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Welcome to another edition of the 1% Habits Newsletter!

This is where you’ll get up-to-date information on small wins to improve your habits, productivity, and life satisfaction. 

Let’s get to it.

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📈 Don’t Throw Away Those “Useless” Ideas (Here’s Why)

Ever have one of those moments where a random idea from months ago suddenly clicks into place with something you’re working on today? It’s almost like the universe is connecting the dots for you—turning scattered thoughts and failed experiments into something unexpectedly useful.

I’ll come back to this “connecting the dots” idea in a minute, but first, let me share what’s been happening lately on my own creative journey.

The Power of Tiny Projects (and a Lot of Flops)

If you’ve been following my emails, you know I’ve been on a bit of an experiment streak lately. I wrote about how to learn almost anything for free, the power of tiny projects, and why you need more failed projects.

My main focus lately has been creating “faceless videos.” I started with silly little clips—like the “Buddy the Beagle” series, which was just a fun way to play with AI and video tools. At first glance, these videos were just for laughs (and, let’s be honest, a lot of them flopped).

But here’s where things got interesting. As I kept experimenting, one idea led to another. Suddenly, I found myself making satire videos in a totally different niche. If you looked at these two types of videos side by side, you’d never guess they were connected. But without the silly dog videos, I never would have stumbled onto the satire angle. One project sparked an idea for the next, which led to another, and so on.

That’s when I was reminded of Steve Jobs’ famous “Connecting the Dots” speech.

Steve Jobs and the Art of Connecting the Dots

If you’ve never heard it, let me give you the quick backstory: In his 2005 Stanford commencement address, Steve Jobs talked about dropping out of college and taking classes that seemed random at the time—like calligraphy. Years later, when he was designing the first Macintosh computer, that knowledge of typography became a key feature. He said:

The lesson? The weird, seemingly pointless things you do today might become the secret sauce in your biggest successes tomorrow. The key is to keep learning, keep experimenting, and trust that the dots will connect—even if you can’t see how right now.

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How I’m Connecting the Dots (in Real Life)

Back to my faceless videos. If I’d tried to plan out the perfect content strategy from day one, I never would have landed where I am now. Instead, I gave myself permission to try things that might not work. I learned new skills, made a lot of mistakes, and let my curiosity lead the way.

Recently, I wanted to generate some original music for a video. I vaguely remembered jotting down a website called Suno.com a few months back. Sure enough, when I checked my “Master AI Spreadsheet”—my personal Google Doc for all the random tools and ideas I come across—there it was. I tried it out, and suddenly I had a brand-new soundtrack for my latest project.

That’s what happens when you connect the dots. All those tiny experiments, failed projects, and random notes start to add up. They become a toolbox you can draw from whenever inspiration strikes.

Why You Need to Capture Your Dots

Here’s the thing: If you don’t write your ideas down, you’ll forget them. And if you forget them, you’ll never get the chance to connect them later.

That’s why I’m a huge advocate of keeping a central database for all your important ideas. In my case, it’s a “Master AI Spreadsheet” in Google Docs. Every time I come across a cool tool, a clever idea, or a lesson from a failed project, I jot it down. (If you want to learn more about building your own “idea machine,” check out this email where I break it down.)

You don’t need anything fancy. It could be a spreadsheet, a notebook, a note-taking app, or even sticky notes on your wall. The important thing is to capture your dots as you go.

How to Apply This Lesson to Your Life

So, how can you use the “connecting the dots” principle in your own creative work (or any skill you’re trying to build)? Here’s a simple strategy:

1. Give Yourself Permission to Experiment

Don’t worry if your current project seems silly or disconnected from your “real” goals. Every experiment teaches you something—even (especially!) the ones that flop.

2. Capture Every Idea

Start a central database—a spreadsheet, a digital notebook, or even a physical journal. Whenever you learn something new, discover a tool, or have a random idea, record it. You never know when it’ll come in handy.

3. Review Your Dots Regularly

Every so often, flip through your database. Look for patterns, connections, or ideas you can combine in new ways. Sometimes the best ideas come from mixing two totally unrelated things you jotted down months apart.

4. Trust the Process

Remember, you can’t connect the dots looking forward. Don’t stress if you don’t see how things fit together right now. Just keep creating, keep learning, and trust that it’ll make sense in the rearview mirror.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a content creator—or anyone trying to build a skill through daily effort—remember this: Your progress isn’t always linear. The path often looks like a tangled mess of failed projects, weird experiments, and random notes.

But every dot you create is valuable. Every experiment, every idea, every lesson learned is another tool in your creative toolbox. Keep capturing your dots. Keep experimenting. And trust that, one day, you’ll look back and see how it all fits together.

Who knows? The silly project you’re working on today might be the missing piece for your next big breakthrough.

Keep connecting,

Steve

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