on the fundamentals.
It's obvious that to become a great writer you need to sit in the chair, write consistently and publish often.
But instead it's much easier to constantly look for the best writing apps, tips & tricks.
We optimise for the 1% before taking care of the first 99.
We want things to be easy - but things that are worth doing are not easy.
Things worth doing take time. They require consistency. And often they are uncomfortable.
Every time you look for a hack or a shortcut you're convincing yourself that you won't put the effort in.
Don't waste 10 years looking for the shortcuts that don't exist. Focus on manageable daily action.
Here are this week's finds:
Going Indie Is Going Amateur
(Article)
This article was a fascinating read on how becoming an independent consultant / freelancer is about becoming an amateur in the best possible sense.
Venkatesh uses Sherlock Holmes as an example of an "Amateur" whose apparent "genius" often comes from his ability to think differently from a professional. If you're curious about working for yourself this article is a must-read.
Lots of Overnight Tragedies, No Overnight Miracles
(Article)
Bad news is interesting, it's instant and it overwhelms your attention. When something goes wrong it happens quickly. When something goes great it happens slowly.
This is a great short read on why progress often goes unnoticed.
I'm a Journalist Who Hates The News
(Video)
In this Video, Johnny Harris talks about his hatred for the news and I strongly agree with a lot of what he talks about. The news has become a fear mongering 24/7 reality show rather than an informative outlet.
His videos are all really high quality short documentaries like this that I highly recommend checking out.
End Notes
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Have a great Sunday,
- Stephen