Step out of your bubble
Howdy folks, below you'll find the most useful resources to help you live better and build a thriving internet business.
It's been a couple weeks since the last Filter and boy do I have updates for you.
First off happy new year, I hope you had a great festive season.
A couple weeks ago we rebranded the agency going from WiseStudio to DemandFlow. This name suits our mission and services better.
I released the Notion project management template we use to design + build Webflow sites — you can find that here.
Finally, the structure of The Sunday Filter has had a little update, we now have:
- The Framework - a short idea, tool or framework that's helped me.
- Clear Thinking - a couple of interesting ideas, some from me, others from people much smarter than me.
- Building Businesses - 2 interesting pieces of content on building a business
- Continuous Learning - 2 interesting pieces of content on learning + self-improvement.
Alrighty, let's get into the Filter!
Step out of your bubble
It's easy to get caught up in your own little bubble. You talk to the same people, consume the same content and over time you start to think the same way as your peers.
But most great opportunities sit just outside of your bubble.
Derek Sivers has this great quote "Obvious to you. Amazing to others."
It's easy to think something is so obvious it doesn't need to be said. Or a problem seems so obvious to solve that you just presume it's already been solved.
But algorithms create echo chambers where your thoughts are solidified.
Thousands of people, no smarter than you, are making more money and having more success than you because their eyes are open.
They spend time outside of their bubble, understand problems that you can't see and learn from people that you don't acknowledge.
I.
The most valuable skill you can develop is the ability to move quickly from idea to execution.
II.
"There are two main strategies we can adopt to improve the quality of life. The first is to try making external conditions match our goals. The second is to change how we experience external conditions to make them fit our goals better." — Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, author of Flow
What will AI actually replace?: I am so excited for 2023, it feels like we’re on the cusp of everything changing thanks to AI. If you learn to leverage these tools you can drastically increase your leverage but AI will not work for everything. This tweet has some interesting replies around what people think AI will easily replace and what it will struggle to replicate.
How I validated my idea for Kettle & Fire: This story about how Justin Mares validated his idea for a bone broth company before going all in is so simple, yet effective. Most people dive head first into new ideas before even validating if there’s a demand for the solution they’re selling. Taking a strategic approach like this will help you not waste years of your life working on the wrong things.
Readwise Reader: This is the best 'read it later' app I’ve ever used. If you currently use a 'read it later' app like matter, instapaper or pocket you should seriously consider switching because every feature you could want has been built into this. Bravo to the Readwise team👏🏼
Why boredom is a good thing This research is pretty interesting, it explores the connection between social media alleviating boredom which prevents us from being creative and exploring new things.
End Note
The Sunday Filter relies on word of mouth to reach more people, if you’re enjoying the newsletter I’d really appreciate you sending it to a friend or sharing on Twitter.
Have a fantastic week!
- Stephen