4 months ago I had an idea.

I'd recently been through a break-up.

I felt completely lost and directionless.

And I was stuck in a 9-5 at a hedge fund I found thoroughly unfulfilling.

Writing to myself every day was the only thing that actually kept me going.

But then it hit me.

I'm spending hours every day writing all this stuff to myself and I think I'm getting half decent at it (you can be the judge of that...).

So why don't I start putting it out there for the world to see?

Well, it didn't take too long before I was on YouTube eating up Nicolas Cole, Dickie Bush and Dan Koe videos all day long at work.

And thus, my journey onto 𝕏 began.

I started posting whatever I wanted at first.

Fitness tips.
"Personal development" ideas.
Random thoughts that popped into my head throughout the day.

But over time, I fell in love with one idea:

Building a personal brand to escape the 9-5 life and teaching others to do the same.

All based on the one thing I enjoyed doing the most: writing.

And, as it happens, people seem to have actually enjoyed my content (I'm as surprised as you are, don't worry).

To the tune of me gaining 4,000+ followers on 𝕏 and building a $10k/month personal brand in under 4 months in the space.

So I thought I'd take a moment today to reflect on the last 120 days and share with you the 7 most important lessons I've learned so that you can do the same for your brand:

1) Stop asking "How?", start asking "Why?"

So many people on get caught up in the "How?"

How do I write better content?
How do I get more followers?
How do I monetize my brand?
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They consume tutorial after tutorial, how-to after how-to, and YouTube video after YouTube video, desperately hoping that this next one is going to FINALLY reveal the answers they're looking for.

Unfortunately, they've missed the bigger picture.

Because the most important question to ask isn't "How?".

The most important question to ask is "Why?"

Why have they started their tweet in that way?

Why have they written their bio that way?

Why have they asked people to sign up to their newsletter at the end of their long form tweet?

Once you embrace your curiosity and commit to constantly asking why stuff has been done the way it has, you no longer have to consume tutorial after tutorial - you experience tutorials in real time.
This is how you start to become a synthesizer of knowledge.

A vessel that can absorb what he observes in the world and pass that down to others through his own personal lens.

This is how you start to amass a loyal following which values your content and opinions.

2) Prioritise skill development over everything

"How did you get so many followers so fast?"
"How many posts do you write a day?"
"What does your tweet schedule look like?"

I get these types of questions every single day on 𝕏.

And don't get me wrong, they're fine questions to ask - I asked them myself to other people once.

But now I'm a bit more seasoned in the game, I realise that the people asking these questions (again, my past self included), are missing the bigger picture.

Because the most profitable brands aren't the ones that focus on the vanity metrics.

The most profitable brands are the ones that commit to progressively mastering their skills day after day after day.

The ones that strive for excellence.

The ones that truly take pride in their craft and are not content until they've gotten 1% better at it every single day.

This has been my attitude since I first started writing.

Every single day I consume 3-5 valuable newsletters or long, written content from people far further ahead in the game than me, and then I actively try to implement the lessons I've learned from them.

One high-value skill (writing).
One hour a day.
Without waver.

This is how you master your craft.
This is how you start to stand out.
This is how you start to amass a huge following.

3) Reverse engineering is a master key

You know what's easier than figuring everything out on your own?

Observing other successful creators, studying the path they took to get there, and reverse engineering the sh*t out of it.

Ever since I joined 𝕏 I've actively studied people 2-3 steps ahead of me in the personal branding game.

Their content.
Their strategy.
Their well-trodden path.

Not to copy them.

But to understand the journey they went through, deconstruct it, and figure out how to manufacture that for myself (which ties in perfectly with insight 1 of this article - asking "Why?").

Because don't need an original route to the top.

You need a time-tested route that's got your personality and vibe plastered all over it.

Which brings me onto my next point...

4) Your vibe is everything

Yesterday I asked someone why they paid for my consulting services.

And you know what they said?

It wasn't my content.
It wasn't my branding.
It wasn't even my offer.
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Sure, they thought all this stuff was great.

But the real reason they paid me?

My vibe.

My pragmatic, no-nonsense, IDGAF attitude.

The F bombs I consistently in my content.

The general FEELING I gave them through my writing.

And it's exactly the same for the people who read your content.

They think your advice is solid, sure.

But the real reason they follow you is because you give off a vibe which truly resonates with them and makes them feel connected to something greater than themself.

You want to build a big following?

More specifically, you want to build a big following that genuinely adores you?

Lose the filter.

Embrace YOUR vibe.

And fuck anyone who doesn't align with that.

5) You don't need louder. You need deeper.

Short form content is a plague.
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TikToks.
Instagram Reels.
Fucking YouTube shorts.

Everyone nan is shouting louder and louder for attention, trying to get their grubby mitts on that last ounce of dopamine you've got left.

And you know what?

That's the best news in the world for you.

Because if you can truly commit to mastering long form content (and, in particular, long form WRITTEN content), you will stand out head and shoulders above the rest.

When I first came to 𝕏 I committed to writing an in-depth long form piece every day.

Was it a lot of work? Sure.

They used to take me hours to put together.

But jeeeeeeez did they grow a loyal fanbase like nothing else.

If you truly want to stand out in a world that's hell-bent on noisier, attention-stealing content, you need to embrace depth and understanding above all else.

When the market zigs, you zag.

6) Tomorrow never comes

Quick, decisive action is everything.

That's what I've learned in the last 4 months.

If you're constantly waiting for the "right time" to start something, you never will.

Not sure your post is perfect? Fuck it - post it.
Not sure your product is ready? Fuck it - launch it.
Not sure you're ready to start a newsletter? Fuck it - start it and find out.

If I had waited til I was "ready" to do any of this stuff, I'd

The lessons you learn from the failure of doing stuff too soon are far more valuable than the lessons you didn't learn because you were too scared to do anything at all.

7) Close circle > wide network

What's the first thing people tell you to do when you start building a personal brand?

Your network is everything.

But people interpret this the wrong way.

They instantly start building this massive "community" of 100+ people, letting anyone and their mum join and giving them absolutely no incentive to contribute positively.

Before you know it, the thing is overrun with memes and sh*tposting, no-one's got a fucking clue who anyone is and the thing falls apart quicker than a Jenga tower once someone gets the family dog involved.

This is the wrong way to do networking.

What you actually want is a tight-knit group of 3-5 guys who you GENUINELY vibe with.

Guys whose content you like.
Guys who will push you to be better.
Guys who you'd actually be mates with in real life.

This is the sort of network that will sustainably help you grow.

Because now instead of feeling obligated to share someone's content in the name of "engagement", you've got people whose content you genuinely want to share.

And that's what's actually going to help all of you grow your brand 10x faster.

These are the guys you'll be able sit down with in 3-4 years time, look back on your journey together and go "fuck, we actually did all that?"

And that to me is worth far more than any "networking group" could ever provide.

Well.

There you are guys.

Those are my ramblings for the day.

I hope there's at lease one insight there that will help you with growing your own audience.

Talk soon,

Harry

PS. Want to build a personal brand of your own?

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