Hey honeys and hustlers,
Good morning, and welcome to our first newsletter of the year. The most transformative insights don't come from having all the answersāthey come from asking better questions. The kind that makes you uncomfortable at first, then liberates you. To write my end-of-year recap, I collected ten questions that have fundamentally shifted how I approach my work and life, along with five phrases that help me extend grace to myself when things get hard. These aren't just prompts for journalingāthey're invitations to reimagine what's possible when you lead with curiosity instead of judgment. I hope these questions meet you where you are.
These questions made me a better creator, a better person, and a better founder.
What is my ideal day? Ideal week? Ideal month?
What are the things I'm avoiding?
What feels challenging right now?
What might you be undervaluing right now?
If money were no option, would I still want to do this?
How can I position myself to win even if things donāt go my way?
When does it benefit me to be patient, and when does it not?
Which project best represents my creative voice right now?
What parts and tools of my creative process should be kept, and which should be retired?
If you couldnāt gain any more followers or subscribers, how would you serve your current audience to continue making money?
Why do you keep getting into certain situations, good or bad? What behaviors need to be repeated, and which should be changed for the better?
How can I be kinder to myself?
Iāll give you a head start by sharing the 3 phrases I repeat to myself to answer the last question.
āIf being hard on yourself worked, you wouldāve solved the problem by now.ā - my therapist
āUncertainty is not a problem to be solved; it is something to be embraced. It is a part of life.ā - Paul Millerd
āThe hardest battle is between your old habits and your new standards.ā - James Clear
May 2026 be your best year yet. Iām rooting for you.
P.S. Iām sharing an update on the development of my next product in Saturdayās article.
Below The Fold
If youāre starting or growing a podcast in 2026, watch this video.
If you missed my livestream with Matt Gilhooly, read this beautiful write-up by Earworthy.
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