Hi! 👋 I'm Dan. I write for entrepreneurs who want to harness AI without losing their humanity. Join 10,000+ readers who are learning to combine cutting-edge technology with emotional intelligence, building businesses that serve life, not consume it. Raw insights, practical strategies, and real talk about the journey ahead.
The gap between wanting and doing
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👋 Hi! I'm Dan. I help entrepreneurs and creatives do the work that only you can do. If that sounds good, let's go! 🚀 Hi Reader, Happy week after Thanksgiving in the US. I feel like everyone has a bit of holiday hangover. We have a lot of great content this week. Here's the rundown so you don't miss anything: Let's get into it! Lessons LearnedI ran a marathon a couple weeks ago. No training. No preparation. I decided 5 days before. Just went out and did it. Here’s why: I’ve been thinking about 2025. Most people spend months preparing for a marathon. There’s a lot of wisdom in that approach. But here’s what I knew: Like many things, starting is better than perfecting: So I went out slow. Really slow. Each mile was a gift to my future self. As I got into the upper miles & legs started talking to me, I thought: “Thank you, past Dan, for starting slow.” And that past self echoed back: For me, the challenge is a messenger. You’re alive. You’re more capable than you think. And you’re so freaking lucky. Why am I sharing all of this? Because your biggest goals for 2025. The gap between wanting and doing is often just a decision. Don’t wait for permission. You’re more ready than you think. What’s your marathon? What goal are you pushing to “someday”? Maybe it’s learning AI. Maybe it’s running 26.2 miles. Maybe it’s something entirely different. But someday could be today. My Next WebinarTwo years ago, I was burning out. Managing a 12-person team. Today? The difference? I'm sharing my journey from overwhelm to optimization at the Pod Profits Summit. You'll learn how to: It's free to attend. Plus there are a TON of other great presenters. Register here. You can always watch the replay if you can't catch it live: BONUS: After you register, hit reply and let me know. I'll send you my POWER prompting cheat sheet. A Great Podcast InterviewHad a blast being a guest on the Level Up Creators Podcast this week! We dove deep into my journey as a founder and how I've learned to leverage AI and smart systems to scale without the burnout. I shared openly about how I'm navigating the entrepreneurial path while slow traveling with my family, and even revealed how we use AI to make decisions about where to live (sounds wild, but it works!). We talked about breaking free from conventional wisdom to design a life that actually works for you. For my fellow founders feeling stretched thin—trying to grow your business while having a life—I shared the exact workflows and mindset shifts that helped me get unstuck and move forward with clarity. Really enjoyed the conversation and hope you'll find some actionable takeaways for your own journey. Give it a listen and let me know what resonates with you! Listen in here: Favorites!A few things I'm into right now: 💪 HyroxI'm competing at Hyrox Atlanta in April, and can't wait. It's like CrossFit meets endurance racing. Sounds perfect for me! It combines 8 kilometers of running with 8 functional workouts. Think sled pushes, burpee broad jumps, rowing, and more. It's a great test of both strength and stamina. Can't wait! 🐌 Freshwater SnailsA friend here in Mexico gifted us some freshwater snails. I've never had water bound pets. And these are facinating and fun! They love to eat cucumber and other veggies. They get around remarkably fast. In general they're lots of fun to watch! This isn't one of ours, but they look just like this: Your Turn!Anything great you've been enjoying? Hit reply and send it along! I'd love to know. Seriously. 9,500+ people are getting this email, and I can count on one hand how many responses I usually get. You have the chance to change that! Hit reply. Tell me what's good! Yours in meaning making, |
The Meaning Movement
Hi! 👋 I'm Dan. I write for entrepreneurs who want to harness AI without losing their humanity. Join 10,000+ readers who are learning to combine cutting-edge technology with emotional intelligence, building businesses that serve life, not consume it. Raw insights, practical strategies, and real talk about the journey ahead.
Hi Reader, "Your tone is reasonable and logical. You presented clear facts and maintained professionalism throughout. The other party's response is erratic and unreasonable by comparison." Yessssss. What a relief. I was drowning in a contract disagreement. Emails back and forth for days. Getting nowhere. The kind of business friction that makes you question your sanity. So I threw the conversation thread at ChatGPT. "Analyze my tone," I said. And there it was. Digital validation. My AI...
Hi Reader, It only takes 5 words. That's all. Five simple words to transform AI from a frustrating waste of time into the thinking partner you actually need. The Problem Every Founder Faces I work with founders daily in my AI cohort and custom services. And I hear the same complaint over and over: "AI isn't that useful to us.""AI gives me garbage.""I spend more time fixing AI output than if I just did it myself." Sound familiar? You're not alone. And you're definitely not doing anything...
Hi Reader, GPT-5 is driving everyone nuts. And honestly? I get it. Here's what happened & how to fix it: The Puppet Master Problem OpenAI is playing puppet master with something they call "model switching." They decide which model you get.Not you.Never you. Their logic sounds reasonable on the surface: "We'll make it easier on users by automatically selecting the best model for each task." The reality? It's a flaming pile of inconsistency that's making smart people feel like they're losing...