Many creators find themselves mirroring the people they admire.

If your friends are crushing it on Threads, you start writing on Threads. If they’re launching products, you’ll feel the pull to do the same. It’s human nature to seek belonging and approval. But there’s a fine line between inspiration and imitation. And crossing that line can leave you competing in the wrong game.

Chasing status feels like progress, but it often leads to frustration. You end up building for validation instead of building what’s authentic to you.

Peter Thiel once shared that his rejection from clerking for a Supreme Court justice (a goal everyone in law school chased) pushed him into entrepreneurship instead. That failure wasn’t the end of his path. It was the beginning of the right one. Sometimes, setbacks are life’s way of nudging us toward a better game.

As a creator, the antidote to this cycle is authenticity. When you stop chasing trends and start creating from your unique strengths, competition becomes irrelevant. No one can replicate your story, perspective, or voice. It’s what makes your work resonate deeply with the right audience.

The Answer Is Authenticity

Five years ago, oat milk was a niche product in cafés. Today, it’s everywhere. Why? Because it hit a cultural nerve. It offered something better, healthier, and more sustainable than what came before. Authenticity is the same for modern creators. It’s the ingredient that makes your content richer, more relatable, and more valuable.

If you build and market something that’s an extension of who you are, competition becomes irrelevant. Who can compete with Dan Koe or Matt Gray? No one. Artists, by definition, are authentic. Entrepreneurs can be, too. People like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos succeed because their businesses reflect their desires and unique skills.

Think about it: the creators who inspire us the most are the ones who feel real, even if they only have 500 followers. I have 50K followers (not even close to the biggest personal brands) but I still get messages like this:

I’m not afraid to speak my truth. That’s what allows me to write in a way that resonates deeply. I’m not afraid to share my beliefs, my mistakes, or speak my mind. In a world full of polished content, being human is what truly stands out.

How to Create Authentic Content

No one can compete with you on being you

Escape competition through authenticity.

- Naval Ravikant

Authenticity naturally gets you away from competition. Leaning into who you are, and stacking your unique skills, is the ultimate strategy.

So, here’s how to create authentic content:

1. Specialize in Being You

The most valuable niche you can occupy is yourself. Authenticity is your greatest leverage. It’s what makes you irreplaceable. When you specialize in being you, your content becomes a reflection of your beliefs, your experiences, and your unique voice.

1) Be Bold (Stand Out)

Authenticity starts with boldness. Most people play it safe. They say what they think others want to hear. Stand out by embracing what makes you different. Share unconventional ideas unapologetically. Don’t fear disagreement. It repels the wrong audience and attracts the right one.

Ask yourself: What do you believe that others might not? What feels too risky to share? Lean into those truths. That’s where your power lies.

2) Be Vulnerable (Connect)

Vulnerability is your greatest strength as a creator. The struggles, wins, and lessons you’ve lived through create deep connections with your audience.

Reflect on moments that shaped who you are, whether transformational events or small realizations. Share these experiences to inspire and resonate with others.

For example, my journey from burnout and failed businesses to finding purpose through creating content and freelancing has helped me connect with others who see their struggles mirrored in mine.

Ask yourself: What challenges have you overcome? What lessons can help someone else? Vulnerability encourages others to embrace their own stories and find strength in their imperfections.

3) Be Genuine (Build Trust)

Genuineness isn’t about telling the truth. It’s about living it. Let your personality shine through in everything you create. Don’t try to sound like someone else. Be you. Trust is built when your audience feels they know the real person behind the content.

Ask yourself: Am I showing up as my true self in my content? What values and experiences can I share that will help my audience trust me? Let your work reflect who you are at your core.

2. Create Your Digital Identity

Start with yourself. Your life, skills, and interests are not random. They are puzzle pieces that hint at your ideal future.

• What excites you?
• What are you good at?
• What keeps you curious?

Your digital avatar is the personification of these answers. It’s the version of you that connects with your audience.

Don’t limit yourself to money-making interests. Switch on your curiosity. People don’t buy products. They buy the energy behind them. A deep sense of curiosity about a topic turns any niche into a movement.

1) Find Your 3 Core Interests

For example, my three core interests are:

• Audience Growth
• Psychology
• AI

Your core interests may change over time, and that’s completely normal. In fact, this evolution inspired me to take a step back and zoom out on my own interests and view them as part of a larger framework rather than fixed ideas. 

For me:

AI (interest) = Technology and Code (broad topic)

Psychology (interest) = Human Development (broad topic)

Audience Growth (interest) = Digital Business (broad topic)

Here’s how you do it:

2) Zoom Out

Start from the top with your core interests (in red) and work your way down. Use these as a foundation to generate ideas for your text content, videos, or other forms of content.

By doing this, you stretch your curiosity and open yourself to thinking outside the box. I don’t just focus on teaching people how to grow an audience but how to make sales, write persuasive copy, build effective systems, and learn the skills needed to support that growth.

We aren’t one-dimensional. People have multiple skills and interests. Over time, you’ll gravitate toward the things you’re good at. Often the things you enjoy doing.

3. Create Your First 3 Authentic Pieces of Content

We’re going to focus on writing listicles.

Why?

Because clarity and simplicity win. A good listicle delivers value quickly, holds attention, and makes your ideas easy to share and consume.

My most viral posts on Threads are listicles.

Here’s why listicles are great:

• You can expand them into newsletters, essays, or blog posts.
• Each point can stand alone as a post on other platforms.
• They double as scripts for videos or podcasts.

For the sake of writing these listicles, I will use content creation as a topic.

Let’s dive in.

1) Share Actionable Advice

People trust those who simplify the complex.

They’re not looking for a new idea. They’re looking for clarity on what already works. Write something that breaks things down even a beginner can take action. But with depth that even an expert nods in agreement.

Example:

Your content sucks because:

- You don’t grab attention
- You don't solve problems
- You share generic advice

Fix these and you’ll create content that sticks.

Make your wisdom practical.

The principles that change lives aren’t complex. They’re clear, actionable, and timeless. Share what works and let simplicity do the heavy lifting.

2) Share Something Important

No one cares about what you know until they understand why it matters. To make your ideas resonate, connect them to universal human desires. Freedom. Growth. Peace. Purpose. Show your audience how your topic fits into the bigger picture of their lives.

Example:

Content creation is more than writing posts.

It’s the fastest way to:

- Connect with like-minded people
- Establish authority in your industry
- Build trust with thousands of people at once

If you’re not creating content, you’re not creating opportunities.

The value of anything lies in its relevance. When you show people how your knowledge impacts their lives, you move from being informative to being indispensable.

3) Call Out Common Mistakes

The easiest way to build trust is to share mistakes.

Explain why they happen. Show how to avoid them. Don’t point fingers. Guide people through the struggles you’ve already faced.

Example:

Stop overcomplicating your content:

- Say 1 idea in 1,000 different ways
- Stick to one clear message per post
- Solve one specific problem at a time

Content isn’t about perfection. It’s about consistency.

We all learn through mistakes. Sharing yours, and showing how you overcame them, makes you relatable, trustworthy, and human.

4. Steal Like an Artist

Authenticity isn’t something you turn on. it’s who you are, both online and offline. Even as memetic creatures we remain authentic. Why? Because the act of choosing what to emulate reflects our unique values.

To steal like an artist isn’t to copy. It’s to curate. It’s about seeing the world as a mosaic of inspiration, where every piece you borrow becomes a part of your story.

And the argument about authenticity equaling originality is pointless. Authenticity means being honest about what inspires you and using it as a foundation for your voice. When you decide to follow a structure, emulate a creator, or adopt an idea, that choice itself is an act of authenticity. It’s a reflection of your identity.

Borrow a colour here, content idea there, text font somewhere else. It’s about integrating minor distinctions that, over time, compound into something uniquely yours.

This way, you’re not copying. You’re transforming their ideas through your own lens. Your subconscious will piece together these influences into an original creation.

5. Post Daily, No Matter What

Consistency builds authenticity.

It’s how people get to know and trust you. Your first 100 posts aren’t for them. They’re for you. They’re your chance to experiment and improve your work. Some people will love you, others will hate you, and most will ignore you. None of that matters. What matters is showing up.

Every post you create is a seed. The more you plant. The more you grow something meaningful. Keep going. It gets easier.

Thank you for reading!

J

P.S. I’ve been diving deep into technology and AI recently. Skills I’m currently learning the most. In future letters, I’ll be sharing more insights on these topics. Thanks to AI, I’ve been able to go from spending 4 hours a day writing to just 60 minutes. On a bad day! It’s helped me produce higher-quality content, think more deeply, and uncover ideas no one else is talking about. If you want to become a thought leader in your industry and stay at the forefront of modern evolution and AI, stick around. 2025 is going to be insane!