We’re living in the golden age of newsletters and subscription media, fueled by rampant censorship. Thanks to platforms like Substack, it’s never been easier for writers, journalists, and subject matter experts to share their insights directly with engaged audiences.
But with a world of information at our fingertips, it’s all too easy to get overwhelmed. Even though its all for positive, good intentions, how many newsletters are you subscribed to right now? 30? 40? More?
I’ll be the first to admit, I’ve fallen into the trap of haphazardly subscribing to anything that looks even remotely interesting. On any given day, I can have close to 100 emails just from Substack publications I follow. Two days without going through my emails, and that number jumps to around 250 unread.
To be fair, there’s something exciting about getting a new newsletter in my inbox. Like opening a present, not knowing exactly what insights or ideas are contained within — and the opportunity to interact with those in the comments and gain new followers.
But here’s the hard truth I’ve come to realize — we’re spread way too thin. Our inboxes are stuffed to the brim with newsletters we barely have time to skim, let alone dive deep into. Important insights and perspectives are getting drowned out by the noise.
It’s time for an inbox intervention.
The Luxury of Deep Focus
In my book, I talk about how attention is like a spirit that we can direct as needed. I also reference Cal Newport’s work Deep Work which discusses this concept. This is why you should check out my book to find out how powerful the psychic phenomena and forces are in our world.
In our endlessly distracted world, the ability to devote deep, focused attention is becoming a superpower as Newport says. The newest, loudest shiny object always threatens to pull our gaze. But building anything of real substance — whether a new product, a book, or expertise in a field — requires sustained concentration over time. Short bursts just won’t cut it.
That means not just managing your time efficiently, but guarding your cognitive resources with extreme discernment. Every trivial notification or update that slips through the cracks clouds your mind and depletes your willpower. As Warren Buffett put it, “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.”
So it’s time to start saying “no” to anything that doesn’t deserve your precious attention. Remember, attention is the currency of the Universe. Time to take a hard look at what we’re subscribed to and start cutting out anything that isn’t actively improving our lives, careers, or the rest of the seven pillars of life.
Focus on Quality Over Quantity
Please don’t get me wrong, there are some truly phenomenal writers and journalists publishing on Substack these days. There’s simply no substitute for the insights and experience they’re sharing. Medium, the platform I was on previously, had a membership option where you paid one flat fee and could read anyone’s work. But this was not advantageous to the writer. I’ve been blessed financially more on Substack than in all my work on Medium — before I got kicked off.
But by treating newsletters like a bottomless brain buffet, we’re doing them — and ourselves — a disservice. We’re only skimming the surface when we should be diving in and engaging deeply. That means ruthlessly prioritizing who and what we follow.
Be honest with yourself - which 5 or 10 substacks do you get the most value from? The ones that always leave you thinking? The writers and experts whose perspectives genuinely help level up your craft? These are the people you should be doubling down on. Subscribing to premium tiers, joining private communities, and following them like a die-hard fan. And cut everyone else out.
Yes, we’ll miss out on some insights. That’s inevitable. But the ability to truly absorb and implement insights from your core follows will more than make up for it. One tactic that helps me really support the publications I care about most: if I’m going to pay for a new newsletter, I first evaluate my current subscriptions and determine which one I’ll drop. If I don’t want to drop any, the rationale for adding this new paid one has to be airtight. It’s all about being ruthless in allocating your money and attention.
Plus, by focusing your support, you’re helping those writers and journalists thrive. All these substacks run on paying subscribers, and the ones who provide massive value deserve your dollars more than anyone. Lastly, by building a community on Substack, one can stay closely connected if the platform ever were to be taken down or compromised. Those relationships would last beyond the platform.
Supporting Their Success Supports Your Success
In many ways, Substack is reshaping the media landscape. Those who were once anonymous bloggers or guest writers can now build direct relationships with loyal supporters.
In exchange for your hard-earned subscription dollars, they aim to provide insights that make you smarter, richer, and better at your job. Insights you simply won’t find published anywhere else.
But it’s a two-way street. Sure, that money helps sustain their operation. But beyond just cash, your focused attention and engagement is arguably even more valuable. It lets them better understand what resonates so they can double down on the good stuff. It provides real-time feedback that levels up their game.
The more we concentrate our support behind the voices who truly level us up, the better quality their research and insights become over time. We all rise together.
Some may argue that culling your newsletter subscriptions means missing out on valuable perspectives and falling into an echo chamber. But the alternative — trying to be an insatiable consumer of everything — is even more dangerous. You’ll just skim the surface of ideas without ever going deep. To be fair, I may not make your list — and that is fine. Ultimately, we’re all headed in the same direction: peace, freedom, and liberty
So let’s start cutting out the noise, and hunker down on those who empower us most. Because in an endlessly distracted world, focused learning is the ultimate advantage.
Thank you for the time and the attention and I look forward to seeing everyone there at the finish line.
Ashe.
Call to Action
Wow! I wrote this back in 2020! Crazy to reflect on the thoughts back then, especially under two hours. If you enjoyed this article, please consider taking action to show your appreciation.
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Thank you and best of luck in your journey.
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So I’d best not add you to my subscriptions given your advice... it’s interesting but I have over 40 subs already.
If you look at my work I’ve three articles so far. I’m not a rampaging writer, although I use notes a lot: to add comments inspired by others work; and bring eyes to insights inside my articles.
I pack a few paradigm busting assertions in each article and i engage with my readers questions.
I’d love to see the COMMONS/everyday people re-engage with science /medicine as a frontier like the WildWest. As pioneers who see potential HEALTH when we drive our wagons up and over THEIR hills of deception.
We’ve been tricked into regurgitation rather than scrutinisation and it’s NOW time for due diligence.
Re-visiting the schooled daze correct answers with adult wise eyes. Begin by researching the foundational historical events/politics that bought a theory/model into peerage promotion and protection. You’ll raise your eyebrows and rub your chin a few times at the bs we were trained to swallow.
If I can discern and explain why we breathe air not oxygen, what can you discover?
It’s NOW we search and find THEIR fraudulent facts and relabel them fictions.
Please read and ponder my work.
Substack is my newspaper…