When traditional success isn't enough...

Mark Manson, the guy behind "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck" - you know, that orange book everyone was reading in 2016 - just made a fascinating move in his career.

What makes this worth talking about isn't that he's trying to make it big.

He already did that.

His book sold over 12 million copies, spent 268 weeks as a bestseller, and he even co-wrote Will Smith's autobiography. By any traditional measure, he'd reached the top.

But at the peak of his success, when most people would be chasing more book deals and traditional media opportunities, Manson did something that made me stop and think. He stepped back into the creator economy.

He actually started there, way back in 2007, as a blogger writing dating advice under a pseudonym.

That original audience helped him land his book deal. But after achieving all that "traditional" success, he found himself more stressed and miserable than ever.

I see this pattern all the time managing creators.

The prestigious traditional media world often promises everything but misses what really matters - creative freedom and direct connection with your audience.

What Manson's building now is fascinating. Instead of chasing more book deals, he's creating something much more sustainable.

He's developing interactive "choose your own adventure" style courses, building membership programs, making high-quality YouTube content - all stuff he has complete control over.

The numbers really caught my attention too.

He's aiming to build a $5-10 million annual business through the creator economy.

That's not a one-off book advance or a lucky bestseller - that's recurring revenue from products and services he completely owns.

This kind of business could actually end up being worth more than his book success in the long run.

Because while book sales eventually slow down, a creator business with strong audience relationships and multiple revenue streams just keeps growing.

It's really the difference between getting paid once for your work and building something that generates value forever.

Between being talent and being an owner.

Between having success and having leverage.

This is exactly what excites me about the creator economy right now.

The real opportunity isn't in chasing one-off hits or viral moments.

It's in building businesses that turn genuine audience relationships into long-term value.

Manson could have stayed comfortable, writing more books and playing the traditional media game.

Instead, he's building something that could be worth more than all his book deals combined.

That's what happens when you think like a creator.

Chat soon,

Jordan

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