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The Truth That Every Passionate Writer Must Accept to Thrive
A different way of thinking about the prospects of your work
“If an outcome exists, there is absolutely a mechanism to explain it. But just because a mechanism exists, does not mean you’re going to produce an outcome.”
That was a quote from Layne Norton, a nutrition scientist and powerlifter, in the Huberman podcast. Norton and Huberman were talking about getting better nutrition and fitness.
But we can just as easily apply the same logic to our writing careers.
Writing advice is everywhere. You’ve probably heard these tips:
- Write every day.
- Build your audience by publishing consistently.
- Learn how to create attention-grabbing headlines on platforms like Medium or Substack.
- Study how your favorite writers succeeded in their fields. Then reverse-engineer their process.
The advice seems clear, but many writers do all these things and still struggle. Why?
Because success in writing isn’t just about following the path of successful writers. External factors — timing, market trends, and yes, luck — matter just as much as your effort.