I’m on the couch under a blanket as I write this. It’s only 7:53am on Easter morning but I’m grateful to be up and awake because I spent an ugly night in bed, fighting feverish dreams.
My tongue feels burned. I’m a little tired and achy. I’m shivering even though it’s not cold in the room.
Two years ago, what I have right now would almost certainly have been diagnosed as corona. Today, it’s simply a bad cold or some unidentified viral infection.
All of which is to say, I’m very eager to write this email. Because if I’m eager to write when I feel good, and even more eager when I feel bad, then what army can resist me?
For the past few years I’ve been reading about famous Greeks and Romans. One of these was Marcus Claudius Marcellus, a Roman general and statesman. Marcellus was the first to give a check to Hannibal’s massive army as it was rampaging undefeated through Italy. This gave the Romans hope.
Other times, Marcellus lost to Hannibal. But he still kept harassing Hannibal’s army and frustrating Hannibal, one of the greatest military commanders in history. After months of unending skirmishes with Marcellus, Hannibal put his head in his hands and said:
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What can one do with a man who knows not how to bear either good or bad fortune? This is the only general who, when victorious allows his foe no rest, and when defeated takes none himself. We shall always, it seems, have to be fighting this man, who is equally excited to attack by his confidence when victor, and his shame when vanquished.
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Point being, you can find motivation in lots of things. Glory and confidence in times of success, shame and fury in times of failure.
Maybe it comes naturally to you to be motivated, like it seemed to come to Marcellus. But even if not, then with a bit of thinking, you can often create a conscious reframe of a bad situation. Not only will this produce superior results in time, but it can make you feel better when you’re feeling lousy.
And now, let me tell you about my Most Valuable Email course.
As I’ve written before, if I had to choose just one email copywriting approach for the rest of time, from here to eternity, I wouldn’t choose stories or personal reveals or pop culture illustrations or checklists or testimonials or hard-core how to or shock and controversy.
Instead, I would choose the Most Valuable Email trick.
For one thing, because of the results it produces — interesting and novel emails, which people love to read, and which teach me a thing or two also.
But there’s also the motivation issue. Most Valuable Emails are so valuable because I personally find them the most enjoyable to write. Going back to this type of email over and over has helped me stick with daily emailing for the long term, when I’m feeling good and when I’m feeling lousy, when things are working and when they’re not.
For more info on Most Valuable Email: