The benefit of giving will only be truly appreciated by the giver.
What you give away for free may one day return to you — not as you expect, but as something richer.
Fourteen years ago, I began writing daily. Not for fame or fortune, but to think in public. One post every day. A simple act of giving whatever was on my mind.
That act became 2,500 posts. A lifetime of thinking, shared freely.
And slowly, something happened. Readers began to gather. Not many at first, but steadily. They returned not because I was selling anything but because I was giving something away: a perspective, a laugh, a moment of clarity.
Then, earlier this year, they gave something back. They said: Turn these into books. Especially the ones about Bella.
So I did.
Those daily posts — given away for years — have now become 20 short-form books on Amazon, born entirely from the encouragement of those who read them when they cost nothing.
The benefit of giving was never just spiritual. It became practical. It built a community. It created trust. It formed a path to creation that I didn’t have to walk alone.
Along the way, those ideas grew. Some evolved into sci-fi worlds — places where responsibility is power and justice is transparent. Others stayed close to home, following Bella, the dog who became CEO of my imagination.
But beneath all of it, the same principle remains:
Give first. Create openly. Let the journey unfold with those who choose to walk with you.
Today, what began as a daily gift has given back in opportunities, clarity, meaning, and now — books.
The benefit was never just in what I gained, but in what we built together.
If you’d like to see where this kind of giving leads, the books my readers asked for are now available on Amazon — from mindful living to strategic snack acquisition (courtesy of Bella).
The Psychological Magic Trick of the “Talent-Free” Influencer.
(Thanks, Kardashians!)
We used to believe fame required talent — that you had to sing, act, or at least juggle flaming swords to earn attention. Then came the Kardashians, and the game changed forever.
Because it turns out you don’t need a craft. You just need a camera, an algorithm, and a deep understanding of human psychology.
Let’s unpack the magic tricks behind the “talent-free” influencer phenomenon — and how the Kardashians perfected them.
1. The “They Feel Like Family” Illusion (Even Though They’ve Never Met You).
The Psychological Sleight of Hand: Your brain can’t tell the difference between someone you actually know and someone you’ve watched eat salad on TV for 20 seasons.
The Kardashian Application: We’ve seen Kim cry over lost earrings, Khloé break up with losers, and Kylie… well, Kylie do whatever Kylie does. After 660 episodes of Keeping Up, they feel less like celebrities and more like that dramatic cousin you only see at weddings but somehow know everything about.
The secret sauce? Familiarity without obligation. You get the gossip without having to loan them money.
2. The “So Real, It’s Fake” Phenomenon.
The Psychological Sleight of Hand: We’re wired to sniff out phonies, so when someone seems “authentic,” we lower our guard.
The Kardashian Application: The genius of the Kardashians is performing calculated authenticity. Kim posts “unglammed” PJ selfies that still have perfect lighting. They promote “body positivity” while looking like they’ve never seen a carb. Kylie “admits” to lip fillers, then makes $360 million off the confession by selling lip kits.
It’s the modern marketing magic trick: turning an advertisement into a confession.
3. The “Monkey See, Monkey Follow” Effect.
The Psychological Sleight of Hand: If everyone else is watching, our monkey brains assume there must be a good reason.
The Kardashian Application: With a combined Instagram following of 1.2 billion, they’re not people anymore — they’re a human tsunami. When Kylie posted a photo of her baby, it became the most-liked picture in Instagram history (until an egg dethroned her, which honestly proves the point).
Today’s status symbol isn’t a Ferrari — it’s being too famous to be cancelled properly.
4. The “I’m Just Like You (But Richer)” Fairy Tale.
The Psychological Sleight of Hand: We connect with people who seem aspirational yet attainable — not so perfect they make us feel bad, not so ordinary they bore us.
The Kardashian Application: They mastered the “relatability sweet spot.” They’re rich enough to fascinate but flawed enough to feel human. They have family dinners, sibling fights, and public heartbreaks — they just happen to have them in $20 million mansions.
They’re the human equivalent of a McMansion: fancy enough to aspire to, tacky enough to believe you could actually live there.
5. The “Attention = Power” Equation.
The Psychological Sleight of Hand: Once upon a time, status went to the hunter or the warrior. Now it goes to whoever can make you pause your scrolling.
The Kardashian Application: Kim “breaking the internet” with her Paper magazine cover wasn’t about nudity — it was about dominance. When Kylie tweeted she no longer used Snapchat, $1.3 billion evaporated from the company’s value overnight.
Their art form isn’t music or film — it’s the alchemy of turning attention into currency.
6. The Algorithm Whisperers.
The Psychological Sleight of Hand: Social platforms reward engagement, not talent. Algorithms don’t care whether you’re loved or loathed — only that you’re being talked about.
The Kardashian Application: They don’t fight the algorithm; they flirt with it. Kim knows that controversy drives clicks. Kylie understands that drama equals dollars.
They don’t create content — they create algorithm catnip.
7. The “Hate-Watching Is Still Watching” Loophole.
The Psychological Sleight of Hand: Your brain doesn’t differentiate between positive and negative engagement. Dopamine is dopamine — whether you’re laughing with them or at them.
The Kardashian Application: Think they don’t know people mock them? They count on it. When Kim wore Marilyn Monroe’s dress to the Met Gala, the outrage and think pieces generated billions in free publicity.
They’ve mastered the dark art of turning your eye-rolls into income.
The Grand Finale: The Real Magic Trick.
The “untalented” influencer isn’t a cultural accident — they’re the perfect product of our psychological wiring.
The Kardashians didn’t hack the system; they are the system. They feed our need for connection, our hunger for authenticity, our weakness for social proof, and our willingness to trade depth for distraction.
Their true talent? Making us wonder about their talent while they cash the cheque.
As one academic put it:
“When people devote time and space to condemnation, it immediately makes me wonder what social fears or cultural desires might lie beneath the aggression.”
So the next time you ask, “But what do they actually do?” — the uncomfortable truth is, they’re doing it. (Living)
And we’re the ones watching.
The title is a bit misleading because the entire post shows you everything you need to do to become an influencer. However, if you don’t use any of those tricks, then you won’t become an influencer.
P.S. I couldn’t possibly become an influencer. However, I could definitely spend an influencer’s money.
Everywhere I look, people are promising to teach you how to “use AI effectively.” Endless tutorials, guides, and quick hacks all claim to unlock instant mastery.
But what’s often missing is the human part. Few ask whether real-world experience, taste, or intuition are still necessary.
That omission feels like clickbait — an appeal to those seeking a shortcut rather than a craft. Because while AI holds extraordinary knowledge, it can’t replace the wisdom born of doing.
Before you can wield AI’s power, you need something it can never provide:
Without these, even the most powerful tool becomes just another gadget — capable of brilliance yet directionless without a human hand to guide it.
Consider the perfect analogy: the kitchen.
Give a master chef a kitchen, and they’ll create art. Give a novice the same tools, and you might get a meal — but rarely a memorable one.
Now, imagine that novice directing the chef: “More salt,” they insist. “Make it spicier — but not too much. And add chocolate. People love chocolate.”
The result is inevitable: a confused dish that tries to please everyone and satisfies nobody.
This is the precise fate of AI-generated creativity without a human expert to give it purpose.
AI is the ultimate sous-chef. It can chop a mountain of vegetables in seconds, recall every recipe ever written, and plate your work with Michelin-star precision.
But a tool, however powerful, still needs a guiding hand. Without human taste, intuition, and story, AI’s output looks impressive but feels hollow — like a perfect photograph of a meal: beautiful, yet devoid of warmth and flavour.
We see this dynamic everywhere creativity lives.
A novelist who doesn’t read, tasking AI with a “masterpiece,” is like someone who’s never cooked demanding a soufflé — it might rise, but it will collapse on the palate.
A filmmaker who doesn’t understand emotion can generate a thousand AI scenes, yet without human pacing, not a single one will land.
Even in design, a request for “something modern” fails without a sense of composition, light, or audience. The result feels sterile — missing the soul that connects.
AI expands the kitchen, but the human still defines the flavour.
Our role isn’t vanishing; it’s evolving. We are shifting from hands-on executors to strategic visionaries. Our value now lies in answering the questions that define true artistry:
1. Why does this dish exist? 2. What story must this film tell? 3. What feeling should this design evoke?
The future of creativity isn’t a battle of human versus AI. It is an essential collaboration — AI powered by human taste.
And that taste — your experience, your curiosity, your care — is the irreplaceable ingredient. It’s the difference between a technically correct creation and a masterpiece that lingers, unforgettable, long after the last bite.
The following books are available to buy for free on Kindle today, the 24th of August. It’s a One day only promotion. Click on the links below the images to get your free copy. I’d click on the Bella one first.
Curiosity is what keeps people alive more than any other trait because people are nosy. They want to know what’s going to happen next. Marketers rely on that to get and keep your attention. The following is a typical example. Enjoy.
I LET A STRANGER SLEEP IN MY GUESTHOUSE
At 45, I’d built a peaceful life for myself. I lived alone on a secluded property, surrounded by woods, in a house too large for just one person. My career as a writer was fulfilling but often lonely. One cold evening, after a grocery run, I noticed a figure sitting by the side of the road near my driveway. He was shivering, his clothes worn and dirty, and something about his vacant stare tugged at my conscience.
I pulled over and rolled down the window. “Need a place to stay?” I asked. The man looked at me, surprised, his eyes reflecting a sadness I couldn’t shake. He introduced himself as Tom, explaining he had lost his job, his home, and had nowhere else to go.
I invited him to stay in my guesthouse, a small cottage I rarely used. It had a bed, heat, and a bathroom—better than sleeping outside. Tom was hesitant but accepted. Over the next few weeks, he kept to himself, but I’d catch glimpses of him wandering around the woods, always distant but respectful.
One night, around 2 a.m., I was jolted awake by strange noises. It sounded like muffled voices, too close to ignore. I grabbed a flashlight and, with a mix of curiosity and concern, made my way to the guesthouse. As I approached, I noticed the light was on, something Tom never did at night.
I stood at the door, debating whether to knock or just walk in, but then I heard something that made my heart race—a voice that didn’t belong to Tom. Holding my breath, I slowly pushed the door open, and what I saw inside stopped me cold.
