Today's lineup:

• The launch mistake I made (and have watched my students make) that backfires every time.
• I saw this idea on TikTok (don't tell Hobie). Now it's my Q1 plan!
• I hired a stylist to clean out my closet. Here’s what I discovered…

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Some of the positioning I've used for a decade has become wallpaper. Polished, proven, and invisible. 🫤

I felt it during my last launch of Digital Course Academy.

I'd been teaching the program for over six years. And when it came time to rethink the launch positioning, I hit a wall.

Not because digital courses aren't relevant. They absolutely are. But because I had lost my creativity in how to talk about them. 😳

I'd sit down to brainstorm new angles and think, “Haven't I said this exact thing before?”

The frameworks that once felt fresh now felt like I was reading from a script I'd memorized years ago. The spark was gone.

So I did the thing you should never do: I overcompensated.

Instead of addressing the real problem (the need to refresh my messaging), I threw more content into the program.

Added bonuses. Created new trainings. Tried to make DCA feel “new” by making it bigger.

Some of those additions were genuinely great. Our AI tool Porter is one of the best things we've ever built, and I have no regrets there. But other additions?

They likely confused my buyer. Overwhelmed them with options. Made the decision harder, not easier.

I made the exact mistake I watch my students make all the time: I tried to fix stale IP by adding more stuff instead of saying it better. 🤦🏻‍♀️

(IP stands for intellectual property and it consists of your content, such as frameworks, systems, and the processes you teach. Your IP gives your company unique value and builds brand identity.)

Here's what I know now: the problem wasn't my offer. It was how I was talking about it.

The frameworks I'd been teaching for years needed a refresh. Not because they were wrong, but because they'd lost their edge. They no longer cut through.

If your messaging has started to feel like background noise, even to you, it might not be a content problem. It might be an IP problem. Here’s how to fix it.

📍Name the NEW problem your old solution solves. Your framework didn't change, but the world did. What's the 2026 version of the pain point? Think: Same solution, sharper context.

📍Subtract before you add. Instead of “what else can I include?” ask “what's the ONE outcome I can promise in 10 words or fewer?” Stale IP often hides behind complexity. Clarity cuts through.

📍Find the objection you stopped answering. When IP gets stale, we forget the friction points we've internalized. What did you use to address head-on that you now gloss over? That's often where the edge went dull.

Take a moment with these questions. They just might unlock your next level.

What You Missed Last Week 🧨

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Here’s what’s worth your brain space this week. 🧠

A New Way to Look At Making Changes That Stick
This one is perfectly timed for the new year.  If you've ever made a plan and then couldn't get yourself to officially kickstart it, this 60-second video will show you exactly why. The fix is counterintuitive, and once you hear it, you'll wonder why no one told you sooner. Quick watch here →

This YouTube Short is worth the watch. Take a look →

My Q1 Personal Curriculum (Steal This Idea) 🤓

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I saw this concept floating around TikTok (don't tell Hobie, I told him I read an article about it), and I'm obsessed.

It's called a personal curriculum.

Basically, you create your own “syllabus” for what you want to learn each quarter. Not in a homework-y, back-to-college way. More like: here's what I'm intentionally feeding my brain for the next 90 days.

Here are two out of my three for Q1:

🖇️ Something I'm curious about: Manifestation. I'm doing Gabby Bernstein's 21-day challenge. Will report back on whether I've manifested anything wild.

🖇️ Something that moves me closer to my future self: Journaling and planning. Daily journaling (10-15 min), planning my day the night before, and finally learning Notion for personal organization.

One of my small, embarrassingly simple steps to get started (as Steven Barlett shared above), is to buy a new notebook for journaling. 

Ha! That reminds me of this VERY accurate meme. This is me 😂

So that's it. Three categories. One topic each. Woven into my existing routines so it doesn't become another thing I abandon by February. 

If you want to hear about my third one, plus create your own curriculum, I walk through the whole framework (plus the AI prompt to help you build yours) in this week's podcast episode.

🎧 Listen Here to Learn How to Create Your Own Personal Curriculum →

This May Be The Best Birthday Gift I’ve Ever Received 🎁

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For my birthday, Hobie bought me a session with a stylist.

(Truth be told, we are at the stage in our marriage where I tell him exactly what I want and then I act surprised when I get it!)

I wanted to work with a stylist because I realized something: the way I present on the outside doesn't match how I feel on the inside.

I've done the work. I know who I am. I feel confident in my business, my voice, my decisions.

But then I stand in front of my closet and default to the safest, most boring option because I don't trust myself to put something better together. (Can you relate?!)

That's a misalignment. And I'm fixing it.

In the closet trenches with Claire Keltie of Curated by Claire

Here's the game plan:

👖 First, we define my Style Silhouette (the shapes and cuts that work for MY body, not what's trending).

👗 Then we edit the closet. Everything that doesn't fit, flatter, or light me up? Gone.

👢 And finally, we fill the gaps with intentional pieces to build a capsule wardrobe, a curated collection where everything works together.

She's also teaching me how to accessorize 🕶️ (apparently that's what takes an outfit from “fine” to “oh, she knows what she's doing”) and building outfit systems I can actually repeat in real life. (Yes, please!)

My future self is already thanking me.

Nice chat! Let’s do it again next week.

Until then, think about breathing new life into your old IP (new perspectives, insights, and frameworks), build your personal curriculum, and do a closet audit… It’s truly so satisfying!

Amy

P.S. Last week you all shared with me your big bold goals for 2026. Y’all blew my mind with your boldness! Here are some of the highlights… 

Renee A.

“My big move for 2026 is picking a date for my last day at work (May 29, 2026) and going all in as an online digital course creator!”     

Jennifer V.

“I am launching my Substack with a free and paid version for my business.”

Claire H.

“I’m letting something good go, because I am ready to create something even greater. I made the decision to close my long-standing membership and I am telling everyone in two weeks!”

KEEP GOING! YOU’VE GOT THIS! 🎉