I'm Failing You... And Myself Too.

Something has to change.

This publication is becoming more selfish. Michael Thompson prescribed it.

Well, not exactly.

Last week, I skipped the first issue of this newsletter. To make things worse, it was supposed to be a mini-book for paid subscribers.

I felt so ashamed, but everything really aligned for the worst.

I promised I would make up for it this month with two mini-books. But now I have to walk that back.

It's a painful decision. But Michael was pretty convincing. 😉

Let me explain.

My double purpose

I believe every creator’s actions should be driven by two purposes: one selfish, one selfless.

If you're too selfish, the audience won’t feel heard or helped, and they'll leave. If you're too selfless, you don’t get enough return on your investment and you burn out.

I started this publication after almost 14 years of publishing online. I've seen so many people betrayed, misled, confused by bad advice, weak systems, or internal limitations.

But I know content creation can be a powerful channel for self-expression, for finding clients or customers, and for building the life you want.

That's why I called this publication The Unstoppable Creator. I know far too many creators are blocked by issues related to productivity, self-growth, and strategy. So those are the topics I wrote about for a year—twice a week, relentlessly.

My selfless purpose is to remove the obstacles that stop creators from being creators.

And my selfish purpose?

When I launched this publication, my main business wasn’t going well. I was confused and disappointed. So I wanted to build something “quickly” in English (I'm Italian, and my main business is in the Italian market).

That’s why I started with a clear niche. I knew I needed something that would make me stand out among the many “creators writing about content creation.”

No plan survives contact with the enemy

This seemed like a clear-enough positioning, at least to me. And I knew there was interest in these topics—I had seen them succeed elsewhere. Other creators, with larger audiences on Substack, confirmed it was a promising niche

I could have focused only on productivity. But it's silly and pretentious to start with a tightly defined niche and expect immediate success. So I kept things broader and experimented.

Strategy-focused articles got decent reactions. Notion looked interesting. A few self-growth pieces did well. And of course, writing about Substack is always like stealing candy from a baby (but I didn't want to turn my publication into another infinite Notes boost).

After receiving positive feedback on a topic, what should a smart creator do? Double down. Maybe create a small product around it.

That’s what I did. But it never really worked.

I’m not sure why.

So yes, the publication is growing. But paid subscribers are still few. And engagement is low.

It feels like I’m not helping you. My selfless purpose isn’t working.

Meanwhile, my Italian business is going incredibly well.

My YouTube channel is taking off. And it’s bringing in many clients. And they convert. And I love the projects I’m working on!

And it also means I have less and less time to write...

Michael enters the picture

Right after I announced I’d be missing my first newsletter issue, I joined a call inside Michael Thompson’s community.

I’ve listened to dozens of interviews and webinars where he shared how he chooses his priorities. He even spoke about it on my podcast. I truly admire how deeply he listens to himself, and how decisively he follows through.

He brought it up again during our call. He said that when the financial side is covered, he writes only for personal enjoyment. If he feels forced, the writing isn't good—or joyful.

He encouraged me to do the same. My Italian business is solid. I may just don’t have the bandwidth to build a business also on Substack right now. Especially since I still don’t have a crystal-clear direction.

But something else he said hit me even harder…

The real me

Every once in a while, I stumble across a publication that makes me think—loudly—"I should be writing this!"

They’re usually a bit all over the place. The authors follow their curiosity without shame, jump between topics, and clearly have fun doing it.

I’m a multipotentialite. Novelty is what keeps me alive.

But I’ve always prioritized the audience. And that’s actually been working, especially on my Italian channel.

Michael, on the other hand, told me he loves publications where he doesn’t know what the next issue will bring. He said he’d love to hear more about my eclectic interests, how I develop different skills, and how I connect ideas across disciplines.

I'm not sure it'll work, but I know I have to try.

Things are going to get messy around here

So, here’s the announcement:

In the near future, I’ll stop producing mini-books and templates for paid subscribers (if you’re one of them, expect a personal email soon). I just can’t guarantee the level of quality you deserve.

I’ll also stop doing interviews. I love them. The guests enjoy them too. But I don’t get much feedback from you, so the time investment doesn’t feel justified.

That’s what I’m stopping. What will I start?

I’ll be less focused. I’ll choose topics based more on my current obsessions.

But don’t worry—most of them will still be relevant to creators. And if I know myself well, there will always be something useful in there. I’ve spent over 14 years creating helpful content.

In a way, my new plan is... (almost) no plan.

Sorry for this step back. Let’s see where it goes.

And thank you in advance, if you decide to join me on this journey.

Let me know what you think!