Analog Action by Matt Ragland

Hey Reader, ever notice how your best ideas show up at the worst times? You're in the shower. Driving. Halfway through a conversation. That's when your brain decides to hand you something brilliant. But here's where most people get stuck: they write it down, then immediately wonder "What do I do with this now?" Do I tag it? File it somewhere? Build a system around it? Connect it to other ideas? So instead of just capturing the thought, you start organizing. Adding friction. And pretty soon,...

Hey Reader, quick question… This fall I’ve been working with a group of newsletter writers to help them write more consistently, effectively, and turn more emails into sales. So if you have a newsletter and that sounds like something you would like—easier to write and more profitable—just click reply and let me know. 💡 One Big Idea The other day I took a selfie for social. It’s kinda surprising to me that these “natural” selfies still work, but even so they’re starting to feel played out....

Hey Reader, want to know the fastest way to lose your someone’s attention? Talk like you're trying to prove something instead of share something. A speaking coach just called me out on this, and now I can't unsee it in my own work. Here’s what he asked me… "Are you speaking to express or to impress?" Michael (more on him in a minute) helped me realized how often I'm performing instead of connecting. How many times I've stretched a story too long or kept talking just to sound smarter than I...

Hey Reader, sorry this is going out on Monday. Honestly, I thought this was already scheduled and was blissfully unaware until I logged on this morning. Hope you didn't miss me too much 😉 Ok now that we're passed me being late... have you ever received good advice but ignored it for years, even though it's exactly the sort of thing you need help with to achieve your goals? I was going through a stack of old note cards this week and found this one I wrote back in January 2021: "Make Your Own...

Hey Reader, remember a couple weeks ago when I struck out in slow pitch softball and pulled a muscle because I swung too hard? Well, last night I crushed one. I'm talking a no-doubter-out-of-the-park* home run that sailed over the outfielders' heads. And here's the wild part. I wasn't swinging any harder than when I struck out. I swung less hard! The difference? Everything was lined up. My feet, my hips, my shoulders, the bat... all moving together in one smooth motion. I caught the ball...

Hey Reader, as you read this I'm waking up the North Carolina mountains, next to a lake with coffee brewing and fall colors on full display. I hope you're having an equally good day, but I gotta say this is pretty awesome for me 🏕️ Here's what's up… I just finished a week of review, rest, and (outdoor) recreation. It's the "sabbatical week" in my new work cycle experiment—read more about it at the end of the email. I did a pretty good job hitting most of my goals for the past six weeks. But I...

Hey Reader, welcome to October! This is my favorite month of the year. Cooler temperatures, camping, football, my birthday, and stout beers. What could be better? In this edition of the WRAP you'll learn about having an infrastructure mindset. I'll show you how George Lucas (Star Wars) and Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone) built infrastructure businesses that supported creative work while becoming very profitable on their own. We'll also talk about how the systems you built to support your work...