💎 Issue #63 - 10 Lessons From 70 newsletters
Thank you for being here. ❤️
The LivingOS Membership is a comprehensive deep-dive on new life perspectives. This edition is made available to the public for a limited time. Thank you for being here!
I started LivingOS at the start of the pandemic. After 200+ days, I have shifted from curating resources on Revue to sharing my deep personal reflections on Substack.
Looking back on the journey, from sending the first letter to submitting the manuscript for my first book, I have distilled the top lessons from writing 70 letters and would like to celebrate this milestone with you.
Charlene’s 10 Lessons From 70 newsletters
Write in public consistently.
I am a big believer in durability. There is immense value in writing on a consistent schedule, especially at this unprecedented time. Inspired by my writing role models (Tyler Cowen, Seth Godin, 羅胖), I have been sharing the best ideas in my daily newsletter and connect with the larger audience on a weekly basis.
Write to make better decisions.
Every time I write, I am programming my operating system to be more precise and reliable. This process directly shapes my mindsets, worldview, and how I make business and life decisions.
Write about something you are interested in.
While I do ask for your feedback from time to time, the main audience is myself. This is my way of keeping it interesting, fun, and intellectually stimulating. I have little tolerance for fluffs and am probably the most critical reader I’ll ever get. Hopefully, I have done a good job for you as well.
Write about something you would like to figure out.
Building on top of the power of hard things, I found a lot more satisfaction in researching and writing things that I’m still figuring out—my life. Since I tie my newsletters with personal growth, I would always be interested in making it better as I grow and figure out this interesting thing called life.
Write with your authentic voice and stories.
People come for the content and stay for your character. You can breed familiarity by having recurring characters (like Warren, Chris, Charlie, and Whitney) or by honing in on stories (like the real conversation with my coach).
Write to people who scare you.
I hate to get stuck into a routine. Therefore, I’d spice things up by sending letters to people I respect. This can be a writing mentor, an accountability group, or a writing community. The key is to find someone who scares you a bit, raise your level of aspiration, and push your boundary.
Write with a no-meeting block.
Friday is my no meeting day to get work done. On this day, I get a large chunk of quiet time to reflect on my life and doodle on new life experiments.
Write back to your reader.
Attention is the most expensive currency of our generation, and I’m really grateful for the attention you have graciously spent on my work. While I might not incorporate every feedback, I read every email and take reader communication seriously.
Write when you are not ready.
As I wrote in yesterday’s letter, I never felt ready. Fortunately, I have come to terms with that self-doubt and decided to write even when I’m not ready. To be more accurate, I write to get ready.
Stop writing before you are finished.
“The best way is always to stop when you are going good and when you know what will happen next. If you do that every day when you are writing a novel you will never be stuck.” —Hemingway
One question for you…
What else would you like to see in my newsletter? Just hit reply and let me know ❤️
