Monday Motivator #001: The Secret of Getting Ahead Is Getting Started
A small reminder for creators who are still circling the runway
My Medium friends can read this article over there as well..
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”
— Mark Twain
I’ve had more ideas than I can count, usually late at night (sometimes with a beer in hand). Another ‘career-defining’ domain purchased from my WPX dashboard before common sense kicks in.
I’ve had whole courses mapped out, like my never-completed Elite Content Marketing System, ACE Content Marketing Framework and Newsletter Nucleus Framework.
I’ve had big plans you see, and then…nothing. Crickets. Nada. Zilch.
Not because the ideas were bad or I wasn’t capable, but simply because I didn’t actually take the first small step and just get started.
This is the essential part we all underestimate.
It sounds obvious, but you can’t finish something you never even start.
But once you do begin, you’ll notice that something inside you shifts.
Your action creates momentum, and that momentum builds your confidence. And that confidence then compounds into consistency.
Crucially, your consistency then becomes a habit.
That’s how real creator businesses are built - not in breakthroughs, but in beginnings.
If you haven’t created anything yet, then for now, your straightforward strategy is simply getting started.
So here’s how to start without overthinking it. Yes, I mean today, right now:
1. Shift your mindset
Every morning, before sitting down to write, say out loud to yourself, ‘I am a writer, and I write every day on Substack.’ This affirmation will become your reality.
2. Write just 100 words every day
Commit to writing just one Substack Note every day. Just 50–100 words is enough. One short Note about one simple idea. You’re not building a masterpiece – you’re building motion. Increase to 2 or 3 a day when you’re ready.
3. Engage with other writers
After your daily Notes, commit to following 5 writers who’s work resonates with you. Like one of their posts, and write a meaningful comment on it.
You may not feel confident doing this - but it’s essential you take these tiny steps to just get started. You can build from there.
Simply do your best and let the rest catch up.