Entrepreneurship is non-linear
Howdy folks, below you'll find the most useful resources to help you live better and build a thriving internet business.
I'm pushing to create a lot more this year, in the past I've always used client work to make excuses for not being consistent with writing and creating videos. Also it's hella work to be a creator when you're doing it all yourself 🥲.
So, I've been assembling a mini team to help edit videos and hold me accountable. But I wanted to hear your input on the type of content you'd like to see me create? (just reply to this email).
I have a huge list of ideas in the backlog but always find it useful to get feedback from you.
Alrighty, let's get into the Filter!
Entrepreneurship is non-linear
Your monkey mind loves linear improvement. Every time you put in effort you want a reward.
It's why hierarchical systems make up the foundations of society. If you work hard in school your rewards are praise and good grades. If you work hard in your job your reward will be a pay raise or a more senior position.
This gamification makes working your way up the ladder a desirable goal. Every step along the journey you earn a little extra XP and the tighter, more obvious the feedback loops, the more likely you are to get addicted to the game.
But the most stark contrast of entrepreneurship is that you create the game you want to play.
The default path is like riding a bike with stabilisers, the risk of failing is low but it's also incredibly difficult to go fast. Your progress is linear.
The path of entrepreneurship is like riding a pro road bike, if you fall you'll land heavily but when you get it right you will make progress quickly.
Pat Walls shared a great example of the non-linear nature of entrepreneurship through his monthly income over the last 12 years:
Over the last 3 years his business has gone from making him 3k per month to 62k per month. But to put himself in this position he first had to sacrifice the short term to change his long term trajectory.
I.
Something I constantly remind myself:
You're not paid for how hard you work.
You're paid for how hard you are to replace.
II.
How to be unhappy: Always try to fit in.
Short form content + ecommerce = 🚀: It’s crazy to see this evolution in products that perfectly fit sharing in short form content. Some of the strongest brands emerging sit at the intersection of content creator x unique ecommerce product. This is another great example of a creator manufacturing a product that fits perfectly with their audience.
Things failing entrepreneurs say that could be solved by reading books: Books are most impactful when you read them to solve problems you’re currently facing. This list from Andrew Wilkinson is great because it shares a list of books to solve most problems that business owners face.
Is there a ‘half-life’ of knowledge?: It turns out there is a half-life for knowledge… at least there kinda is. This question explores how long it takes for you to forget something you’ve learned if you never revisit it. To figure out that half life you can use the Ebbinghaus’ forgetting curve and the Levels of Processing model.
52 things I learned in 2022: This list has some really random but interesting insights, my favourite is: “If you want a question answered on the Internet, post a wrong answer first.” People love to let others know when they are wrong, so being intentionally wrong is a great way to get an answer.
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