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Hello!

Back again at 4:30 AM on the day this goes live, and I think I’ve started to find peace in my early morning wake-up/writing sessions.

Where I used to dread any early AM tasks, I now find that working on creative endeavors while most sane people are still tucked into bed brings me a moment that feels as if the world has slowed down.

I get to focus fully on the task at hand and craft stories that feel cathartic and meditative, as it’s the only thing on my plate in that moment.

While I can’t say the early rise is for everyone, I can say that finding moments of tranquility, no matter what, where, or when they may be, is the most fruitful thing you can do as a creator, entrepreneur, and beyond.

So go find that peace, readers. And in the meantime, while you’re trying to find your zen, do me a favor and click the link to today’s sponsor, Raptive.

You may not think it does much, but at $2 per click (yes, I love being transparent with y’all on my monetary endeavors with this newsletter), it makes an incredibly massive difference every week. So do me a favor and go check out Raptive. Thanks to all who click my links when I have them! ❤️ 

-Luke

Forget Who You Are

Last week, I focused the newsletter around a lesson that’s been sticking with me from a book called Tao Te Ching, and it seemed to really resonate with you readers. What was a small lesson at the moment seemed to be something that a handful of you needed to hear, and so this week, I’d like to focus on another quote and topic from this little book.

After years as a creator and entrepreneur, pivoting has become something that I’ve had to become accustomed to. From pivoting my newsletter in what feels like a dozen different directions (my OG readers know how different this newsletter used to look) to pivoting ideas in my startup, ensuring we’re building the best possible product for creators and businesses, change has pretty much been the only constant in my life.

That pivot mindset is what brings me to our quote this week:

“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”

On this journey, I’ve found that clinging too tightly to what you thought things were supposed to be is the fastest way to get stuck.

Creators, we feel this all the time. You may start making a certain type of content that feels good, viewers respond positively to it, and suddenly, you feel locked in. Even if it’s not working anymore, even if you don’t love it anymore, you want to keep delivering what you believe the audience (or algorithm) wants.

But pivoting? Changing it up? That feels terrifying.

What if people hate it? What if the algorithm punishes you? What if your retention plummets?

And founders? Same story, different font.

You launch a product thinking this is it. You spend months building the thing that you believe people are going to love. And then reality smacks you in the face. Maybe users don’t care about the feature you obsessed over. Maybe customers start to ask for something completely different.

Instead of shifting gears, you dig in. You double down. Because at certain points, pivoting feels like failing.

But I’m here to tell you that it’s not. It’s actually the exact opposite.

As I continue to grow and learn in this industry, I have started to find that the best creators and founders aren’t the ones who refuse to change. They’re the ones who recognize when it’s time to continue moving and changing things. These successful folks realize that sticking to the old thing can actually hold them back from creating something better, something evolved.

Pivots aren’t the end of the road. They’re the thing that keeps you moving forward.

So if you’ve been forcing an idea or angle, or you’re currently refusing to shift because it feels safer to stay put, perhaps it’s time to loosen that grip.

Let go of the expectations you’ve placed on yourself, and embrace the things you might start to become, build, or create.

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Hope you enjoyed this week’s post. See you next week ✌️