The most creative company of the last 30 years:
Pixar.
Back in 2011, Pixar storyboard artist Emma Coats shared their "22 Rules For Storytelling."
And the rules are a must-read for writers, entrepreneurs, and anyone who wants to tell captivating stories.
Here's the breakdown:
If you use it right, Twitter is the most powerful platform in the world.
But Twitter does a horrible job of showing you its advanced features.
Here are 10 of them you probably know nothing about:
Bad copywriting:
โขย Here's my product
โขย Here's what it does
โขย Here's what's so good about it
Good copywriting:
โขย Here's your problem
โขย Here's the benefit of solving it
โขย Here's why what you've tried has failed
โขย And by the way here's a product that will help you solve it
ChatGPT is overhyped.
That's what I told myself after 2 weeks of trying (and failing) to use it well.
Turns out, I was just a poor prompt writer.
But after spending hundreds of hours tinkering, I've finally cracked it.
And now, it's my personal writing assistant.
Here's how:
The world's most valuable skill:
Writing effectively.
But colleges charge you 120k and still do a terrible job teaching it.
Instead, here are 9 writing frameworks that cost you nothing and will save you hundreds of hours:
Steve Jobs once said:
"The most powerful person is the storyteller."
And luckily, storytelling is a skill.
But most people have never tried to learn โ because no one showed them where to start.
So here are 6 of the best storytelling threads (so you can start learning today):
The single most powerful habit for personal growth:
Journaling.
Over the past 5 years, I've journaled every single morningโand along the way, I've:
โขย Answered over 1,000 questions
โขย Tested every app, pen, & notebook
But I always return to a pen, paper, and these 5 prompts:
At Steve Jobs's memorial service, all 500 guests were gifted one book.
It was a book Jobs reread every year for 38 years.
Here are 5 ideas from "Autobiography of a Yogi" he used to build the $1 trillion Apple empire:๐งต
The highest-paid copywriter in history: Gary Halbert.
His legendary sales letters generated over $1,000,000,000 in revenue.
And in one of his very last letters, he shared 12 time-tested strategies for writing better copy, faster.
Here's a breakdown of each one:
College completely failed in teaching me how to write.
So I spent over 500 hours studying legendary authors and copywriters.
Then, I distilled what I learned into 6 simple frameworks.
But unlike college, these won't cost you $120,000.
Here they are for free:
In 1997, Apple was 90 days away from bankruptcy.
But with one decision, Steve Jobs surprised their rivals Microsoft and IBM and grew Apple's stock by 9,000% over the next 14 years.
Here's the story:๐งต
If you use Google Docs, you're one of G Suite's 2,000,000,000 monthly active users.
But you probably aren't using it to its full potential.
So here are 6 little-known features that will save you countless hours (so you can work faster):
If you use it right, the internet is the most powerful tool in human history.
But most people aren't using it to its full potential.
Luckily, there's now a Twitter thread with advanced tips for every internet tool - using this exact hook.
Here's the 10 best of them:
The KING of YouTube:
Mr. Beast.
Over the last 12 months, he's gained over 50,000,000 subscribers.
So I binge watched 100 hours of his videos to study how he's done it so quickly.
And here's his 3-part framework for rapid growth (that you can use on any platform):
The most powerful reflection you can do:
The Monthly Review.
Most people go their *entire* life without reflectingโand before they know it, years have gone by and it's too late to change.
So don't let this happenโgrab a pen, crack open a notebook, and answer these 5 questions:
I asked 300k people for their favorite things of 2022.
โขย Books
โขย Podcasts
โขย Newsletters
โขย Placed traveled
โขย Lessons learned
โขย YouTube channels
โขย Small habits built
Then, I spent *hours* compiling answers to create the Best of 2022 Curation.
Here's the recap of each one:
The most valuable Twitter feature you aren't using:
Advanced search.
Knowing how to use it will help you find the hidden gems of the Twitter archives and 10x your Twitter experience.
Here's the step-by-step guide:
I spent over 1,000 hours learning to write effectivelyโ because college completely failed to teach me.
Here's everything I learned distilled into 11 tweets (that you can start applying today):
One of the most legendary marketers of all time: David Ogilvy
In 1982, David wrote an internal memo to the employees of his advertising agency titled "How to write."
And in just 10 bullets he put together a masterclass in effective writing.
Here's a breakdown of each one:
I went from 900 to 125,000 followers in 12 months.
But 90% of that growth came from 9 threads - which on their own generated 20,000,000 views.
So here's a recap of those 9 threads (and what they can help you with):
The single most powerful "skill" you can develop:
Learning quickly.
But the way schools teach us to learn is a horrible way to learn in the real world.
Textbooks, worksheets, flash cardsโall of it a waste.
Instead, use this simple 3-part framework to rapidly learn anything:
Most people suck at writing.
Why?
Because schools do a horrible job teaching it.
Luckily, learning to write is simple โ if you know where to start.
And unlike college, it won't cost you 120k.
Use these 6 dead-simple steps to 10x your writing (without the student loans):
Atomic Habits from
@jamesclear
changed my life.
In Atomic Habits, James lays out the Four Laws of Behavior Change.
1. Make it obvious
2. Make it attractive
3. Make it easy
4. Make it satisfying
Here's how to leverage them to build a daily writing habit (๐งตโ๐ผ):
Iโm 28.
When I was young, I wasted years as a horrible writer.
Then I heard Naval Ravikant mention a 250-word essay full of the best writing mental models he swears by.
4 mental models you can steal today:๐งต
Over the last 3 years, I've read 100+ books on writing.
Truth is, 90% of them were a waste of time.
So if you're looking to up your writing game, let me point you in the right direction.
Read these 9 books and throw the rest away:
My life got a lot easier when I viewed every problem as a skill issue. Out of shape? Skill issue. Ugly bank account? Skill issue. Low energy? Skill issue. Anxious thoughts? Skill issue. I affirmed to myself these would go away if I got better. And magically, they did, once โIโ
Introducing The Yearly Review: Your In-Depth Reflection Guide for 2022.
โข Reflect on the past year
โข Pinpoint what worked & what didn't
โข Turn your biggest takeaways into content
Sharing it for free until Friday.
Like this tweet & reply "2022 review" and I'll DM it to you!
20 quotes on Crypto, Web 3, NFTs, and decentralization from Tim Ferriss, Naval Ravikant, and Chris Dixon.
(For those who want a crash course in where the future is heading):
This dead-simple system will help you say 1 idea in 1,000 unique ways (so you never stare at a blank page again).
It's called the 4A Framework โ here's how it works:
I walk for 25,000 steps every day.
During those walks, I like to inhale podcasts at 2x speed.
Here are the 7 episodes that taught me the most this week (on life, business, fitness, and crypto):
The next 12 months will be *crazy*
โขย Uncertainty
โข Recession
โข Inflation
โขย Job cuts
Anything could happen.
But the people with these 7 skills will thrive no matter what:
7 small habits that will *vastly* improve your wellbeing:
1. Walking 20,000 steps per day
I'm convinced walking is the *single* best thing you can do for your health & creativity.
Here's why:
The most underutilized Twitter feature: advanced search.
It blows my mind how few people know this.
Want to find someone's best tweets?
In the search bar, type:
from:dickiebush min_faves:500
Replace the handle and the number of likes as you see fit.
The GODFATHER of Advertising:
David Ogilvy.
Back in 1982, David wrote an internal memo to the employees of his advertising agency titled "How to write."
And in just 10 bullets he put together a masterclass in effective writing.
Here's a breakdown of each one
This morning I sat down for an overdue coffee and breakfast with my mom.
Together we brainstormed a list of great questions to ask family during Thanksgiving dinner (that have nothing to do with politics, religion, or crypto).
Here are the 9 best questions we came up with:
The best book I've read this year:
How To Live by Derek Sivers.
Buried inside this gem are 4 short pages that pack more insights on building wealth than any book I've ever read.
Here are 23 quotes that will change the way you think about money:
I paid $68,000 to join a mastermind.
At first, I feared it was a *complete* money bonfire.
But this weekend, we had an in-person eventโa packed resort with entrepreneurs making millions of dollars per year.
And I walked away with these 7 unexpected (but valuable) takeaways:
The masculine urge to have a beautiful wife with 5 kids, $100mm in the bank, multiple international residences, fluency in several languages, and 12% body fat at age 40.
The memo starts with a clear *why*
"The better you write, the higher you will go in Ogilvy & Mather.
People who think well, write well.
Good writing is not a natural gift. You have to learn to write well."
Replace "Ogilvy & Mather" with any company and this holds true.
I used to have one crippling addiction:
Planning.
My brain loved the cheap dopamine of gathering books to read, tasks to complete, and videos to watch.
But when it came to taking action, the euphoric rush faded.
What ended my addiction?
This story of two men learning to fish
Looking to start writing next year?
Donโt wake up and stare at a blank page.
Instead, use these 23 templates to kickstart 2023 (by writing & publishing every day):
Want to start writing but can't overcome the blank page?
You're in luck.
Use these 21 templates for your next 21 days of writing (that make writing every day effortless):
Bad system for learning:
"I want to learn about X. So I'm going to go collect a long list of books to read to learn about it."
Good system for learning:
"I want to learn about X. So I'm going to start a project that forces me to learn the necessary parts of X to complete it."
Business writing is a superpower.
But schools and employers do a horrible job teaching people to write.
In 1981, two advertising executives wrote a timeless guide for how to write in the business world.
And here are 12 of their tips you should staple to your desktop:
Every company on Earth is becoming a media company.
So if you learn to:
โข Film
โข Code
โข Write
โข Speak
โข Design
โขย Tell stories
You become an immediate 10x asset for any company on Earth.
Or, even better, you can become your own company.
The Godfather of Advertising: Eugene Schwartz.
In 1966, he published Breakthrough Advertising, a book so good the original hardcover sells for $247.
And inside, he shared the daily writing routine that helped him write effortless, high-converting copy.
Here's the breakdown:
If you can tell a compelling story, you can shape the world.
But most people think they don't have any stories worth telling.
And that's because they've never learned how to spot them.
So here are 3 simple ways to find viral-worthy stories in small, everyday moments:
I used to have one severe addiction:
Planning.
My brain loved the cheap dopamine of gathering books to read, tasks to complete, and videos to watch.
But when it came to taking action, the euphoric rush faded.
What ended my addiction?
This story of two men learning to fish:
12 months ago, I thought "copywriting" was a legal term.
Now Iโm convinced copywriting is *the* most powerful skill you can develop.
But when starting out, I was completely overwhelmed.
So here's the 3-step learning process I wish I had (that you can start using today):
Current mission:
Help 1 million people start writing online.
And this thread has everything you need to:
โข Build a writing habit
โข Generate endless ideas
โข Capture and keep attention
โข And most importantly, develop the Ship Daily mindset
Grab a cup of coffee and dive in:
Over the last 4 years, I lost 100 pounds and wrote every morning for 90 minutes.
No hacks. No shortcuts.
Just monotonous, daily consistency.
And these 3 small mindset shifts made sticking with it easy (despite wanting to give up hundreds of times):
If you played competitive sports at a high level, you see what Elon is doing.
When a coach inherits a poor culture, the first thing they do is a series of grueling workouts.
A good chunk of the team will quit, which is the goal.
Then you rebuild with the best performers.
How to never run out of ideas:
Use the AAAA framework.
You can express a single core idea in four ways:
โข Actionable (here's how)
โข Analytical (here are the numbers)
โข Aspirational (yes, you can)
โข Anthropological (here's why)
Give it a try and watch the ideas overflow.
The single most important part of everything you write:
Your first sentence.
Why?
Because 95% of people don't read past it.
So, you should spend 10x more time on it than you think.
And here are 6 proven ways to craft a first sentence (that hooks your reader right away):
So rather than give vague instructions, I learned to give 3 clear constraints in every prompt:
โขย A specific objective (with input)
โขย A specific format for the output
โขย A specific list of things to avoid
But most importantly, I realized 1 thing about prompt writing:
I am my most productive with this system:
โขย 5 AM wake up
โขย 4 hours of focused work
โขย Only coffee & water until 11 AM
โขย No meetings or calls until 1 PM
โขย Zero sugar diet (even from fruit)
โขย Phone on airplane mode by 8 PM
Not for everyone, but works like a charm for me.
I've written every single day for 500 days.
Since then, I can point *every* good thing that's happened in my life back to this daily habit.
But in the beginning, I remember being overwhelmed.
So if you're looking to start writing, here are 6 frameworks that will make it easy:
I listened to every episode of the Tim Ferriss Show.
And what's buried inside his interviews with legendary minds?
Timeless writing advice for becoming a New York Times Bestseller.
Here are 10 frameworks distilled from 521 episodes ๐งต:
Still writing 1-sentence ChatGPT prompts that generate middle school answers?
We spent 100+ hours creating an email course with prompts for:
โข Viral content
โข Idea generation
โข Irresistible headlines
Want early access?
Like & reply "๐ค๐ค๐ค" and I'll send it for FREE!
Rule
#4
: Once upon a time there was ___. Every day, ___. One day ___. Because of that, ___. Because of that, ___. Until finally ___.
This one is my favorite.
Whether you're a writer, an entrepreneur, or a brand, you can use this "story spine" to effortlessly create a narrative.
If you use it right, Twitter is the ultimate place to learn new things and build lifelong friendships.
Here are 35 people I've learned a ton from in the last year (and what they can teach you):
We all have those people we don't want following us, but don't want to block.
Here's a good hack:
Block them, then unblock them.
This will unfollow you, but they'll never know.
Your monthly reflection:
1. What were my biggest wins?
2. What were my biggest realizations?
3. What areas am I most satisfied? Least satisfied?
4. What am I going to do more of this month? Less of?
5. What am I thinking about for the upcoming month?
Let's explore these:
In January 2020, I started writing online.
What followed was 9 months of lonely, frustrating, and painfully slow growth.
So if you're a beginner, let me save you hundreds of hours and plenty of headache.
If I was starting over again, here's the exact playbook I would follow: