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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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📈 Why You Need More Failed Projects (Seriously)

If you’re a content creator—or honestly, if you’re working to build any skill that requires daily effort—I want you to take a deep breath and remember this: most of what you create will flop. Not just a few things. Not just the early stuff. Most of it.

That’s not a reason to quit. In fact, it’s a sign you’re on the right path.

Let me explain.

The Daily Grind of Getting 1% Better

As I’ve mentioned in previous emails, I’m knee-deep in my own experiment right now: using “Tiny Projects” to get better at making “faceless videos.” (Here’s the full story, if you missed it.)

My goal isn’t to go viral or create the next big thing overnight. It’s simply to get 1% better with each video. Maybe I learn a new editing trick, write a tighter script, or just get a little faster with the process. It’s about showing up, doing the work, and letting the results take care of themselves.

But let’s be honest: it can be frustrating. Some videos are so bad, I cringe when I watch them back. Others get zero engagement. And every once in a while, I’ll spend hours on something I think is brilliant—only to watch it disappear into the digital void.

Sound familiar?

The Baseball Analogy: Most Swings Are Misses

Here’s the thing: this isn’t unique to me. It’s not unique to you, either. It’s the nature of the creative process.

Let’s put it in baseball terms. Even the best hitters in the world fail 7 out of 10 times. Think about that. The Hall of Famers, the legends, the MVPs—they’re getting out more than they’re getting on base. But they keep stepping up to the plate, taking their swings, and trusting that the hits will come.

Content creation (and skill-building in general) works the same way. Most of your projects will be failures. Some will be singles or doubles—mild successes that keep you moving forward. And, if you keep swinging, every so often you’ll hit a home run.

My Publishing Journey: Flops, Singles, and Home Runs

Between 2012 and 2019, I self-published a lot of books. (Here’s my Amazon author page, if you’re curious.) Some of those books were complete flops—barely sold a handful of copies. Others did okay, earning a few loyal readers and some decent reviews. But a few were genuine home runs, like Declutter Your Mind, which I co-authored with Barrie Davenport. (You can check it out here.)

If I’d given up after the first flop—or even the first dozen—I’d never have gotten to the successes. The lesson? Keep working on your skills and keep putting what you have to offer out into the world.

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How Do You Know You’re on the Right Path?

It’s easy to get discouraged when things don’t land the way you want. So how do you know if you’re actually making progress? Here are three ways to get feedback and know you’re moving in the right direction:

1. Feedback from Strangers

One of the best things about the digital world is the instant feedback loop. You can post a video, a blog, a song, or an artwork and get real reactions from people you’ve never met. Sometimes it’s a like, a comment, or even a harsh critique. It can sting, but it’s also invaluable.

This feedback is honest. If you’re getting engagement—even if it’s mixed—you’re learning what resonates (and what doesn’t). Don’t be afraid to put your work out there and see what the world thinks.

2. Share with Family and Friends

This one’s a little trickier. Family and friends can be supportive, but sometimes they sugarcoat things. Still, there’s value in sharing your creations with people you trust—especially if you’re aiming for genuine reactions.

For example, I’ve been making a bunch of silly animal videos lately. So I showed a few to my five-year-old. Most got a polite chuckle. But when I played a video of a gopher dancing to the “Chicken Wing Chicken Wing” song (here’s the TikTok, if you want a laugh), he bent over and started belly laughing. That’s the kind of feedback you’re looking for—pure, unfiltered enjoyment.

3. Metrics

To be honest, this is my favorite feedback method. Numbers don’t lie. With content creation, you get all sorts of metrics: views, likes, shares, watch time, click-through rates, and more. These stats give you a clear sense of what’s working and what’s not.

If one video gets twice as many views as the others, ask yourself why. Was it the title? The thumbnail? The story? Use the data to experiment and improve with each new project.

The More Swings, the Better the Odds

Here’s the bottom line: the more swings you take, the better your chances for hitting a home run. Every flop is a lesson. Every small success is a step forward. And every home run is built on the foundation of all those failures.

Don’t let the fear of failure—or a string of “outs”—keep you from stepping up to the plate. The only way to get better is to keep creating, keep experimenting, and keep putting your work out into the world.

A Message to Content Creators (and Anyone Building a Skill)

If you take one thing from today’s message, let it be this: Don’t give up just because something flops. Most of what you create will be forgotten. But every project, every tiny improvement, gets you closer to your next big win.

Keep showing up. Keep swinging. And remember—sometimes, the only difference between a flop and a home run is that you kept going long enough to hit it.

What’s your next “swing” going to be? I’d love to hear about it. Hit reply and let me know what you’re working on—or what you’re struggling with. We’re all in this together.

Here’s to the daily grind, the flops, the hits, and the home runs that are still to come.

Talk soon,

Steve

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