{"id":231544,"date":"2021-10-21T17:35:28","date_gmt":"2021-10-21T21:35:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/?p=231544"},"modified":"2023-07-29T14:33:43","modified_gmt":"2023-07-29T18:33:43","slug":"helping-ali-abdaal-overcome-8-challenges-to-creating-a-fulfilling-life-and-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/helping-ali-abdaal-overcome-8-challenges-to-creating-a-fulfilling-life-and-business\/","title":{"rendered":"Helping Ali Abdaal Overcome 8 Challenges to Creating a Fulfilling Life and Business"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"bsf_rt_marker\"><\/div>\n<p>Ali Abdaal, YouTuber extraordinaire with over 2 million subscribers and creator of the Part-Time YouTuber Academy that\u2019s made over $2 million in revenue in the last year, just released a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=3monI2ExCJU&amp;t=663s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">44-minute video<\/a> where he goes through an extensive life and business update.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It revolves around his search for what direction to take his life and business next to fulfill him and bring value to his audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ali is one of the most caring, genuine, and benevolent people I\u2019ve seen online. So I\u2019m writing this to help him (and you) as much as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My bread and butter is helping founders, creators, and entrepreneurs flourish by aligning their life and business with their Core Value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So instead of replying to the video with a quick comment, this article is a response to Ali&#8217;s struggles. It&#8217;s a play-by-play of how I would help Ali if he was my coaching client with each of the eight challenges he covers in his video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In actual <a href=\"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/coaching\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">coaching<\/a>, I&#8217;d go more in-depth, depending on his answers. But this will give you an idea of where I&#8217;d start and how I&#8217;d approach his current struggles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read on for a peek behind the curtain of how I help innovators build meaningful, purpose-driven businesses that fulfill them using my 15 years of psychological training in human optimization and meaning-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each section starts with a timestamp from his video, if you want more context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, here&#8217;s a handy dandy Table of Contents if you want to bounce around:<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-table-of-contents uagb-toc__align-left uagb-toc__columns-1  uagb-block-2fde0f28     \"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-scroll= \"1\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-offset= \"30\"\n\t\t\t\t\tstyle=\"\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uagb-toc__wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uagb-toc__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTable Of Contents\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uagb-toc__list-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<ol class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#challenge-1-medium-to-long-term-planning\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Challenge #1: Medium to Long Term Planning<\/a><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#challenge-2-what-do-i-want-from-my-life\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Challenge #2: What Do I Want From My Life?<\/a><ul class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#hedonic-treadmill\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Hedonic Treadmill<\/a><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#choice-paralysis\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Choice Paralysis<\/a><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#infinite-games\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Infinite Games<\/a><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#your-ideal-week\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Your Ideal Week<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#challenge-3-organizational-design\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Challenge #3: Organizational Design<\/a><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#challenge-4-trying-to-make-good-content\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Challenge #4: Trying to Make Good Content<\/a><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#challenge-5-experimenting-with-different-platforms\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Challenge #5: Experimenting with Different Platforms<\/a><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#challenge-6-having-a-niche-vs-not-having-one\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Challenge #6: Having a Niche vs. Not Having One<\/a><ul class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#value-vs-vanity-metrics\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Value vs. Vanity Metrics<\/a><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#silo\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Silo<\/a><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#your-true-value-add\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Your True Value Add<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#challenge-7-medicine\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Challenge #7: Medicine<\/a><ul class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#sunk-costs\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Sunk Costs<\/a><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#identity-crisis\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Identity Crisis<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#challenge-8-making-time-for-myself\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Challenge #8: Making Time for Myself<\/a><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#ending-remarks\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Ending Remarks<\/a><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#update-ali-and-i-ended-up-working-together\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Update: Ali and I Ended Up Working Together!<\/a><\/ul><\/ul><\/ul><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">\u2022\u2022\u2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Challenge #1: Medium to Long Term Planning<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/3monI2ExCJU?t=839\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Timestamp<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As his business has grown from a solo side project to a full-time, 20-person team, there&#8217;s more pressure for him to be intentional with the direction of the business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He\u2019s struggling with questions like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>What destination is the business pointed toward?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What is each member of the team working toward?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What\u2019s the overall point of the business and content?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The first thing I help clients do is to clarify their <a href=\"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/how-to-clarify-your-core-value\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Core Value<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not multiple values or eight company principles\u2014one value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because your Core Value is what makes you tick on a fundamental level. It\u2019s the driving force that propels you to intuitively know what fulfillment looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you haven\u2019t clarified your Core Value, the future is hazy. Fulfillment becomes a moving target. And when you create goals that aren\u2019t rooted in your Core Value, you\u2019ll either half-ass them, give up, or even if you do achieve them, victory will feel hollow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because those goals don\u2019t resonate with you. They\u2019re not rooted in your Core Value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Every goal you create has the potential to get you one step closer to, or one step further away from, your ideal life of fulfillment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Once you identify your Core Value, you can create goals rooted in that value.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That way, every goal aligns with what makes you tick on a fundamental level and keeps you focused in the direction of fulfillment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of the most common core values of my clients include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Freedom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Service to others<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mental health and wellness<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, my Core Value is freedom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So if someone offered my $100k to work 60 hours a week in a high-stress environment, where I&#8217;d have to speak and dress a certain way\u2014I wouldn&#8217;t take it. I&#8217;ve had this happen. I value my freedom\u2014specifically the freedom to control my schedule, explore my creativity, and help others pursue fulfillment\u2014to <em>free<\/em> them from the cycle of unfulfilling work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So anytime a new opportunity comes my way, I ask myself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u201cDoes this align with my Core Value of freedom and get me one step closer to my ideal life?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If not, I pass. If so, I explore it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ali says he\u2019s interested in what makes a happy and fulfilling life, and wants to help people live their best life by creating education and inspirational content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Here\u2019s what I\u2019d ask him:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why do you ultimately care about helping people live their best life? What about this resonates with you on a fundamental level?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t over-intellectualize it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ask yourself two questions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat do I give a shit about?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhy do I give a shit about it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can journal your answers or talk it out with someone\u2014but the point is to keep it conversational and intuitive. Don\u2019t overcomplicate by intellectualizing or over-editing your answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Answer from your gut, not your head.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example: I give a shit about helping people flourish because I believe <a href=\"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/memento-mori-a-lesson-on-dying-and-doing-what-you-love\/\">too many people die<\/a> regretting not having done more with their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I had multiple friends put off pursuing fulfilling until it was too late. Each of them let fear paralyze them. One spent decades as an attorney before retiring early to write a book. Halfway through writing it, he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Two weeks later, he died with his manuscript forever incomplete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So I write online and coach to help as many people as I can pursue fulfillment while I have time left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What do you give a shit about, and why do you give a shit about it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is what you\u2019re working toward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is what you steer your medium and long-term planning toward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take what you give a shit about and do as much as you can to make an impact in that area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is how you achieve fulfillment and help others along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">\u2022\u2022\u2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Challenge #2: What Do I Want From My Life?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/3monI2ExCJU?t=1059\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Timestamp<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Throughout medical school and his career as a physician, Ali was on a \u201cvery clear ladder of progression.\u201d He got used to always chasing the \u201cnext thing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since taking a break from medicine and building his business, this compulsion to chase the next thing has muddied his ability to know what he actually wants to be pursuing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cOh, we\u2019ll just aim for more views, and more subscribers, and more revenue, and more courses, and just more more more. And I just haven\u2019t really stopped to think, like what do I actually want to do now that I have the freedom, broadly to design my life how I want within reason. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a nice problem to have, but it is a bit of a challenge because when you have so many options, it\u2019s hard to know which one to go for. And it\u2019s hard to even know what all the options are. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think back when I was working in medicine and it was like a very confined career path&#8230; Whereas now it\u2019s like, I don\u2019t really know if I still want to be a doctor forever, I don\u2019t know if I want to do this YouTube thing forever, like what the hell do I want to do? I don\u2019t know. Like there\u2019s a whole world of options.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Ali&#8217;s describing two separate issues: being trapped on the Hedonic Treadmill and choice paralysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Here\u2019s the approach I\u2019d take for each:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hedonic Treadmill<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To jump off the Hedonic Treadmill of <em>more, more, more<\/em>, it goes back to clarifying what makes you tick on a fundamental level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most people have heard of the Hedonic Treadmill or <em>hedonia<\/em>\u2014pleasure-seeking and constantly chasing cheap hits of dopamine and vanity metrics. But this is a temporary fix to a long-term problem. What you&#8217;re chasing isn&#8217;t fulfilling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/why-most-people-never-reach-their-full-potential\/\"><em>Eudaimonia<\/em><\/a> is the opposite\u2014it\u2019s what Maslow called self-actualization or fulfillment. It may not always feel good in the moment (like hedonism), but it\u2019s meaningful, purpose-driven work that fulfills us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s an example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Justin \u201cThe Pygmy\u201d Wren is an MMA veteran who digs wells for the Pygmy population in the Congo. Justin has contracted malaria multiple times in his pursuit to give more people in the Congo access to clean drinking water and help them buy back their land and freedom from their oppressors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you asked Justin during one of the times he\u2019s contracted malaria if he feels good, he\u2019d say hell no. But if you asked him if the work he did was worth it in the long run, he\u2019d say hell yes. The struggle that comes with digging wells is worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>He isn&#8217;t chasing pleasure; he&#8217;s pursuing something worth struggling for.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=IRJFZakfAJ0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">TEDx Talk<\/a>, Justin ends it by asking the audience, \u201cWhat would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?\u201d Answering this question can give you a starting point to figure out what <em>eudaimonia<\/em> looks like for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Eudaimonia<\/em> is about doing things that, even if they don\u2019t always make you happy in the moment, give your life direction, purpose, and meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite individual moments not always being \u201cfun\u201d on a surface level, the journey, the pursuit of what makes you come alive\u2014that is what <em>eudaimonia<\/em> looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So the question is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What are you willing to struggle for?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Choice Paralysis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Understanding your Core Value and what <em>eudaimonia<\/em> looks like for you will simplify your choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most opportunities are distractions from your ideal life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The simplest way to filter which choices are worth exploring and which aren\u2019t is to consider the second and third-order effects of each.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some opportunities give you short-term improvement, but lead to long-term issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So ask yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Where does this choice ultimately lead\u2014closer to or further away from my ideal life aligned with my Core Value?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just because you <em>can<\/em> do something doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s <em>worth<\/em> your time and energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Infinite Games<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ali also talks about finite vs. infinite games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A finite game has an end goal, while infinite games are ongoing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He asks himself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cWhat is the thing I would be happy to do forever. If I didn\u2019t care about money, what would I spend my time doing?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>He answers by saying he cares about reading, writing, learning new things, and teaching. He <em>especially<\/em> loves teaching (this likely taps into his Core Value).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But he says if he didn&#8217;t have to worry about money, he probably wouldn&#8217;t make courses because he doesn&#8217;t like charging for them (this also hints at a Core Value).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Here\u2019s how I would approach it:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s an inherent conflict here. You love teaching but hate creating courses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The underlying question is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What, specifically, do you hate about charging for courses?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you concerned people can\u2019t afford it? You already offer scholarships for PTYA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you concerned your courses aren\u2019t valuable? Unlikely, although Imposter Syndrome may be kicking in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you just hate having to add a price tag to knowledge in general?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because when we pay for something, we become more invested in it\u2014we now have skin in the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So if one of your goals with content is to keep people invested; charging for it may achieve that end. You already offer scholarships, put out most of your content for free, and offer money-back guarantees. So you\u2019ve all but removed price as a barrier to your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>So what\u2019s the underlying issue?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Have you created a false dichotomy? Either I create expensive courses, or I help people pursue happiness and fulfillment?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019d dig into this issue and figure out the root of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Your Ideal Week<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In the last section of this challenge, Ali describes his \u201cideal ordinary week.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He says if he could design his ideal week, he\u2019d go to the gym and play sports a few times a week, play board games and cook at least once a week, spend more time with friends, and take time to do deep work each day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But he hasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He asks himself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cWhy don\u2019t I just do that? What is actually stopping me from making that my schedule? And the answer is always, \u2018I don\u2019t know.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Here\u2019s my take:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You think you have time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The number one strategy to light a fire under your ass is applying the Stoic concept of <em>memento mori<\/em>\u2014remember you will die.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s not meant to be depressing; it&#8217;s meant to clarify what truly matters and filter out the rest by using your mortality as a motivator to live fully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s what I mean:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Earlier this year, I almost died.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A simple bruise had become infected, and by the time we caught it, I had to be hospitalized and prepped for surgery. It wasn&#8217;t responding to other treatments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The physicians told me if the infection had gotten into my bones or bloodstream, it could kill me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>When you\u2019re young, you don\u2019t think that any week could be your last alive.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That night, as I laid in a hospital bed alone, with only the beeping of machines and occasional nurse checking my vitals as company, still waiting on test results to know if the infection had become life-threatening, I asked myself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If this has been my last week alive, am I satisfied with how I lived each day?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This question is different from the typical \u201cWhat would you do if you had seven days to live.\u201d You can plan that out, party, skydive, whatever. It\u2019s not a helpful thought experiment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Taking inventory of how you\u2019ve <em>already<\/em> spent your last seven days, going about your normal day-to-day routine, is way more powerful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Immediately, you identify all the bullshit you do out of obligation that doesn\u2019t matter. All the things you worried about that aren\u2019t important. Everything you wish you would\u2019ve done but <a href=\"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/memento-mori-the-antidote-to-fear\/\">were too afraid to try<\/a>. All the things you put off because you thought you\u2019d have more time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Time is our most precious resource.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because one day, you\u2019ll look back and realize the past week was your last alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So with that in mind:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If this was your last week alive, how satisfied are you with how you spent your time?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What regrets do you have?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hopefully, this week hasn&#8217;t been your last. But one day, it will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What changes are you willing to make so that when the day comes when you&#8217;ve lived your last week, you&#8217;ll look back with joy and contentment?<\/p>\n\n\n<script async data-uid=\"e48f9f9dc1\" src=\"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.ck.page\/e48f9f9dc1\/index.js\" data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\" data-no-defer=\"1\" nowprocket><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">\u2022\u2022\u2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Challenge #3: Organizational Design<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/3monI2ExCJU?t=1320\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Timestamp<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another challenge he\u2019s facing is structuring his business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Questions like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>What does exceptional performance look like for each staff member?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What\u2019s the hierarchy of reporting and managing?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Ali says his disposition is toward vision and creativity rather than metrics and operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He says he wants to primarily focus on creating content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>So here are my questions:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Where are you the bottleneck?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What specific steps can you take to remove yourself as the bottleneck?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s easy to unintentionally become a bottleneck when you run your own business, even if you have a team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Where are you most valuable to your business?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because every minute you spend on a task that doesn\u2019t allow you to leverage your unique strengths to your company is a waste of your most precious resource\u2014time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of my clients did this exercise and realized he could free up three hours every day by removing himself as the bottleneck. He found the right person for the job and outsourced the tasks he wasn\u2019t best-suited to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>This equaled 15 hours a week and 780 hours a year.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How much more content could you create, and how much could you evolve your business, if you had an extra 780 hours every year?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So here\u2019s my question:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How can you focus on where you&#8217;re most valuable to your company, put everyone else where they&#8217;re best suited, and outsource the rest?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">\u2022\u2022\u2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Challenge #4: Trying to Make Good Content<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/3monI2ExCJU?t=1679\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Timestamp<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ali\u2019s next challenge is continuing to put out good content he\u2019s proud of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As his business has ramped up, he\u2019s felt increased pressure for his content to perform well. So it\u2019s easy to go into clickbait territory and chase vanity metrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He\u2019s fallen into this trap before and deleted videos that felt inauthentic\u2014which shows integrity many people lack when they face the same pressures he does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, the bar for his videos is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cDo I think this is a good video that will add value to people in some way?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>But this is super vague.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Here are a few things I\u2019d drill into:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Operationally define what \u201cgood\u201d and \u201cauthentic\u201d content means.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What is &#8220;good,&#8221; and what is the bar for &#8220;good enough?&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How do you know when you\u2019ve crossed the line between authentic and inauthentic content?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How does your content align with your Core Value, and how does it fit into your larger mission to pursue fulfillment? If you get fulfillment from teaching others, how does each video act as a puzzle piece for this vision?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As long as it&#8217;s rooted in your Core Value, you&#8217;re on the right track, even if vanity metrics don&#8217;t capture its true worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">\u2022\u2022\u2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Challenge #5: Experimenting with Different Platforms<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/3monI2ExCJU?t=1903\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Timestamp<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ali says he and his team have experimented with other platforms like TikTok, IGTV, and YT Shorts but keep running into the same issue: he prefers in-depth long-form educational content, but these platforms focus on short, frenetic snippets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He\u2019s struggling with whether it\u2019s worth the time and energy to create content for these platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If he was a solo creator, he probably wouldn\u2019t. But he feels a responsibility to his team to continue growing the business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He asks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cIs me not caring about TikTok hurting the business, and therefore hurting the longevity of what we can do just because I don\u2019t understand TikTok myself?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Here are a few things I\u2019d drill down on:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s definitely a sense of FOMO because you feel a realistic pressure to grow your business\u2014because you feel responsible for the wellbeing of your team and for helping educate your audience on ways to pursue fulfillment. FOMO gets worse when you see all these other creators going cross-platform and blowing up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But would creating frenetic content that isn\u2019t in-depth, and is more entertainment than educational, make creating content less enjoyable for you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You said you want to focus on creating content\u2014not designing organizational structure, messing with accounting, scripting, editing, etc. So if the <em>one thing<\/em> you want to spend your time on becomes miserable, where would that leave you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Instead of contemplating FOMO, there are three ways to approach going cross-platform:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol type=\"1\">\n<li>Is there a feasible way for you to create educational micro-content that aligns with your Core Value and works on these platforms? Pairing down the scope of a video and focusing on action-oriented content is one route toward this. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/JoshuaWeissman\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Joshua Weissman<\/a>&#8216;s team is doing a great job editing his cooking videos for other platforms\u2014if you can, I\u2019d recommend reaching out to him.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is there a way to outsource short-form content to someone else? This comes down to whether you want to be the only one on camera or if you\u2019re willing to have a team member share the load. You can make an appearance in the video, focus on BTS content, or some other \u201clow lift\u201d approach.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If these platforms don\u2019t align with your vision for the company long-term, how can you shift your focus away from FOMO and toward building a wider and deeper \u201cmoat\u201d by leveraging your Unfair Advantage?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Again, what is your Core Value, and how can you create business goals that align with it and accomplish your vision to help people achieve fulfillment through educational and inspirational content?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">\u2022\u2022\u2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Challenge #6: Having a Niche vs. Not Having One<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/3monI2ExCJU?t=2040\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Timestamp<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Early creators struggle to find their niche. Established creators, like Ali, have a different struggle: stay in their niche and keep their audience happy, or branch out into new content and risk losing a chunk of their audience?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ali has created content on productivity, studying, and living your best life a la health, wealth, and happiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cI want to talk about all of those things, but it doesn\u2019t really have a clear niche.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Even though he enjoys making a variety of content, his metrics only show support for productivity and wealth content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cIf I talk about gratitude or happiness or impact or meaning or effective altruism or donating to charity, you know, those videos do really badly. No one seems to care about those as much as they care about \u201810 Productivity Hacks\u2019 or you know, \u2018iPhone 10 Review\u2019 kind of vibes.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Here are my thoughts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Value vs. Vanity Metrics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Not to repeat the 10,000 True Fans rhetoric, but dialing into the type of people you want to become a magnet for is worth taking the time to do. It makes your growth and engagement more meaningful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If 500k people watch a productivity hack video and 8k watch a charity video, it doesn\u2019t mean the 8k video did badly unless you\u2019re only focusing on views.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How can you measure impact? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you did a charity video and had a CTA for viewers to donate, even a few hundred views could equal tens of thousands in charitable donations that <em>you<\/em> orchestrated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Silo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>What are the pros and cons of keeping \u201cliving your best life\u201d content on your main channel vs. creating a new one dedicated to non-productivity and wealth stuff?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re afraid lower-performing content will scare off a chunk of your audience and negatively affect the algorithm, splitting it into a different channel is always an option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I know many authors who write in different genres use separate pen names to optimize for Amazon\u2019s algorithm for each category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Your True Value Add<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ali said he likes creating both kinds of content, and even though some people have asked for BTS content (like the video this article is based off of), he doesn\u2019t know what the \u201cvalue add\u201d is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He wants to embody Matt D\u2019Avella\u2019s idea to \u201cBe so good you can ignore the algorithm,\u201d but doesn\u2019t know how to achieve this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s the thing, I can\u2019t coach you on algorithms. But I understand human behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the time of this article, that 44-minute video that you didn\u2019t think had a clear value add has over 100,000 views.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>You<\/em> are the value add.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s nothing new under the sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>People don\u2019t watch your content because it\u2019s revolutionary. Even nuanced content is a remix of what\u2019s already out there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>People watch your content because it\u2019s <em>your<\/em> content.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why did I sign up for PTYA when there are tons of other YouTube courses, books, podcasts, etc.?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because of you. Your integrity. Your generosity. Your authenticity. Your personality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You are the reason hundreds of people have signed up for PTYA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You are the reason millions of people watch and subscribe to your channel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You are valuable to your audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>You are your most valuable asset.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">\u2022\u2022\u2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Challenge #7: Medicine<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/3monI2ExCJU?t=2223\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Timestamp<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ali says he\u2019s on the fence about whether he should go back to practicing medicine part-time or decidedly leave it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He enjoys teaching way more than practicing medicine. Teaching gives him freedom, while medicine is full of bureaucracy and a high stress-to-enjoyment ratio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even though the answer is clear\u2014leaving medicine would free up more time to teach and explore his creativity\u2014he\u2019s still conflicted about pulling the trigger to leave medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Two reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sunk Costs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>All those years of studying, stress, and the financial cost of going to medical school, getting licensed, residency requirements, and finally becoming a full-fledged physician is a significant investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you reasoning based off this sunk cost or considering what you\u2019re inexorably drawn toward?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You love teaching because it allows you to educate and inspire people to live their best lives while also exploring your creativity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Does practicing medicine do that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Life is about sacrifice.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Would you rather sacrifice the sunk cost of medicine to pursue fulfillment or sacrifice fulfillment to chain yourself to the sunk cost of your past?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Identity Crisis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re not a physician, who are you? You built your brand off your reputation as a Cambridge MD, so don\u2019t you have to keep hanging your hat on that title?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I get it. I spent over a decade earning my doctorate. When <a href=\"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/how-getting-fired-catapulted-me-into-entrepreneurship\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">I stopped practicing therapy<\/a>, I had an identity crisis. I still introduce myself as a psychologist\u2014but not a therapist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019re still a physician, even if you don\u2019t actively practice medicine. Your doctorate doesn\u2019t disappear, nor does all the experience and knowledge you earned along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>I realized I could make a bigger impact and help more people through writing, <a href=\"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/difference-between-therapy-and-coaching\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">coaching<\/a>, and teaching.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You asked,\u201cShould I be pursuing medicine even though I don\u2019t really want to?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019re in a unique position. You have the power to take all your knowledge and personal experiences and take them out of the clinic and into people\u2019s living rooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>You have the potential to positively affect millions of people through educational and inspirational content.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How many doctors can say that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Where is the intersection between what you value and where you\u2019re most valuable to the world?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Is it practicing medicine, teaching, or something else?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">\u2022\u2022\u2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Challenge #8: Making Time for Myself<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/3monI2ExCJU?t=2454\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Timestamp<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His last struggle is common for any entrepreneur or online creator: how to create the elusive \u201cwork-life balance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Recently, I talked to one of my friends who doesn\u2019t believe work-life balance exists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He runs a gym with multiple six figures in annual revenue, a YouTube channel with over 250,000 subscribers, multiple highly engaged newsletters, and travels all over the country doing seminars. He&#8217;s always thinking about his business. Even when he reads for fun, he uses what he reads to create content or improve his business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of trying to find a \u201cbalance,\u201d he takes a different approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>He focuses on designing his entire life around what fulfills him.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He\u2019s always \u201con.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But I\u2019ve never met someone as content and fulfilled as he is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because he filters every opportunity that comes his way through whether it allows him to enjoy life and do meaningful work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He only travels once a month, despite tons of people trying to pay him to do more seminars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because he wants to stay at his home gym and hang out with friends, lift, write, and make videos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He doesn\u2019t chase money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He focuses on fulfillment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ali says he\u2019s used to overworking and struggles to find a balance and spend more time going to the gym or hanging out with friends because those activities don\u2019t have the same clear monetary return as working on a video does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Here\u2019s my question:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How can you do both?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You say you love teaching people and are interested in creating more content around health and wellness. What\u2019s stopping you from doing a series on going to the gym? Nothing says you can\u2019t make going to the gym a piece of content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And going back to the concept of <em>memento mori<\/em>\u2014when you\u2019re on your deathbed, will you look back on your life and wish you\u2019d spent that Saturday night 20 years ago cranking out another video, or spending it with a few close friends having deep conversations (that inspired ideas for future content)?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What is the point of working so hard if you never take the time to enjoy it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Memento mori<\/em> isn\u2019t just to inspire you to do more with your life. It also reminds us to enjoy what we have while we have it\u2014because everything is ephemeral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You also end this section by saying you want to \u201cbuild a profitable business that helps people and is fun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is vague.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How would you operationally define each of these?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>What is the bar for \u201cprofitable?\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Help people in what way?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What makes a business fun vs. not fun?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Drill down into what you\u2019re actually aiming for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Otherwise, you\u2019re trying to hit a moving target in the dark.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;You\u2019ll never know you\u2019ve achieved success if you don\u2019t clearly define what success looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">\u2022\u2022\u2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ending Remarks<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>Fundamentally, your struggles are profoundly human ones. It&#8217;s easy to minimize your current challenges because you&#8217;ve hit certain revenue and audience size milestones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But you\u2019re ultimately exploring what you want out of life and how you can achieve it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let me offer a few last remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If I could help you do anything\u2014beyond identifying your <a href=\"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.gumroad.com\/l\/corevaluetoolkit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Core Value<\/a> and creating a business and life aligned with it\u2014it would be to give yourself permission to be yourself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you\u2019re so focused on helping other people, coupled with a tinge of ever-present Imposter Syndrome, it\u2019s easy to feel inadequate and question your abilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I used to do child and family therapy, I had two types of parents come in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first type constantly questioned their ability to raise their child. They worried they\u2019d \u201cmess up\u201d their kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I never worried about this kind of parent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I worried about the second type: the ones who came in and claimed they were perfect and told me to \u201cfix\u201d their kid. These were also, unsurprisingly, terrible parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I didn&#8217;t worry about the first type because the <em>fact that they questioned themselves<\/em> kept them motivated to constantly progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So the fact that you question yourself and whether you\u2019re taking your life and your business in the right direction <em>means you\u2019re growing and evolving<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you thought you were perfect and knew everything, you\u2019d likely be headed for disaster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So keep questioning yourself, but don\u2019t let fear stop you from doing meaningful work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>You deserve fulfillment, and so do the people you want to educate and inspire.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">\u2022\u2022\u2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Update: Ali and I Ended Up Working Together!<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>After I wrote this article, I shared it on Twitter. Enough people shared it that Ali eventually found it and wanted to work together:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Mate this is so sick. Can you be my life coach pls?<\/p>&mdash; Ali Abdaal (@AliAbdaal) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AliAbdaal\/status\/1452347259077763075?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">October 24, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Fast forward a few months, and it&#8217;s been a blast working together!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We worked together for 6 months. During that time, I turned many of the strategies and frameworks we covered in our 1:1 coaching sessions into a live course that helped people all over the world clarify what matters, overcome limiting beliefs, and pursue their purpose. Ali even endorsed it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">hey team, my coach <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CoreyWilksPsyD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@CoreyWilksPsyD<\/a>&#39;s doing a live  course covering basically how to figure out what to do with your life and live intentionally. it&#39;s the stuff we work on in our 1:1 sessions but in live cohort format &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/mcLDrbqoUs\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/t.co\/mcLDrbqoUs<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Ali Abdaal (@AliAbdaal) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AliAbdaal\/status\/1511783018083590148?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">April 6, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After multiple cohorts, I decided to evolve it into a convenient self-paced course so anyone can access these strategies whenever they want, instead of having to wait until the next cohort starts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re interested in learning more strategies to be more intentional with how you live, work, and create like Ali, check out <a href=\"https:\/\/creatoralchemy.coreywilkspsyd.com\/intentional-life-design-course\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Build an Intentional Life<\/a> now!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/creatoralchemy.coreywilkspsyd.com\/intentional-life-design-course\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/build-an-intentional-life.png\" alt=\"Build an Intentional Life\" class=\"wp-image-234442\" srcset=\"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/build-an-intentional-life.png 1280w, https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/build-an-intentional-life-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/build-an-intentional-life-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/build-an-intentional-life-768x432.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-black-background-color has-black-color is-style-wide\"\/>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ali Abdaal, YouTuber extraordinaire with over 2 million subscribers and creator of the Part-Time YouTuber Academy that\u2019s made over $2 million in revenue in the last year, just released a 44-minute video where he goes through an extensive life and business update. It revolves around his search for what direction to take his life and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":231545,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","ub_ctt_via":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Ali-Abdaal-life-and-business.png","author_info":{"display_name":"Corey","author_link":"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/author\/corey\/"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Ali-Abdaal-life-and-business.png",2559,1290,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Ali-Abdaal-life-and-business-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Ali-Abdaal-life-and-business-300x151.png",300,151,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Ali-Abdaal-life-and-business-768x387.png",768,387,true],"large":["https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Ali-Abdaal-life-and-business-1024x516.png",1024,516,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Ali-Abdaal-life-and-business-1536x774.png",1536,774,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Ali-Abdaal-life-and-business-2048x1032.png",2048,1032,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Corey","author_link":"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/author\/corey\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Ali Abdaal, YouTuber extraordinaire with over 2 million subscribers and creator of the Part-Time YouTuber Academy that\u2019s made over $2 million in revenue in the last year, just released a 44-minute video where he goes through an extensive life and business update. It revolves around his search for what direction to take his life and&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231544"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=231544"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231544\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":234732,"href":"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231544\/revisions\/234732"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/231545"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=231544"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=231544"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=231544"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}