Today we pick up from where we left in part one.

Do the Other 50%, Every Day

I get a lot of questions, but this must the most popular:

How do I get people to see my stuff?

... Here’s the no bullshit answer:

You have to do the work, creating something and putting it out there.

Most people think that’s where the work stops. That you just sit there and watch it take off on its own, this little piece of content goes to make rounds around the world … And people would engage with it.

That couldn’t be further from the truth. ― Chase Jarvis.

Tell me if this story sounds familiar, your friend tells you he has a book, a YouTube channel, or even a new product idea they just finished working on.

Oh great, when do you launch?

Tomorrow!

Now that’s usually the time when you want to ask them that they maybe should spend some time building a fan base, or a following… People to build their content around.

Depending on how good and intimate the friendship is, you decide whether to open your lips or not.

Because many people do not like to hear these things, creating the art is the fun part, everyone loves doing that.

Building a presence is hard, it requires patience and a long term vision, and that my friends, is the really hard part.

There’s a certain romanticism involved in the idea that all you have to do is create an amazing novel or screenplay and success will come and find you without you having to lift a single finger.

Reality on the other hand, tells an entirely different story.

Take rounders for example - since we’re talking about Brian Koppelman today - it has been rejected but almost everyone they presented it to.

Did he just give up after the first ‘No’?

I guess you know the answer to that, and that’s why he’s there right now doing what he love and that’s why many of just cannot wait for the third season of Billions to come out.

Patience, persistence and doing the work to get your stuff out there, that’s the other 50%.

Koppelman is not the only one who has gone through the same by the way, most successful writers, actors, musicians, screenwriters have probably gone through the same.

They all did the work necessary to bring their art to the world, even after being rejected countless times.

And since we’re on the subject - the other 50% of work - here’s what separates Koppelman from most screenwriters:

Whether it’s the Tim Ferriss show, the James Altucher show, The Ramit Sethi show.. You’ll always find Brian Koppelman as a guest, often providing as much value as possible.

Few screenwriters do so many podcasts, for instance just off of the top of my head: The art of Charm Podcast, The Art of Manliness Podcast, WTF Podcast… Hell, he even has his own podcast.

His talent is beyond question, but he also takes the time to put himself out there and does the work to engage and give as much value in one hour podcasts as he does in his short vines.

There are so many things to learn from Brian Koppelman but for now, I leave you the two most meaningful ones to me, show up every day, and do the other 50%.

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