Welcome to the 172nd Edition...

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In this issue:

• The Guardians beat the best pitcher in baseball without hitting the ball hard (and why that matters for you)
• How Bruce Willis discovered his superpower in the middle of Grand Central Station
• The one guarantee that leads to regret (and how to avoid it)

​You can find the online version of this newsletter here.

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Getting Out of a Rut

It’s launch week for my new book Burn the Playbook. A few of my close friends said it's my best book yet. Who knew? For me, it's the most meaningful and hope it does a lot of good in the world.

You can now buy BTP from me directly, on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Kobo.
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​NOTE: If money is tight, I’m sending complimentary digital copies of the book in exchange for an honest Amazon review. If you’re interested, just reply to this email.

On Tuesday, the Pulizzi family went to the Cleveland Guardians/Detroit Tigers game. At the time, the Guardians were one game back in the standings with six games left to play.

If you haven’t heard, the Guardians have pulled off a historic comeback. At the same time, the Tigers set a record for losing the biggest divisional lead in history.

• On July 9th, the Guardians trailed the Tigers by 15.5 games.
• On September 5th, the deficit was still 11 games.
• On September 22nd, they were one game back.

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So, on Tuesday the 23rd, the Guardians had a shot to tie (and take the lead through a tiebreaker). All they had to do was beat the best pitcher in baseball, Tarik Skubal.

Down 2–0 in the 6th inning, the Guardians looked hopeless. Skubal was on fire, striking out batters at will. Then Stephen Kwan bunted and reached first. Angel Martinez bunted and reached. Jose Ramirez hit a 50-foot single that scored a run. Three batters later, the Guardians led 3–2 without hitting the ball out of the infield.

They went on to win 5–2. Out of the 27 Tigers outs, 19 were strikeouts. Only eight outs came from balls put in play.

The contrast between these teams couldn’t be clearer. One team just kept putting the ball in play. The other one kept swinging for nothing.

The very next day, I talked with three different people. One had just been let go and was struggling to find their passion. Another was stuck in a job they didn’t like. The third had gone through a tough breakup and was feeling isolated.

In each case, my job was mostly to listen. But when they asked for advice, I couldn’t shake the Guardians game out of my head.

The key? Put more balls in play.

If you feel stuck, the best thing you can do is get yourself into new situations. Try more things. Open more doors. Meet more people.

In the movie Unbreakable, Bruce Willis’s character doesn’t realize he has a gift. He spends most of his life feeling lost and unfulfilled. It isn’t until he puts himself in new, uncomfortable situations that his power is revealed. The turning point comes when he steps into the crowd at Grand Central Station. Surrounded by strangers, brushing past person after person, he finally discovers what he was made to do.

That moment happened only because he went out there. He didn’t find it sitting on the sidelines.

The same is true for us. You will not find your passion scrolling your phone. You will not find it in isolation. Wherever “out there” is for you, that’s where your answer lies.

So, put more balls in play. When you do, good things happen. Just ask the Guardians.

What Do You Do?

I saw a post this week from Jonathan Mast that hit hard:

That made me stop and think. For years, I stumbled through my own answer. I’d talk about content marketing, publishing, startups, podcasts, writing… and by the time I was done, people were lost.

So I simplified. Today, my Tilt is clear:
​I help entrepreneurs and creators find meaning, freedom, and wealth.

That’s it. Short. Simple. Memorable. And because it’s focused, it actually leads to better conversations.

Last week I was golfing and someone asked what I do. I gave them that answer. Their response: “Wow…how do you do that?”

That’s the power of clarity.

What about you? How would you explain how you make people’s lives better, in 15 seconds or less?

Regret

I’ll admit it. I scroll Facebook reels sometimes…but for one specific reason. I’m hunting for new workouts I can do with almost no equipment.

The other day, a trainer said something that stopped me:

That line hit hard. Because it’s never just about exercise.

You never regret writing the story. You only regret not starting.
You never regret publishing the book. You only regret letting it sit on your desktop for years.
You never regret recording the podcast. You only regret the idea that never made it out of your head.

I have three close friends who’ve been tinkering with book manuscripts for over a year. Always “almost there.” Always “not quite ready.”

Here’s the truth: wait long enough, and regret is guaranteed. But create, publish, ship and you’ll never carry that weight.

Let's go!

If you would like me to talk about something specific for next issue or ask me a question, just reply to this email.

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Keep learning and growing,

Joe

17040 Amber Dr, Cleveland , OH 44111-2908
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