A few weeks ago, I was clicking through newsletters on the beehiiv platform that I could list as recommended. I was searching for career-oriented, lifestyle-focused newsletters or anything related to job searching. I would find one that had a fascinating thumbnail attached to it and click into it only to learn that the publisher wrote a handful of emails, and never published again.
As I kept filtering through all of these newsletters, it became obvious to me that the barrier to entry to create a newsletter and pick up a few subscribers was fairly low. Today, everyone has the option to create a logo, write something, and ship it out. There is a dream among some writers that you can build an audience with just a few key weekly clicks, and then you’re off to the races with audience growth and expertise.
The truth is, getting into the game on anything is usually fairly easy. You can start a business tomorrow, you could launch content online, you can get one client to consult for, or you can build a widget to sell online. We live in a time where access is fairly easy. You have access to tools that can make big dreams come true.
But just because you can get in the game means nothing if you can’t stay in it.
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I’ve worked in and around the real estate business for the last several years. It’s a business that has a low barrier to entry. You take a test, you get a license, and you can sell houses for 3% commission. There are an estimated 3 million real estate licenses in the United States, and in 2025, fewer than 24% of the licensed population completed a single transaction.
Just because you can get in the game doesn’t mean you can be successful at it.
Success in anything requires discipline, effort, commitment, a relentless mindset, and so much more. Just because you have the ability to get started and get in the game means nothing if you’re not willing to put in the dedication and the effort to it.
The people who eventually separate themselves aren’t always the smartest or the most talented. More often than not, they’re simply the ones who refuse to give up. They keep writing after the first article gets five views. They keep prospecting after hearing no a hundred times. They keep building after the first version of the product falls flat.
Everyone loves the idea of the finish line. Very few people fall in love with the repetition it takes to get there.
The work becomes mundane long before it becomes rewarding. The excitement wears off, the progress slows down, and that’s usually the moment most people quietly move on to the next idea.
Look around at the people you admire in your industry. Chances are, they didn’t become successful from one great idea or one lucky break. They became successful by stacking hundreds or thousands of ordinary days on top of one another. They stayed committed long enough for everyone else to disappear.
“They stayed committed long enough for everyone else to disappear.”
Opportunity has never been more accessible than it is today. AI can help you build faster. Platforms can help you publish instantly. Customers are only a few clicks away. None of those things can replace consistency. There still isn’t an app that can do the work for you.
Getting started is no longer the difficult part. Staying in the game is. The people who keep showing up long after the excitement fades are usually the ones everyone else calls an overnight success.