When Good Things Are Still Hard + 10 Books for Creators [WRAP 140]

Hey Reader, I have a few really fun things to share with you that my friends have done.

A few weeks ago I told you my friend Nat was about to launch his first book, Crypto Confidential. I really enjoyed it — you don't have to know anything about crypto to follow the story. It reminded me of The Big Short in that way. I don't know how mortgage backed securities work, but I loved the book. Crypto Confidential has a similar vibe.

Another project is my friend Gina, who is the CEO at Mighty Networks. You've seen me talk about Mighty this year — they sponsored the YouTube channel and this newsletter. She launched a new podcast and free masterclass called People Magic. It's really well done and the podcast is currently top 10 in the US! If you're a content creator who's interested in doing community the right way — a way that connects others while not burning out yourself — you gotta check out People Magic.

💡 One Big Idea: Choose Your Hard

The truly good things in life are hard and rewarding at the same time. Having kids is hard, being married is hard, starting a business is hard, adulting is hard.

So on a week where no one slept through the night — not once — I was a poor communicator at work, the plumbing is leaking, and the car needs a new radiator... it's easy to feel frustrated — why is life so hard?

I always come back to the fact I willingly chose each of these hard things, and will gladly do so tomorrow. Except for the plumbing and radiator repairs.

I happened upon this realization during my journal sessions. I start going through parts of life I feel are hard right now, places I'm struggling and frustrated. For each one I ask

Did I choose this hard thing? Will I choose it tomorrow?

A big part of the human experience of joy and meaning is rooted in struggle. Easy things are taken for granted. Even areas of life where you possess natural talent still require hard work and sacrifice. I don't believe talent makes things easier to do as much as it makes me more willing to stick with the thing.

Anthony De Mello says that suffering occurs when your illusions clash with reality. When I want every client to say yes, every drafted email to be approved, every Twitter thread to do well... that's my illusion clashing with reality. Even for creator mega-stars like Ali Abdaal, the journey to 3MM+ YouTube subscribers wasn't a smooth one.

You're able to choose your hard more often than you think. At each turn in life you made a decision to do the thing you're doing. Remembering the good things in life are often hard is the key to staying on the path.

👀 One Video to Watch: 10 Books for Creators

I'll be honest with you — if you're on YouTube I would really appreciate a subscribe to my new channel, HeyCreator. Even though I'm going to an every-other-week schedule on the WRAP the rest of this month, HeyCreator is still shipping weekly shows and shorts. Check it out and subscribe!

Can books make you a better content creator? Can they help you earn more money and attract more clients? Yes — and no. Books alone won’t do the trick, but the lessons inside can change your approach.

In this video I talk about my favorite books for creators. They're books that will help you with content creation, mindset, sales, systems, and more. And even if you're not a content creator, you can learn a lot from books like The War of Art, Building a Second Brain, Bird by Bird, and Pathless Path.

But if you are running a content-based business, you’ll learn more from these books than any business school. They contain the wisdom and experience of experts like Steven Pressfield, Alex Hormozi, Anne Lamott, and many others.

I have a challenge for you as you dive into these books. Many people get stuck reading without taking action. This is what holds them back from building a business they love and making good money.

The key is commitment. You have to commit to taking action on the lessons you learn. Remember, success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. It’s not enough to just read and feel inspired. You need to apply these lessons to your own content and business.

So, don’t get lost in the pages. Instead, use the wisdom in these books to make real changes. Put the advice into practice. That’s how you’ll grow as a content creator and build a thriving business. Start now, and watch the difference it makes.

​Watch on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. If you like it (or like what I create) please subscribe, rate, and review!

Oh, and don't forget to check out Nat's book Crypto Confidential or Gina's podcast and masterclass, People Magic. Highly recommend both!

Have a great weekend,

Matt Ragland

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