There Are No Secrets
The secret I'm not supposed to share: I watch a lot of Entertainment Tonight. You know it: the magazine show that is little more than a PR outlet for studios or celebrities to shill their latest...whatever. Every bit of famous-people gossip is a chance to sell their latest/upcoming movie/book/podcast/tweet.
ET is on before Jeopardy!. That's the only reason I catch so much of it. I am aware TiVo exists.
The other night they asked someone about their "secret" for looking so young. The secret? They go to sleep with a bag of ice on their face.
The real "secret" to looking young is to become a billionaire by selling $99 ice packs to desperate people.
In his biography, Slash said his secret to surviving the mornings of his rock-and-roll lifestyle was to make one last cocktail before he passed out every night. This cocktail was ice, Jack Daniels, and a dash of cocaine in a glass on his bedside table. By the time he woke up, whenever that was, the ice would have melted down and made a nice, cold drink to start the day with.
Keep in mind; this is the guy who was legally dead for about 4 minutes in an elevator lobby. Welcome to the jungle, baby.
Point being: There Are No Secrets
The secret to six-pack abs
The secret to making seven figures a year
The secret to getting them to fall in love with you
We want secrets because then we get to build an invisible wall between us and what we want. The secret is a reason not to do the thing.
A six-pack is a matter of diet.
Seven figures a year is usually done through investments and exploitations.
Getting someone to love you is a matter of loving yourself first. (I just barfed a little in my mouth writing that)
There Are No Secrets
Clients want to know the secret when it comes to writing copy and content and all the other stuff I do. As though there is a combination of books or how-tos or magic pencils that make it all happen.
I say: "There is magic, but it's not a mystery." Magic is nothing more than an illusion
Everything I read contributes to what I write, how I write.
The more I write, the more I write. Anyone on the planet could outwrite me if they wanted to. I'm not stopping you. There are no secrets. Form letters into words, into sentences, and into paragraphs. Left to right, top to bottom. Keep going until you've said all you need to say.
HOWEVER
Every business is built on a secret.
Even if it doesn't exist, this is what clients pay for. They buy that special way you scratch an itch or sautee an onion.
If they think there is a secret, they'll buy from you. Whatever it is you do, give it an air of magic. Show them what they think is 90% and they'll want to buy the last 10%. Once they open the box, they'll see there is no secret. There's nothing inside they didn't know already - which is the only secret truth we needed.
Because no one invites the six-pack to a pool party because I'd like to feel comfortable with my shirtless gut, thanks.
A seven-figure income sounds nice, but you will probably still outspend it.
And the barista you're in love with is far more fantastic in your head than she will ever be in person.
She's nice, she's great, but she's still just a person. Go ahead, introduce yourself.