A few years ago, I stumbled upon a magical article. Reading it felt like a Tibetan monk had struck a ritual bell and I was teleported into a state of higher awareness. Everything slowed down, every detail sharpened.
Yet the article was nothing more than a short reflection on a simple family moment. But the way it was told—so vivid, so compelling—made it unforgettable. The author drew out a profound lesson from something completely ordinary.
His name was
.I immediately followed him and started devouring all his best work. But before long, I felt betrayed. That beautiful article turned out to be his most recent one. And it was months old.
He had stopped publishing entirely.
I later found out he quit Medium, the platform I found is articles on. But he didn't chase greener pastures on another promising platform. He had just... stopped. He moved on to other things, like coaching, teaching at a university, writing his own book.
Thanks to a lucky twist of fate, we eventually became friends. I had the pleasure and privilege of speaking with him one-on-one. And now, finally, I interviewed him for the Unstoppable Creator podcast.
I was genuinely excited to dig into his mindset, his process, his habits as a writer. And he didn’t disappoint.
I learned that his dramatic departure from Medium wasn’t a one-time thing. Pivoting—making bold, sometimes risky shifts—is something Michael has deliberately cultivated.
It’s how he stays aligned with meaningful work that energizes him. He’s constantly juggling multiple projects and roles.
It’s hard and scary as you'd expect. But he’s been doing it for years, all while providing for his family of four. For me, that’s an incredibly inspiring example.
As creators, we’re constantly overwhelmed. Most audience-building experts misdirect new creators with flamboyant success stories: "He got 40000 subscribers in 3 months", "She's traveling the word and working one hour every day", "How I'm doing $10000 every month"...
They forget to mention that the people in those stories were either single or in very privileged situations. Or that they paid a price—whether in well-being, mental health, or staying true to their values.
Michael is a realistic, down-to-earth example of someone who can’t afford to spend all day writing or burn everything down to build a business.
He's set his own rules and built a life he loves, despite the uncertainty. Listen to the interview to find out how he did it.
Subscribe to Michael’s publication Shy by design and please thank him in the comments below.
I interview creators live every week to understand their routines, processes, and mindset—basically everything behind the scenes of great content. You can listen to all the recording by clicking here.
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