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20 years, 3 episodes, and 2 sick kids later
I almost didn't write this today. But here's why I did anyway...
Stephen Stanberry
January 9th, 2026
In partnership with
Hey friend
You've heard this advice a thousand times:
"Just show up consistently." "Build your thing in public." "Don't break the chain."
And every time, you nod along like it makes sense.
Then you wake up on a day like today and think:
What does that actually mean when everything feels heavy?
Most creators I talk to say the same thing.
"I don't know if I can keep going."
They sit down to hit publish and hesitate, wondering if anyone even cares.
But still... They watch other creators show up every single day and wonder where they get the energy.
Here's what I'm learning:
You're not short on strength. You're just in a moment that's testing it.
I'm sitting here at my desk at 9:47 AM.
My twin daughters are home sick. Both of them. Coughing from the other room.
And today marks 20 years since my mom lost her battle with cancer. 😭😭
Twenty years.
I woke up thinking: "Maybe I should skip today. Maybe I should just... not."
But then I published episode 3 of my podcast anyway.
Second episode with a guest.
Not because I'm motivated. Not because I feel strong.
But because showing up especially on hard days is how you build something that matters.
That's what I'm sharing with you today, so you can keep going when you're thinking about quitting.
The 5 lessons I've learned from 3 podcast episodes:
1. Nobody cares about perfect. They care about real.
People don't remember your content for how polished it was. They remember it for how honest it felt.
When someone shares your work and says, "You have to read this," they're not describing your production quality.
They're describing an emotional connection.
Episode 1 was supposed to be my big launch.
Instead? I had lost my voice.
Literally. Barely could speak above a raspy whisper.
I almost postponed it. Waited until everything was "right."
But I hit record anyway.
And you know what? People connected with it more than I expected.
3 ways to embrace imperfect over perfect:
1/ The "ship it broken" rule
Stop waiting for ideal conditions.
Ask yourself: "Is this good enough to help someone today?"
If yes, publish it. You can always improve version 2.
2/ The vulnerability test
If you're nervous to share it, that's usually a sign it's worth sharing.
The thing that makes you uncomfortable is probably what someone else needs to hear.
3/ The 80% sprint
Give yourself 15 minutes to create something.
Don't edit. Don't overthink. Just get it out.
When you stop chasing perfect, you start building momentum.
2. The best moments happen off-script
Facts inform. But unplanned moments transform.
You can follow a template perfectly and still leave people cold.
The conversations that stick are the ones where you forget the plan.
I almost scripted every question for my first guest interview.
Then 10 minutes in, we went completely off-script.
And that's where the gold was.
The tangents we explored. The silence I didn't try to fill. The moments I didn't plan.
That's what people remember.
Your best content won't come from following a template.
It'll come from being present and curious.
3. Train yourself to see stories in the hard days
You're not short on material. You're short on awareness.
What about today? My kids are sick. It's the anniversary of my mom's death. I'm exhausted.
This is a story worth telling.
Think about the decision you almost didn't make. Write it down.
Notice the moments that make you feel something.
Storytellers see stories everywhere especially on the days that hurt.
As a creator, your job is to notice them so you can turn them into something that helps someone else.
4. Consistency beats everything (even on hard days)
The traditional playbook says take a break when things get tough.
Rest until you feel motivated again.
That playbook is misleading.
The best creators show up in broad daylight on good days AND hard ones.
They share their struggles, pivots, and breakthroughs as they happen.
When you show up publicly, you unlock three things:
Witnesses to your journey. People who watch you evolve and root for you.
Accountability. It's harder to quit when people are watching.
Trust. People see you're real, not a highlight reel.
Map your commitment:
What decision are you wrestling with right now that others could learn from?
What struggle happened recently that you haven't talked about yet?
What breakthrough did you have this week that someone else needs to hear?
The more you share, the stronger your signal becomes. The right people start finding you.
The more you hide, the more you disappear.
5. You build the thing by building the thing
I spent 9 months "planning" to launch a podcast.
Researching equipment. Overthinking the format. Waiting for the "right time."
You know when it finally happened?
When I stopped planning and just recorded episode 1.
With no voice.
You don't learn by preparing. You learn by doing.
The messy first version teaches you more than a year of research ever will.
If your content feels flat, you don't need to be more creative.
You need to show up even when it's hard.
Here's what I want you to know:
Today is heavy.
But I'm here anyway.
Not because I'm special or disciplined or have it all together.
But because showing up is how you honor the people who can't anymore.
Episode 3 is live: [Link to podcast]
It's a conversation about resilience, showing up, and turning struggle into strength.
Seems fitting for today.
If you're thinking about quitting something right now, don't.
Keep going.
One more email. One more post. One more episode.
It adds up.
Even when it doesn't feel like it.
Talk soon..
From my home office in Sunny Jamaica 🇯🇲
Stephen
P.S. - My mom used to say: "You don't get strong on the easy days." Twenty years later, I finally understand what she meant. Show up today. Especially today.
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