I think I found "my word"...

Why do trains feel so nostalgic?

The metal wheels thumping against the tracks, the whistle of steam as the conductor shifts the vessel into motion, there's something "old time" about it...

Also, I'm sitting on Amtrak right now, and it's one of those seats where you're facing backwards.

Maybe that's why it feels like I'm traveling backwards in time.

As I bustle through the wilderness of the great state of New Jersey headed back up to NYC, I can't help but notice that it might not be just the train that has me feeling reminiscent....

I think it's because I've been doing a lot of reflecting this week.

Daily meditation will do that, I suppose. 

I started meditating again this past week after a long hiatus.

And it's given me a lot of space to process what it is that I'm doing here, in this newsletter/social media/content creator game.

To take it a step further, I also stopped watching Netflix, and substituted it for only watching YouTube videos in an effort to study up to improve my own videos. 

Full immersion.

Pretty extreme, I know.

But guess what?

It worked.

I came to a massive realization. An epiph-

Wait...I just saw a sign on a bridge that says, “Trenton Makes, the World Takes”...?

Excellent copywriting.

Just googled the backstory.

It turns out, the Trenton Chamber of Commerce ran a contest in 1910 for this signage, and the winner’s slogan still stands today.

This phrase was chosen to showcase Trenton’s place as a major player in the manufacturing industry, exporting goods like iron, steel, rubber, and pottery.

"Manufacturing."

One word.

Trenton's "one word."

What was I on about again....?

Oh yeah, my epiphany.

Just like Trenton found theirs...I, too, found "my word."

Before I tell you what it is, let me tell you why finding it is so important.

Anyone who is truly prolific at what they do is known for one word.

• Albert Einstein - "Science"
• William Shakespeare - "Writing"
• Leonardo Da Vinci - "Art"

Now look, each one of them has other words/disciplines associated with them.

But when you hear each person's name on that list, you think of their "one word."

This is especially true in the social media world.

Everyone who's grown a large following is "the ______ guy/lady."

 Don't believe me?

Here's a running list of examples I’ve been collecting:

• Matt Gray - "Systems"
• David Perell - "Writing"
• Justin Welsh - "Solopreneurship"
• Ali Abdaal - "Productivity"
• Zach Pogrob - "Obsession"
• Harry Dry - "Copywriting"
• Dickie Bush/Nicolas Cole - "Ghostwriting"
• Alex Hormozi - "Marketing"
• Oren John - "Branding"
• Matt Walker - "Sleep"
• Dan Koe - "Focus"
• Codie Sanchez - "Business"
• Casey Neistat - "Vlogging"
• Dr. Gabrielle Lyon - "Muscle"
• Dr. Andrew Huberman - "Neuroscience"
• Ryan Holiday - "Stoicism"

I think you get the point…

 Finding "your word" is important because:

“Your word” is your beacon.

“Your word” is your bonfire. 

“Your word” your bat signal.

It tells the masses what you're about in one. singular. word. 

Finding “your word” isn’t easy though...

It’s taken me 8 months of consistent effort.

But I think I've finally found it.

The Quest

Earlier this week, I posted this reflection on X to capture the journey I've been on to find "my word".

(it was staring me in the face this whole time)

 __________________________________________________________

when i started my personal brand 8 months ago, i thought i had it all figured out.

but boy was i wrong…

when you first start out, you think you know what your brand is about. 

i mean after all…it’s about you, right? 

how hard could that be to figure out? 

so you start talking about “this” because “this” is what you’re about.

but then…

you realize you’ve started talking about “that” and then “that” becomes what you’re about.

and then…

you start talking about “this other thing”.

and then you take a step back and realize…

“this”

“that”

and “the other thing” 

are all pieces of a larger puzzle.

the puzzle that is “you.”

your interests. 

your value to society.

your unknown curiosities.

with each post. 

with each video.

with newsletter.

you start to figure “your brand” out. 

in this process, you realize a personal brand is not just a “brand.”

no, it’s much bigger. 

you find out…

• who you are. 
• how you can help others.
• what your life story (that you’re actively writing) is about.

a personal brand is a transformative journey.

the only way to figure out what you’re brand is “about” is by listening to what your interests and creations are trying to tell you. 

sometimes the answer is right under your nose the whole time. 

take my own brand journey for example: 

i went from “writing/productivity/psychology/mindset” (but like…what is it?)

to “commitment” (okay but like…to what?)

to “be happy, make bank” (catchy, but wait, how much have you made so far? none. okay next.)

to “interests into income” (did you hear me on the last one? no money no authority)

to “digital skills: writing, video, branding, monetizing” (now that’s a mouthful. also, i don’t know if i need all that, seems intimidating)

the thing i’ve realized is that the most prolific personal brands are known for one thing. 

one word. 

and i think….finally…i’ve found “my word”.

i’ve realized that all of those iterations i went through have one underlying theme:

“learning”

a core belief of mine is that anyone can learn anything,

learning = reps + reflection.

and there are so many people that take their ideas, talents, and ambitions to the grave with them because they either don’t believe in themselves to see it through, or they don’t know how.

i want to inspire people to know that they can learn, create, or do anything they want. 

that’s what i’m showcasing by the doing daily videos. 

but now it’s time to buckle down on “learning” as a whole, as my brand. 

“learn how to learn and you can do anything” - my 10th grade english teacher

“learning” was there the whole time staring me in the face - my second ever article was called “Learn or Die: 8 Tips to Learn Anything Fast”. 

duh.

but i wouldn’t have realized any of this without months of trial and error, following my interests and ultimately realizing what value i’ve had all along. 

and that’s on putting in the work 💪

so i plan to teach you how to learn and to make learning fun again. 

“learning” is the word that found me.

ask me again in a month though 😉

jk jk (but 👀)

anyway, (slight) rebrand coming soon… :)

__________________________________________________________

"Your word" = Your Authority

From street soccer skills in the basement of my parents house,

To learning how to barber in my college dorm room,

To cooking healthy meals in my apartment,

To learning how to build a personal brand/business on social media...

If there's anything I have a track record of, it's "learning."

I even just went through my old articles searching for the word “learn.”

Here are a few:

The Power of Writing: “we have an obligation to share what we learn, it’s how we’ve gotten this far."

Learn or Die: 8 Tips to Learn Anything Fast:

The Rebrand Part 1 - The Foundation:

Again….DUH, dude.

That’s what all of this is and has always been:

1. Learn

2. Distill

3. Share

But hey, I’m not afraid to admit when I’m wrong.

In fact, I’ve grown to enjoy being vulnerable in public.I think that’s one of the parts I love most about sharing online.

Because it shows the reality of everything.

It shows you’re going to make mistakes.

You’re going to think you’re right. But then “right” turns out to be “wrong”.

That’s okay.

That’s how you learn.

So “learning” - that’s my word. 

Since coming to this realization, I’ve been collecting all sort of resources, ideas, and techniques I’m going to be sharing around the topic of learning itself.

• How to learn faster
• How to learn more deeply
• How people who are the best at what they do learned how to be the best

And plenty more :)

So stay tuned.

-Ry

P.S. I guess we should address the elephant in the room…

Welcome to Ward’s World

I know I promised the last rebrand would be THE ONE for a while, but I had to.

I just had to.

P.S.S. A word of advice if you’re thinking about starting a newsletter: 

Keep the name general because you will inevitably pivot into new areas of interest. Don’t box yourself in with something too specific, even if you think it is quite clever.

That's all folks, have a wonderful week :)