The Best Habit for a more Fulfilled Live (w/ Naval, Epictetus & Dickie Bush)

Do you remember playing the recorder in school?

I decided to become a professional writer.

There are two reasons for my decision,

1. I love writing

2. Leverage

Here is a writing sample I will send to a Copywriting Agency in Los Angeles.

The Prompt:

“Write a 500-word email about a healthy habit you have in your life and why you think we should try it. Write it conversationally, in a way that really makes us want to implement it TOMORROW.”

If you have any feedback, please let me know, I won’t send it until tomorrow.

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Subject: The Best Habit for a More Fulfilled Life (not meditation)

Greetings from Konstanz, Germany
Friday, 11:11 am
April 29th, 2022

Dear Friend,

Do you remember playing the recorder in school?

Or writing in cursive?

Or long division?

Did you also think: WHY are we doing this?

It was Nietzsche who said, 

“He who has a why can bear almost any how.”

But for much of our schooling, the why was unclear (or nonexistent).

Unfortunately, many of us left school with a bad taste in our mouths. For some, education was a necessary evil before we started our real lives in the real world.

That’s a shame because, in reality lifelong learning is the key to a successful life.

But it’s not your fault the school system failed you, and now you are in control of your own destiny.

If you want to make up for lost time and live a more fulfilled life, you need to add 3 hours of learning to your week.

(that’s 30 minutes a day for six days a week)

Why should you add 3 hours of learning to your week?

In short, Learning = Freedom

When you learn a skill you give yourself more options and when you have more options you have more freedom.

“Every skill you acquire doubles your odds of success.” – Scott Adams

For example, if you add public speaking to your talent stack, you become a better management candidate than someone who cannot lead a team.

Great, learning equals freedom, but what should you learn?

Well, you could follow the advice of the Great Stoic, Epictetus,

“First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.”

But since you’re on this email list, you probably want to become a better writer.

So in the sections to follow, I’ll give you the roadmap I wish I had when I started writing. (but you are free to use this framework for any skill)

How to Educate yourself

According to Naval Ravikant,

When it comes to your self-education, you have two options,

1. Reading

2. Doing 

You need to read because reading is like a software update for your brain, and life is too short to only learn from your direct experience.

But you need to apply your reading because failure and iteration are often your best teachers.

From Ray Dalio’s Principles for Success

If you’ve loved reading your whole life, I applaud you, and you can skip to the “doing” section.

But if you’re like the rest of us and found reading boring, here is the one-liner from Naval that changed my life:

“Read what you love until you love to read.”
(it’s that simple)

In case you still need inspiration, here are some top tier written persuasion books:

• Writing that Works

• The Boron Letters

• The Adweek Copywriting Handbook

(non-affiliate links, just want to help)

Or, if you prefer digital, here is an ultimate writing guide from Dickie Bush:

Dickie Bush 🚢 @dickiebush

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:

(Framework #2 — James Clear’s Four Laws of Behavior Change is especially helpful)

But, as we said, it’s not enough just to read, you have to apply your learning.

Back to our friend Epictetus:

“Every habit and faculty is formed or strengthened by the corresponding act – walking makes you walk better, running makes you a better runner.”

So to become a better writer, you MUST start writing. 

Sounds obvious, but how often have you known someone who read all the books, watched all the YouTube videos, and listened to all the podcasts BEFORE executing.

When it comes to creative (or business) pursuits:

“Start, then Learn. Don’t learn, then start.”

Start Writing Online

If you want to start (or continue) writing online, the best place is Ship30for30.

Ship30for30 is an online cohort-based writing course that teaches you the fundamentals of digital writing and holds you accountable to ship (publish) thirty atomic (tiny) essays in thirty days.

I’m in the April cohort and loving every second of it. (You can find my daily essays on Twitter.)

But don’t take my word for it. Here is what Craig Clemens (founder of Golden Hippo) has to say about Ship30,

Enroll Ship 30 for 30 – August 2022

It costs $499, but if you ask, Dickie and Cole (the cofounders) are generous with scholarships.

Ok, now you are ready to level up your writing, but remember:

Trust the Process

Talk soon,

Connor

P.S. Reply to this email with exactly when and where you will implement your new learning habit.

For example, 

I will write first thing in the morning at the dining room table and read 15 minutes before bed.

I will listen to an audiobook in the car on my way to work and write for 15 minutes at my desk just before lunch. Etc.

P.P.S [BONUS] Craig Clemens’ Genius 4-Step Framework to Master any skill:

Craig Clemens @craigclemens

I sucked at writing. 5 years later, my writing helped build a multi 9-figure business. You can use the method I used, to master any skill in 4 steps👇

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Thanks for reading all the way to the end!

I’d love your feedback so I can make the email better:)