THOUGHT LEADERSHIP IN 2026: A SUBSTACK SPRINT 

ARE YOU SO BUSY WRITING FUNCTIONAL COPY, RESPONDING TO EMAILS, AND KEEPING THE INSTA ALGO ALIVE THAT YOU AREN'T FINDING TIME TO WRITE THE THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER? 

I throw zero shade--that's definitely the boat I'm in. And it's one thing I've committed to change in 2026.

I'm blank slating my socials and making a commitment to say the things I have the unique capacity and perspective to say and not just the things that get me clients.  

Last year, for the first time, I hired a marketing team, and I felt overwhelmed by the fluff AI was helping me to generate. Totally lost in the sea of repetitious shallow thought. Also no shade to your AI assistant--you do what works for you. 

What works for me is human community. The anchoring and the stretch that comes when we gather hold space for each other to do the hard things in real-time. 

It's not rocket science. It's co-working. And it works, even when you're silent in your own Zoom box while other people work in their boxes in different parts of the world.

I know it works because for years people have paid me to hold these spaces so they can conquer the tasks in their lives that generate the greatest resistance. Don't know what resistance is? Lucky you. I highly recommend The War of Art. But, if you're still reading, probably you already wrestle with resistance on the regular.

Look, let's not mince words, I'm inviting you to help me. I want to actually activate the Substack I set up last year. And my goal is to have 6 pieces by the end of this sprint. What's great is that all I need from you is for you to show up and help yourself, by also committing this time to your own writing and being serious and ruthless about it--meaning you show up on-time, ready to work, and you don't let other shit get in the way because this is important to *YOU*. 

So here's how it will work....

Every week for 6 weeks, we'll meet for 90 minutes. We'll have a 15-minute check-in for everyone to share what they're working on and a 15-minute check-out to share how it went. For 60 minutes in between, you will write and only write--something that matters to you to contribute in this era of great change. It's functional and tight. If you want to stay around and meet the other writers in the room, I'll host a hang for 30 minutes after we complete our task, but that social time is not included in the 90 minutes. Checking in and out is part of the work. It's our accountability process. 

By donation. 

Cool? 

A PLACE FOR WRITERS WITH URGENCY TO GATHER AND BE THE CHANGE

Why now?

Probably you've been outside or read the news lately. But for all the people (like my grandma - may she rest in peace) who would say that the world is going to hell in a handbasket, there are those of us who are ready to seize the opportunity of this transitional moment to create the world we actually want to see. And that requires clarity. And clarity requires slowing down. And commitment, in my experience, requires anchoring transient thoughts in durable words.

In short, the things we've been saying to each other in private chats, at dinner parties, on walks in the woods, and to our clients encouragingly, it's actually time to say out loud to a broader audience. In word increments longer than a tweet. Because people need grounding wisodm in the chaos. To move toward the horizon, we have to be able to name it. 

For some of us, it is time to write. If that call includes you, you probably already know. 

Why Substack?

Because it offers us a format that's conducive to longer-form writing that's not based in the sale. We can build audiences and be direclty remunerated for the writing we share. 

I started my Substack--The Enlightenment Exercises--very hopefully last summer while I was living in Spain and after a riling trip to Ibiza. 6 months later, I have yet to "find' the time to populate it in any meaningful way. Anybody else? 

I know I have more to say than "come join this program", which is the contemporary refrain of the coach.  And I'm tired of feeling like so much of the essential work is me alone in a room with my computer. Enough of that. 

We've called it a Substack Sprint, but we're really pretty form agnostic (if you work in another Medium, for instance). We're interested in long-form public content that's faster than a full-length book project might be, but deeper and more full-bodied than an Insta post. 

Who Should Come?

Whoever is serious and committed to using this format to gain some traction to talk about real shit in 2026. New people are welcome. And a safe space is required.

This space will be peopled by people of color, queer people, deeply progressive people, creative people, visionary people, and people who think outside of the box. Do not come to argue--it's just not that kind of party.

Everyone who comes needs to respect the format and the vibe. If they're down with that, sure, invite your friends. 

How Much Does it Cost?

There is no charge for the sprint. I'm here to get my own work done. And I find that easier to do with community support.

But I am hosting, and that does take some time and effort, so feel free to donate to buy me a cup of tea or help keep these Kajabi lights on or, even better, become a paying patron of my Substack. Whatever that is is up to you. There will be some options when you register, 

When Does it Start?

As soon as we have 6 people and not later than January 21st. 

What time does it meet?

The first 6 people to register will be able to influence that.

Full transparency that the first date/time I'm going to throw out is Wednesdays at noon US Eastern, because it's the most flexible window to include everyone from Maui to Capetown who might want to play. Of course, that's not everyone (because round Earth). If you want to have a say in the when, be one of the first 6 to commit. 

Easy, right?! This is not my first facilitating rodeo. 

So you can trust that this will be well-held, we'll stick to our commitments, and we'll get some traction with words that matter. 

You might meet a new writing buddy. We hope, at the very least, you'll have space to hear yourself think in the din. 

None of us individually is holding the answers. The only way truly forward is in dialogue with each other.