It was an accident but it came from surfing a wave of change.
That was back in the 90s.
It's easier today.
We've got social media, content platforms, and AI to eliminate work.
This hit a nerve because most writers don’t actually want to go viral.
They want to feel seen.
And Notes gives the illusion that might finally happen.
But here’s what I saw in my own version of this:
🟥 Relatability isn’t the same as resonance.
🟥 A hundred new subscribers doesn’t mean momentum — it means dependence.
🟥 Writing daily isn’t sustainable unless you have a real structure and system.
Substack, Notes, LinkedIn, Facebook, X, YouTube, and courses aren’t the trap.
The trap is the belief that consistency equals safety.
That belief cost me three years.
I've been consistent since 2016.
My book in 2019 led to hundreds of thousands in retainer revenue.
That led to a real company.
I never wanted to build a marketing or media agency.
Those were my clients.
I'd been in that industry for years.
Between 2020 and 2023, I spent $150K chasing the LinkedIn playbook — content machines, funnels, signature stage, all of it. It all worked. I had the stage, list, and solid brand.
The “big win” came later, when I stopped chasing and built a real company my way — outside the popularity game.
The algorithm says:
Post → Get seen → Build list → Sell offer → Feel secure.
Here’s what I do now instead:
5 Steps That Changed My Reality (Real System, Real Power)
🔑 Stop trying to grow.
Growth isn’t the goal if the structure can’t hold it.
🔑 Make silence survivable.
If stepping away breaks everything, it was never real.
🔑 Don’t optimize what you can’t trust.
The platform is a mirror — and sometimes it reflects your neediness back.
🔑 Write when something real moves.
Not when the calendar says “engagement is due.”
(We use AI to be consistent and organized — not to game offers.)
🔑 Replace the audience with a circle.
People who see you, not just your Note.
(This only works if you have a real product — not just a funnel to an info product.)
Not selling a process. Not claiming the high ground.
Just writing this in case someone else is stuck in what I got stuck in.
I’d already built the lifestyle business.
The 7-figure virtual agency.
The signature-stage, event-backed brand.
And it still took all that to realize:
Popularity doesn’t equal freedom.
And visibility isn’t value — unless it’s built on something real.
Awesome post, Wes! Your posts are very valuable to me and I'm learning a lot.
Today's note:
WILL BYERS: A STRANGER THINGS ORACLE/TAROT READING
What is in store for Will Byers for for final season of Stranger Things Season 5?
There appears to be a lot of Dungeons and Dragons mirroring this season and it will be amplified. Will didn’t realize it at the time, but the very first scene of the very first season of Stranger Things, when Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Will were just little guys, playing D&D in Mike’s basement, Will sealed his destiny. There’s something about the game the boys were playing that triggered Henry/Vecna/One aka VH1 (to me at least) to target Will. What VH1 doesn’t realize is that this season, Will will be at his strongest, and he will contribute in a huge way to defeating and destroying VH1. Will steps into his power and becomes a man this season. He’s no longer the vulnerable, nearly helpless kid he was in the 1st season. He’s going to destroy Vecna because he has to, but he’s going to be a very different, much stronger person on the other side of it.
I think one of the greatest hacks to post great notes is to take snippets of your long posts and share them to notes. I did that and one of my notes went viral, with more than 2.5 likes and 164 new subscribers. But like you I don’t think trying to go viral is a good strategy. It’s best to stick to your true message and let your consistent content and vibe attract aligned readers and potential clients.
I've never been trapped inside a cubicle.
My freedom came early with a big early success.
It was an accident but it came from surfing a wave of change.
That was back in the 90s.
It's easier today.
We've got social media, content platforms, and AI to eliminate work.
This hit a nerve because most writers don’t actually want to go viral.
They want to feel seen.
And Notes gives the illusion that might finally happen.
But here’s what I saw in my own version of this:
🟥 Relatability isn’t the same as resonance.
🟥 A hundred new subscribers doesn’t mean momentum — it means dependence.
🟥 Writing daily isn’t sustainable unless you have a real structure and system.
Substack, Notes, LinkedIn, Facebook, X, YouTube, and courses aren’t the trap.
The trap is the belief that consistency equals safety.
That belief cost me three years.
I've been consistent since 2016.
My book in 2019 led to hundreds of thousands in retainer revenue.
That led to a real company.
I never wanted to build a marketing or media agency.
Those were my clients.
I'd been in that industry for years.
Between 2020 and 2023, I spent $150K chasing the LinkedIn playbook — content machines, funnels, signature stage, all of it. It all worked. I had the stage, list, and solid brand.
The “big win” came later, when I stopped chasing and built a real company my way — outside the popularity game.
The algorithm says:
Post → Get seen → Build list → Sell offer → Feel secure.
Here’s what I do now instead:
5 Steps That Changed My Reality (Real System, Real Power)
🔑 Stop trying to grow.
Growth isn’t the goal if the structure can’t hold it.
🔑 Make silence survivable.
If stepping away breaks everything, it was never real.
🔑 Don’t optimize what you can’t trust.
The platform is a mirror — and sometimes it reflects your neediness back.
🔑 Write when something real moves.
Not when the calendar says “engagement is due.”
(We use AI to be consistent and organized — not to game offers.)
🔑 Replace the audience with a circle.
People who see you, not just your Note.
(This only works if you have a real product — not just a funnel to an info product.)
Not selling a process. Not claiming the high ground.
Just writing this in case someone else is stuck in what I got stuck in.
I’d already built the lifestyle business.
The 7-figure virtual agency.
The signature-stage, event-backed brand.
And it still took all that to realize:
Popularity doesn’t equal freedom.
And visibility isn’t value — unless it’s built on something real.
My free and paid subscriptions are growing steadily but noone interacts with my notes?
Awesome post, Wes! Your posts are very valuable to me and I'm learning a lot.
Today's note:
WILL BYERS: A STRANGER THINGS ORACLE/TAROT READING
What is in store for Will Byers for for final season of Stranger Things Season 5?
There appears to be a lot of Dungeons and Dragons mirroring this season and it will be amplified. Will didn’t realize it at the time, but the very first scene of the very first season of Stranger Things, when Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Will were just little guys, playing D&D in Mike’s basement, Will sealed his destiny. There’s something about the game the boys were playing that triggered Henry/Vecna/One aka VH1 (to me at least) to target Will. What VH1 doesn’t realize is that this season, Will will be at his strongest, and he will contribute in a huge way to defeating and destroying VH1. Will steps into his power and becomes a man this season. He’s no longer the vulnerable, nearly helpless kid he was in the 1st season. He’s going to destroy Vecna because he has to, but he’s going to be a very different, much stronger person on the other side of it.
LINK TO NOTE:
https://substack.com/@thevibrantcateye/note/c-124703477
I think one of the greatest hacks to post great notes is to take snippets of your long posts and share them to notes. I did that and one of my notes went viral, with more than 2.5 likes and 164 new subscribers. But like you I don’t think trying to go viral is a good strategy. It’s best to stick to your true message and let your consistent content and vibe attract aligned readers and potential clients.
What are you finding for your ideal frequency of notes per day?
You're on a role Wes. I'm getting a lot of value from your notes and posts. Thank you.
Great advice as always.)
Great read! The first note is actually how I found you. Happy to be here☺️