Summary

The author discovered that authenticity and vulnerability in writing, rather than striving for impressiveness, significantly increased reader engagement and loyalty.

Abstract

Initially, the author's writing received little engagement despite their effort, leading to feelings of frustration. However, a pivotal mindset shift from trying to impress to embracing authenticity and sharing personal struggles and growth transformed their success. By being honest and relatable, the author's content resonated more with readers, who saw themselves in the author's experiences. This authentic communication fostered a loyal community and allowed for more efficient content creation, as the author could produce impactful posts in less time. The author emphasizes that building a movement doesn't require being highly charismatic but rather genuine and self-aware, and they invite readers to join their newsletter, Mastery Den, for guidance on attracting ideal subscribers.

Opinions

The author believes that trying to impress can lead to content that pushes people away.
Authentic stories of challenges and growth are more engaging and relatable to readers.
Authenticity in content creation is cathartic and invigorating for the creator.
Sharing one's true self allows for a deeper emotional connection with the audience.
Building a community doesn't require extraordinary charisma but rather genuine storytelling and self-expression.
The process of creating authentic content is likened to therapy, suggesting it's both healing and productive.
The author suggests that with the right mindset and approach, one can quickly grow a dedicated audience.

I was so frustrated with how little engagement my writing was getting until I made this simple mindset shift

Build a newsletter of loyal subscribers and buyers using this system…

Barely anyone showed any interest in the first hundred articles I wrote.

I’ve been writing and sharing articles and newsletters on various topics, from branding to online marketing to psychology, for over ten years.

I wrote articles that took me hours to write, but they fell flat.

Some articles did better than others.

But many were accompanied by the disappointing heaviness of feeling ignored and disliked.

The engagement was just ‘meh.’

It took me a long time of publishing my content online to learn how a tiny shift in mindset can turn everything around.

I remember reaching a point where it felt like something clicked into place.

I wrote like I had less to lose.

I started (finally) to relax.

I stopped trying to be impressive and be liked (dum dum move).

I started to be honest and reach into a part of me I thought I needed to hide.

I talked more about my struggles.

I revealed my quirks and weird traits.

I realised that what people are looking for isn’t so much about why I’m so ‘great’ at something.

That was mostly lies anyway.

They wanted to learn from a human being.

Because writing that resonates isn’t about coming across as some perfect example of who they need to be.

That pushes people away.

People resonate with your stuff because they relate to you. They see themselves in your position and the transformations you experienced.

Your stories of you are stories of your reader.

When you show them your real-life conflicts, they engage.

They relate because they know that life is chaotic and imperfect.

People loved it when I spoke of my challenges and the lessons I picked out of those hardships.

This is what authentic communication is about.

And when you can communicate like a real person, your people will sit up and listen.

It doesn’t need to take a hundred pieces of content to get there.

It simply requires a shift in perspective and a fresh way of looking at the world and how you can help.

Tell people about who you used to be and who you’ve become through challenge.

People buy that. They love it.

And when they buy into your stories, they’ll want to be part of your community.

They’ll want more.

So if you’re worried that you need to be some highly charismatic, impressive and super entertaining person to build a thriving community around you…

You’re looking in the wrong place.

Everything changed when I saw that my content allowed me to be honest and be myself.

That’s why this work is so invigorating.

I didn’t need to be someone I wasn’t.

It’s cathartic.

I look forward to creating stuff now because it’s a form of therapy for me.

Now I can write strong posts that take twenty minutes because they flow out (like this one!).

This allows me to grow my tribe in a few minutes a day.

When you write loose like this, people will feel that release and connect to the emotions (and YOUness) you infuse in your work.

This is how you build a movement.

But how to make sure you build this with direction?

How do I avoid all the mistakes I made in building a newsletter that attracts new ideal subscribers every day of the week?

I show you via my twice-weekly newsletter: Mastery Den.

Join us there!

Alex

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