It took me a year to write this.

Even if you asked me a month ago if I’d write about making money with content, I’d laugh at you. Now, I’m kicking myself because things have changed.

My writing income has significantly increased over the past few months for a few reasons, and I want to share them with you:

1. Write about money
2. Pick a bubble and stay in there
3. Get distracted by other pursuits

There’s the short but honest table of contents. Close the tab now if you’d like, but keep reading if you want the juicy details.

Here’s how…

This is not your dad’s root beer; I mean writing advice.

I’ll start by laying down a bomb of writing wisdom: write for yourself first. If you can do that, then you’re actually ahead of the curve.

Here’s what I mean:

• Blog posts are stories
• Stories are just problems with a solution
• You can write about yourself while teaching others

Writing blogs is simple in concept, but that doesn’t make it any easier. Because, in the end, we want to create impactful work.

So how do you write blog posts to be proud of?

If you’d want your friends to read it, write it

I almost killed a friendship with…

Everything you do, see, and hear, is content.

The reason your flight was delayed is content. Your messed-up Post-mates order is content. Your freelancing experience is content. The tricky part is harnessing everyday instances into worthwhile stories.

If everything is content, then everyone is also a content creator. Anyone can harness the power of content to change their life path.

While there aren’t any 100% best ways to create, there are a few mistakes I’ve seen writers make that aren’t conducive to growth.

Let’s dive in.

1. Being a selfish human

The best content creators are honest, helpful humans.

That means they don’t keep anything…

Frodo Baggins is an inspiration.

He set out to do what Middle Earth needed him to do, but he didn’t forget who he was: a simple hobbit from the Shire.

If you follow your passion, it probably won’t be that dramatic. Would you want it to be? Personally, I would prefer to live my life without dark hooded horsemen following my every move.

I do have my demons though, I just imagine them a little differently. They are in the forms of productivity, responsibility, and money. While these are noble pursuits, they are double-edged swords.

• Your inner productivity monster is…

Let’s get personal.

Until now, only a handful of people know I applied to UCLA during my sophomore year of college. I was having a quarter-life crisis of sorts.

I felt out of place, like I didn’t belong to the campus that accepted me. Mind you; I already attended one of the top universities in California for my major.

Physically, I was in the right place. Mentally, I was the guy at the party who hides in the corner. I was too nervous about joining a fraternity by myself. My girlfriend at the time went to a different school. …

“At this rate, I really don’t think we’re going to make it.” — Me in 2016

I was already feeling the weight of the mountain on my shoulders. My first-ever summit, a strenuous day hike, mind you, was almost cut short because of mental fatigue. The devil on my shoulder made me question myself.

“What’s the point of moving forward? Even if you make it to the top, what’s the point?”

The man who climbed that very same mountain 700 times would beg to differ. I met him in the most fitting way possible, too. …

Having too many choices is a paradox.

If you asked me where to travel, what to eat, or what to do during your short time on earth, I’d panic. Because there are so many things one can do, I’d resort to talking about the things I’ve done.

Instead of rambling on myself, I texted my think tank and asked what they thought. “What’s something worth doing in life.”

I prefer a smaller group, AKA a think tank of creators who think differently than me. They’re like a diversified portfolio of ideas. I gain multiple perspectives vicariously through them.

Here are…

The hardest part of freelancing isn’t the work: it’s the negotiation process.

Landing a project is as frustrating as it is rewarding because you know what you’re capable of. The tricky piece of the puzzle is convincing clients what you can do. Finally, you land a gig, but it took everything out of you to get it.

This is how you get here:

• You spend years learning a particular skill. Maybe you’ve spent your entire life dedicated to a craft.
• Your friends take notice, and they ask you to photograph their event, make them a website, or commission a painting…