How to Stand Out On The Internet

I’ve always known I was different from most kids my age.

And to be honest - for a long time that bothered me.

• “Why can’t I just fit in?”• “Why can’t I be like other kids?”• “What’s wrong with me?”

Thoughts like these would swirl through my head.

But in reality, being different, was a blessing in disguise.

Because the internet rewards people who think differently.

You may be thinking, “Why should I care what the internet thinks?”

Well, you see, because the internet is huge (with ~4.95 billion people)...

Your “weird” is normal to a select group of people. Your tribe.

And the internet allows you to connect with your tribe.

It becomes a magnet for like-minded people.

And we’re only scratching the surface.

The best decision you can make is to start writing online.

We’re still early.

But - there’s a caveat. Writing online only attracts your tribe when you write with authenticity.

What does that mean?

It means writing the content you would want to consume.

Too often people chase virality over value.

They chase likes and follows over trust and authority.

Instead, you should seek to become a Value Creator.

• A Value Creator eliminates competition• A Value Creator gets paid to follow their curiosity• A Value Creator makes a meaningful impact (instead of regurgitating what everyone else says)

Here’s how you become a Value Creator:

*Important note: Each of these steps can take a while (and each will be separate letters in the future)*

Step 1: Define Your North Star

By definition - a follower needs a leader to follow.

• What are you leading people towards?• What are you leading yourself towards?• What does your end goal look like?

That is your personal brand. That is your reason for writing online.

And it’s okay if you don’t completely know what your north star is…

Heck, I’m still figuring it out myself. But always keep this in the back of your mind.

(I’ll go deeper into how to gain clarity on your north star in a future letter)

Step 2: Self Improve

This step is by far the most important.

Why?

Because your personal brand will only grow as much as you do.

Study skills that will help you get to your north star.

Solve, and document problems you encounter along the way.

Write about what you learn as you strive towards your north star.

This is how you never run out of content ideas.

And this is how you eliminate competition…

By infusing your personal experiences and personality into your writing.

"Escape competition through authenticity." — Naval Ravikant

Writing online is one of the best vehicles for personal growth.

Now, of course, I’ll go deeper into how you can effectively master skills, document problems, and capture content ideas in a future letter.

But for now, let’s keep going.

Step 3: Self Monetize

Everyone wants to get paid to do what they love.

Well, here’s how:

Solve your own problems in public.

• Write about it (like how I am now)• Create systems and SOPs• Outline projects

The more you follow your genuine intellectual curiosity - the more you will differentiate yourself from others.

The more you self-improve - the more trust and authority you will build for your personal brand.

The more you systemize and solve problems - the more people you will impact (and the more money you will make).

Now, of course, there is a ton of nuance in this process. This is simply the broad overview of the Value Creator philosophy.

If you want to learn more about becoming a Value Creator…

I can’t recommend these 3 people enough - they’ve been inspiring me for over a year now:

• Dan Koe

• Kieran Drew

• Justin Welsh

Lastly - I wanted to add one last thing: This should be a fun process.

If reading this didn't get you jacked up with excitement...

If you aren't intrinsically motivated to self-improve...

If this just sounds like a lot of work...

Then maybe this path isn't for you. And that's okay.

Different strokes for different folks.

But if this did quicken your heart rate...

If this did inspire you...

Then stay tuned.

There's a lot more comin' down the pipeline.

Jay's Picks:

🧵 Twitter Thread: How to Build Your Inner Circle🎙 Podcast: The Creator Funnel With Justin Welsh🎥 Video: Mental Models 101: How to Make Better Decisions with George Mack🧰 Tool: How to Write Better Hooks

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