I got an email from a reader yesterday with an excessively long subject line:
“The most valuable info is rarely sexy, and it’s probably been staring you in the face for a long while.”
Hm. Sounded familiar. It turned out to be a quote from the last chapter of my 10 Commandments book. The body of the email went on to explain:
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Hi John,
In a sea of great quotes from your book, this one spoke to me differently.
Why?
Cause I’ve been chasing shiny objects and secrets the past one year after quitting my banking job to write online.
Only to realize it’s BS 😅
The plan this year is to do the boring shit, on repeat. Till I get good at it. Means reading the fundamental books on copy and doing copywork a lot.
I’m already on your list and enjoy reading your emails. But it’s premature for me to buy yet – in due course though haha.
Anyways, this was an open invitation so I went for it.
Have good Sunday!
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I have this theory that people who wind up in copywriting and direct marketing are all shiny object addicts by nature.
It’s just that the ones who make it realize their addiction at some point, and begin a gradual process of detox and recovery.
If you want a ten-step program to begin your own detox and recovery, then consider my 10 Commandments of A-List Copywriters.
A few of these commandments might be new to you. But odds are, most will be either familiar, or obvious. That doesn’t change the fact it’s where the real value is.
If you have already admitted to yourself you are powerless over shiny objects — and that your life has become unmanageable as a result — then have taken the first step. For the next 10 steps: