Ray Dalio started and headed the world’s most successful hedge fund. It’s called Bridgewater. Most people have never heard of it.
They manage 160 billion dollars of other people’s money and have moved relentlessly in one direction – upwards. That’s over the last 40 years.
How do you get to be that successful in such a tricky market (hedge funds are notoriously hard to run)?
You use principles. But not the type you and I use. The type that’s honest and scientific to the core (not made up in our heads and full of self-bias and delusion).
Ray uses a lens different from the rest of us. We see things through our own eyes. He sees them through the eyes of an observer.
We come up with questions like “how come they’re doing so well and we aren’t?”. Or “how do I get new clients when I’m just starting out?” (nothing wrong with those questions, it’s how we’re wired).
Ray asks “what’s the cause of the pain we’re currently feeling?”, followed by “what can we do next that will stop that pain?”, followed by “and how can we measure if it worked or not?”, followed by “and how can we make sure it never happens again?”.
That’s a different way of looking at life. Try it next time you’re stuck.
Never be afraid to contact people no matter how important or authoritative you think they are. I’ve made amazing contacts using this mindset.
For example, I’m now in direct contact with the CEO of a major £300m publishing business.
And all because I followed up on an invite put out on a podcast. As a result I’ve got a meeting with their international business director.
I didn’t say anything special, I just asked about something he’d mentioned and that I was doing a keynote in London next week.
You might say “Oh, you’re a keynote speaker. Well that’s not surprising then…” – but it is surprising. Keynote speakers are two a penny (never be afraid to contact keynote speakers).
The one thing I realised a decade ago was that under our clothes we’re all human. Strip away the glamour and trinkets and that’s all that’s left.
We’re all fearful of certain things. We all get excited about certain things. We all get sad.
We all get happy.
But above all, we all need others around us (the real recluse is an extremely rare beast).
I had “respect” for authority beaten into me at school (literally) and it took me 35 years to beat it back out again.
This is why compassion and empathy are the most important mental tools I know. You cannot fail in business if you adopt these things.
Growth comes from forming good habits (or to put it another way, it certainly doesn’t come from bad ones).
The first good habit I learned took some effort – cleaning my teeth twice a day. As a kid I tried to avoid it and ended up with a mouth full of fillings from a very entrepreneurial dentist.
Once I’d replaced the terror of the drill with the pleasure of toothpaste, the habit was formed.
The next bad habit was smoking (I crushed it by recalling all the bad things it did to my body every time I craved one). The third was drinking (triggered by a massive health problem).
So why did it take me so long to realise that real change only happens when you change your habits? Education.
I’ve read a few books on habits, but by far and away the best is James Clear’s new book: Atomic Habits.
You can repeat affirmations all day long, but we’re told that unless we say them with emotion, they don’t do very much (which makes it our fault if they fail – we weren’t emotional enough – think and grow rich anyone?).
OR…
You can say out loud to yourself “I will [action] at [time] at [place]” (eg. “I will write 1000 words at 6am every day in the study”).
But you can take it a step further (which is where Atomic Habits kicks in) by doing what James calls ‘Habit Stacking’. “I will [new habit] after [existing habit] in the [location]”. For example: “I will write 1000 words after breakfast in the study”.
Now the habit is ‘stuck’ to another habit instead of time. And slowly your day will be built on automatic habits that get done. Nice one Mr Clear.
It’s Just As Hard At The Top As It Is At The Bottom
If you are stuck in your new copywriting career and not sure what to do next, remember this one idea, it is just as hard at the top as it is at the bottom. Olympians still need trainers. Pros need coaches and mentors, not because they are weak, but because they want to grow without guessing.
That is why it is easy to poke holes in other people’s work, and so hard to do it for ourselves. We all need help getting out of their own way. You are not alone.
Why Top And Bottom Feel The Same
Beginners and veterans wrestle with many of the same challenges, only the stakes change. The feelings do not go away, they just get more subtle.
Challenge
At the Bottom
At the Top
Clarity
What should I write, who am I writing for
Which hill to die on, how to focus a complex project
Confidence
Imposter syndrome on first client
Pressure to outperform your last win, fear of plateau
Feedback
No trusted reviewers, random opinions
Too much deference, not enough honest critique
Process
No repeatable system
Systems get bloated, hard to change what once worked
Visibility of blind spots
Unknown unknowns everywhere
Success hides flaws, small leaks become expensive
Why Coaches, Mentors, And Trainers Matter
Even elite performers use guidance to see what they cannot see. In copy, that extra set of eyes saves time, reputation, and money.
Role
Primary Focus
How They Help Copywriters
Trainer
Skills and reps
Daily drills, headline sprints, voice exercises, briefs to sharpen speed
Coach
Process and mindset
Goal setting, debriefs, overcoming blocks, structuring your workflow
Mentor
Direction and judgment
Positioning, pricing, client selection, career moves, pattern recognition
Quick Case Studies
New Copywriter, First Clients
Sam had two small retainers and constant doubt. A mentor reviewed one landing page per week, pointed out muddled value props, and gave a three point checklist. Within six weeks, Sam shipped faster, raised rates by 20 percent, and booked a larger retainer.
Seasoned Pro, Flat Results
Taylor had big wins, then a dry spell. A coach audited Taylor’s research process, found shallow voice-of-customer notes, and added a simple interview script. The next launch used richer language, beat the control by 18 percent, and restored momentum.
Getting Out Of Your Own Way
You do not need to wait for perfect confidence, you need a small plan. Try this simple loop.
Define the job, write a one sentence brief that states audience, promise, and outcome.
Draft fast, set a 30 minute timer, write without editing.
Park it, take a ten minute break, then return as an editor.
Edit with a checklist, clarity, proof, offer, CTA, objections, next step.
Get outside eyes, ask for one thing to cut, one thing to clarify, one thing to strengthen.
What To Post When You Ask For Help
Specific requests get specific answers. Use this structure when you post in a group or to a mentor.
Goal, what success looks like, click, reply, booked call
Audience, who they are and what they care about
Draft, paste the copy or link to the doc
Constraints, word count, tone, brand rules
Targeted questions, which headline is clearer, where does it drag
Template you can copy, Audience, goal, draft link, two questions. Thank you.
Self Coaching Prompts
When you cannot get live feedback, use these quick prompts.
What is the one job of this piece, did I do only that
Where would a skeptical reader stop, did I handle that moment
What is the most concrete proof here, can I make it more specific
If I had to cut 25 percent, what goes, what actually gets better
What is the next click, reply, or step, is it obvious and easy
Simple Weekly Practice Plan
Consistency beats intensity. Keep it light and steady.
Monday, 10 headline reps from customer language
Wednesday, one page teardown of a control you admire
Friday, ship one micro asset, email, hook ideas, bullets
Weekend, one mentor touchpoint, a question, a review, or a short call
You Are Not Alone
Ask any questions you like in the Facebook Science of Copywriting group. I will help if I can, and many others will too. Keep moving, keep asking, keep practicing.
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