If you enjoy this letter you can watch it in more depth and with a step by step walkthrough using one of these strategies to create your first piece of content today ​over on YouTube​.

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"Content creates opportunity" and "Success requires consistency."

These are the universal laws of the creator economy.

But between managing your 9-5 and pursuing your dream - whether writing your novel, building your portfolio, or launching your business - how do you add content creation as another full-time job?

You look at these creators churning out daily content, building massive audiences and you can't help but ask yourself:

If they can do it, what's wrong with me? Lack of discipline? Motivation?

Maybe I'm just not working hard enough. Maybe I'm just lazy.

The truth is: They ARE producing more than you.

But it's not because they have better systems, habits, or stronger willpower. They're playing an entirely different game.

They have teams. Their entire calendar revolves around content. Each team member has 40+ hours a week dedicated to creation.

That's not your reality.

Your reality is three full-time jobs packed into one life: your day job, your core work, and content creation.

What do most creators do?

They look at their work - their writing, art, business - and build their entire content strategy around what they create.

Makes sense, right? Authors should promote their books. Artists their worlds. Entrepreneurs their launches.

So they try to chip off pieces of their work into content. Behind-the-scenes clips. Work-in-progress shots. Quick updates.

I tried this exact approach. When I was in 3D art school working on props and scenes that would take weeks or months, I'd share daily work-in-progress shots of my worldbuilding process.

No one cared.

Looking back, there are two reasons this shouldn't have surprised me:

Behind-the-scenes only works when there's already a scene to get behind. No one cares about the journey until they care about the destination.

But more importantly: The vast majority of people don't care about your process, your experience, or your story. They care about what's in it for them today.

Here are three strategies that actually work:

Strategy 1: Synthesis

Creative work runs on inspiration and information. Think about everything you consume just to create your work. References that spark ideas. Tutorials that level up your skills. Breakdowns that reveal new approaches.

Most creators passively consume, directly apply, or file this research away in a reference board. They treat it purely as fuel for their own work. But within each of these studies lies multiple pieces of valuable content.

That moment right after uncovering something useful - a technique that solved your problem or a principle that made everything click - take 5-10 extra minutes. Note what someone a few steps behind would need to know to reach your same conclusion.

The key is adding context that bridges the gap between raw information and practical takeaways. What background knowledge is needed? Which misunderstandings should be avoided? What makes this approach particularly effective in your experience?

Strategy 2: Distillation

What sets your core creative work apart is that it's the most complete version of what you offer - whether that's a feeling, a realization, an experience, or a solution.

Instead of trying to continuously deliver complete work, create concentrated doses of that same experience. Not random work-in-progress updates or context-free excerpts. Intentional, self-contained pieces that deliver immediate value.

For authors: Three-line stories that exist inside your larger world but use the exact same tone or touch on the same themes. For artists: Focused studies that evoke the mood or style of larger pieces. For developers: Single elegant interactions that demonstrate your design philosophy.

The effectiveness of distillation comes down to understanding what makes your work compelling at its core. What specific elements create that impact? Which small pieces can stand alone while carrying that same DNA?

Strategy 3: Reflections

Every project teaches invaluable lessons through its constraints and solutions. Most creators mentally note these insights and move on. But these hard-earned breakthroughs are some of the most valuable content you can share.

Document these lessons immediately after completing work, while they're still fresh:

• The hook structure that finally worked after ten attempts

• The technical approach that cut production time in half

• The design limitation that actually improved the final piece

• The unexpected solution that emerged from constraints

Focus on the specifics that changed how you'll work on similar challenges in the future. Don't get too caught up in these needing to be revolutionary - some of my most successful content came from seemingly minor discoveries.

Never underestimate how meaningful what you just learned could be to someone a few steps behind you.

Each strategy serves different needs:

• Synthesis works perfectly for newer creators who are already learning daily

• Distillation suits those focused purely on craft who want to maintain momentum

• Reflection helps experienced creators turn hard-earned insights into shortcuts for others

Some creators stick to one approach that fits their style. Others use different strategies for different platforms. Many shift between them as they grow.

The power of these approaches isn't just in creating content - they complement and accelerate growth in your core work. Your learning process naturally generates valuable content. Your concentrated studies improve your larger pieces. Your reflections deepen your understanding.

What matters isn't choosing the "perfect" strategy. It's starting with what works for your current situation and goals.

If you enjoyed this letter you can watch it in more depth and with a step by step walkthrough using one of these strategies to create your first piece of content today ​over on YouTube​.