I’ve been creating daily content for several years.
That’s crazy to most people. And I get it: The process of consistently churning out content can feel like pulling teeth.
But there’s one simple trick that helps me keep on track — even on the bad days.
Declare war on unfished content
You have valuable expertise to share, but translating that into regular content can feel like an uphill battle.
You start with excitement. You start writing a few pieces here and there. But quickly, that initial excitement begins to fade.
You’re left with:
- unwritten eBooks
- half-finished blog posts
- and an ever-growing to-do list
Your desire to monetize your ideas is strong, but the process of creating content often feels more like a chore than a passion.
Perhaps you’ve set a goal to write every day, thinking discipline is the key…
But soon, life gets in the way, and missing a day or two turns into a week, then a month.
The guilt and pressure to catch up only add to the frustration.
Perhaps you’ve used all the popular tools your favorite guru recommends…
You’ve heard that certain tools are the industry standard, so you try to use them — even if they don’t fit your style.
Maybe you’ve spent hours wrestling with complicated writing software that just doesn’t click with you — leaving you more frustrated than productive.
Organizing your workspace in Notion or Airtable? What about setting up an automated welcome sequence in an autoresponder?
For some, all this tech-lingo looks more daunting than a PhD. Perhaps you’ve also tried setting aside large blocks of time to batch-create content, hoping to be more efficient.
But those blocks of time are daunting, and you find yourself procrastinating or struggling to stay focused for long periods.
And most importantly… They don’t work with your ‘real life’ schedule and emergencies.
The secret to more content
After a decade of creating content, I found that the best way to be consistent is about one thing: enjoying the process.
When you enjoy something, you don’t need to force yourself.
Forget about punishing yourself and sit down at your desk to write like a slave.
Creating content is easy when you wake up each day excited to dive into writing your piece, not because of the end goal but because of the act of creating itself.
It’s like a musician who plays not just for the applause but for the love of the music. When you savor each note, each word, each idea, consistency becomes a natural byproduct.
When you love the process, it doesn’t feel like work, but like play.
So how do you make the process more enjoyable?
Do this (besides following your passion)
First, it’s writing about something you’re deeply interested in.
But that’s what you’re probably already doing.
Where the magic really lies is in using tools you enjoy.
For example, I use a Magic Keyboard for all my writing.
I don’t know why, but the tactile pleasure of typing on it makes the act of writing enjoyable — it’s like a reward in itself.
Other writing or coding fetishists use mechanical keyboards — simply because it makes them feel so good.
When you feel good, your brain releases happiness hormones like serotonin or dopamine.
That’s the brain hack we’re talking about.
When you enjoy the tools you use, you’re more likely to use them consistently.
Take J.K. Rowling (the acclaimed author of the Harry Potter series), for example. She has often spoken about her preference for writing with a black fountain pen on narrow feint writing paper.
Using her favorite writing instruments helps her stay focused and inspired, enabling her to write consistently.
If your tools make you happy, creating becomes a pleasure, not a chore.
3 (simple) ways to get started with this technique
I’ve optimized my content gear over the years and wasted a lot of money and time.
So let me give you my 3 shortcuts to pick the right tools:
First, make sure to spend your time optimizing the right tools.
You do that by identifying the type of content you’re creating. There’s no need to waste time trying to buy the perfect microphone if all you do is type.
I record a lot of online courses and have a podcast, so I took some time to buy and test several microphones until I settled on the one I liked the most.
Second, aim for simple — not complicated.
Take a look at my colleague, David Kadavy. He tested 3 different camera setups.
Which one looks better to you?
(Answer this question before continuing scrolling.)
While the DSLR (bottom right) is definitely better quality… I don’t find the iPhone (top right) ugly.
More than the quality… What are the costs of better quality? having to play around with dongles, lenses, etc.
Not worth it for me.
I prefer what does the job, in the simplest (and dumbest) way possible. Nothing beats the simplicity of an iPhone.
Third, aim for popular unless it’s broken.
There are a myriad of tools out there. New tools get released all the time, and AppSumo’s lifetime deals don’t add more simplicity to the equation.
So my motto is simple: I search for popular tools. It’s okay to be a sheep. Popularity means more chances to stand the test of time. It also rhymes with more support, solutions, and tutorials.
Only switch if something is broken.
If you focus on tools you enjoy using, you’ll find that creating content consistently becomes much easier.