All my BEST Lessons
Not many know this but I’ve spent close to 3 out of 5 years locked on a computer screen for 18+ hours a day. In fact, my sleep schedule was so weird, I would “work” 2 days straight and crash and sleep for the entire 3rd day. This went for months… So last year…
I decided to play the OPPOSITE game.
You see, a mentor told me that as much as I love reading books; they make me knowledgeable but not WISE. To be wise, comes from living the experiences and learning the lessons along the way.
I won’t go into personal details, but 2024 was pure CHAOS in the best sense of the word. So many unknown possibilities explored, and unnecessary hardships faced due to lack of regard for consequences (not someone you want running your marketing department — but let me tell you, in business my only rule is to never lose money and I never have! Without bringing more in return)…
Anyways, you might think chaos means:
Moving to Toronto
Buying $1000 bottles at the club every weekend
Casual Relationships after casual relationships
Day Drinking
But it also included:
Meeting and connecting with New Business Owners in my Local Area
Exploring New Places around my city
Finding Life-Long Friendships
Reflection & Introspection
A little love, romance and intimacy (followed by tragic heartbreak)
At the end of 2024, by living all extremes I discovered what aligns and doesn’t align with me anymore. No more playing “what if” with myself.
I have CLARITY on who I am & why I’m here… and what I want my life to look like — where I’m heading.
Which brings me to my “goals”…
If you know me personally, you’ll know that I can be highly stubborn and disagreeable. (Not because I ‘actually’ disagree with you — but because I like to see things from all angles and attack points to see how they stand against the OPPOSITE view --- no echo chambers here)…
So when it comes to New Years, well… I can tell you that mine started days before most people… (because why celebrate a holiday everyone else celebrates when I have the freedom to celebrate when I want, where I want, with whoever I want?)
Anything I set out to accomplish as a New Years Resolution has already begun.
I’m spending January 1, 2025 like I want every day of 2025 to be like. And truth be told, it’s going back in time (somewhat).
I’m not starting the Mario Kart 64 Race on the starting line…
No, not at all… I’m already 5 days ahead of the race,
And NYE was just the Blue Tortoise Shell power-up I picked up to annihilate anyone that gets too close…
Today is my MOMENTUM, not my starting line…
So, let me sum up what’s happening (and some things you can be inspired by — if need be)…
Content Schedule
Twitter
InstagramNewsletter
(Later) Youtube
I’ve always delayed doing this, but I’ve been writing for 35+ days straight already. Why delay? Because I enjoy doing the work more than talking about the work.
I like the market research, writing and re-arranging a sales page, setting up ads, and editing to see real time results …
…More than I like talking and teaching marketing.
But, it’s something that needs to be done because I find too many people (usually the ones with the biggest followers) so bad at helping OTHERS, and only good at marketing themselves.
This is all in an effort to make the SAME digital assets that I’ve built for my clients. The one’s that were built once, refined over a couple months and now generate $1,000,000+ / month.
I intend to be known, and not a stranger. To have my work out there and always have a steady stream of new potential clients.
Essentially, I want things building relationships with others for me that can be used over and over again!
Self-Mastery
Internal Mastery (Psycho-Cybernetics + controlling my thoughts)
Spiritual Mastery (feeling more grounded, spending time in nature, being in the present moment) + walks with no technology
Reflection (and understanding why I do what I do — always keeping my brain in “de-bug” mode and ‘speaking to my shadow’ every night; which just means having a conversation with myself and writing it)
This started in 2024 with me picking up two books: Conversations with God & Reality Transurfing…
Both books aim to essentially teach you how to get what you want out of life. A little bit of clarity on the reasons why we are all here;
most of all it gets you to think…
People say don’t talk about religion or politics; truth is… I don’t care what people believe AS LONG AS THEY THINK FOR THEMSELVES.
We have this amazing super-computer in our heads and most people never use 0.000000000000001% of their true power and capability.
I’ve always been ‘stubborn’ and ‘disagreeable’ so I can be sure that at least my STRONGEST of my opinions are my own…
and a good exercise is asking yourself “why do I believe that? Who put it there?”
=> We repeat 70,000 thoughts every single day … most people think the same thoughts. And thoughts are the gateway that determines our entire life. The internal world is all there is, from as within, so without.
A lot of information is always subconsciously picked up without knowing. So my daily reflection to “de-bug” by brain & controlling my inputs will go a long way.
Speaking of, I’ve also been curating my own “database” of useful notes using a really cool notion template »»»You Can Check It Out Here«««
This allows me to have a more ‘orderly’ method of starting and finishing projects without beginning from scratch as I can move the notes and things I need from one place to another. (saving a LOT of time — and feeding my brain inputs quickly that let it come up with fresh ideas I can use right away)
If you are working ‘digital’ I highly recommend you upgrade the TOOLS you use by checking out the template above and picking up “Building Your Second Brain” By Tiago Forte… Modern problems require modern solutions (and note-taking is the foundation of ALL of it)
It’s saved me so much time and the foundation of great successes is always is and will be the written word… might as well organize those notes as well!
Overall, my focus is to be 100% in control of my own thoughts (automatic & deliberate) and only allow the ones in that serve me and my higher purpose. Easier said than done and a lifelong work but well worth it.
if my mind is a palace, than reality is my garden.
~ Shakoor
Self_Expression
Poetry
Storytelling
Studying ALL Advertising Books
This one all comes down to the written word.
Warren Buffet once said the greatest investment he ever made was a course he took on communication.
And me being, the social introvert that spent every night of his childhood reading books (until he got yelled at to turn the lights off); it only makes sense that the written word is my chosen path.
I am finally ready to share my hidden agenda: to be the greatest advertiser of the 21st century.
And this means, I cannot do what everyone else does.
I can’t just be a guy that ‘signs as many clients’ as he wants… delivers mid- results and disappears cause you fire him after realizing in 2 weeks he’s a snake-oil salesman.
Most agencies are glorified Recruitment Agencies, and their hiring mid-tier people from 3rd world countries to get the MOST money from you while spending as little as possible on actually getting you good results because they have little to no incentive to…
I feel like people neglect something to IMPORTANT about work.
Like Alex Hormozi said, the work works on you more than you work on it
All Business problems are personal problems manifested as business problems.
Being an entrepreneur has allowed me to grow in decades in a few short years, BECAUSE I didn’t play it safe.
And, I don’t understand why people want to play this “replace the churn” game with their business, when they have an amazing opportunity to build something great, with amazing entrepreneurs all over the world, AND get paid to learn a priceless skill.
Learning first > Giving Second > Earning Third.
I am humbled and honored that the brands I’ve worked with took as much a chance on me as I have on it…
And I will NEVER give away the chance LEARN and IMPROVE my advertising abilities at the ‘prospect’ of growth…
Really, there is not much I want that money can buy that I don’t already have.
I got rid of 90% of my possessions last year because it’s not why I’m here on this Earth. It’s not something I need.
I get why Steve Jobs wears the same outfit now. (although I’m FAR from making my bed everyday)…
Priorities have changed.
So Advertising Masterclass:
Idea Power by David Deutsch
Mind Hijacking by Dan Kennedy
Opportunity Concepts — Dan Kennedy
anything to do with Email Marketing from John Bejakovic
Market Detective by Daniel Throssell
Ultimate Sales Letter (book and course), Robert Collier Letterbook, Cashvertising, Scientific Advertising, Breakthough Advertising, Tested Advertising Methods…
Gary Halbert Tapes
Gary Bencivenga Retirement Legacy
Overdeliver Book Bonuses (Titans of Direct Response)
etc
I can’t explain this to you well enough but advertising has reached it’s peak. No one can ever sell me ‘learn advertising’ again.
As in, if you want to be good at advertising ALL the knowledge is already available to you. There is no NEW knowledge that is good… (literally everything I mentioned above covers 99.99999% of it) — the rest you learn from experience + practice
(kind of true about everything ‚— I mean have you seen modern art or movies or cars?.)
So I’m not consuming new knowledge but FINISHING ALL MY OLD ONES, and I think I have a very good collection of EVERY GREAT ADVERTISING book and course ever written that will download all the best knowledge from the best sources straight into my head.
Then STEP 2: is to apply it and build some more BEHEMOTH businesses (for a super low retainer and high performance fee) — maybe even equity if offered.
Because we all feel our greatest when we are building TOWARDS something… (truthfully, all I want to do is USE the knowledge I’m absorbing until it’s deeply ingrained into my psyche — like second nature, like walking, like breathing, like blinking or eating)
I feel the most satisfied when I combine all these “inputs” from my notes (market research) for a new brand I’m working with … and then see my brain “process” and give me this FLASH OF BRILLIANCE where my hands can’t type and my words can’t speak with all the amazing ideas my brain is showing me… that’s where I feel like I’m speaking with GOD. Where I’m creating and seeing possibilities, and getting information from otherwordly sources….
That how I intend to become the greatest advertiser of the 21st century. (and bonus points for you because you just got the BEST collection of advertising books/courses you’ll ever need — do yourself a favor, if you want to learn ‘marketing’ stick to the old books & learn how to use the TOOLS like Meta/Google/Tiktok/Native Ads through Youtube — get the psychology part down first, then the tools)
All-in-all my learning has an end, I don’t intend to consume anything because an algorithm says so — and I organized my knowledge to a point where instead of TikTok or Netflix; i’m passive consuming knowledge from HEALTHIER sources…
_>it’s like snacking on Almonds vs French Fries (except I got rid of the french fries, and put the almonds everywhere I go wherever I’m hungry)
This includes:
My Kindle books
Apple “Want to Read” Books
Safari (which I only use for knowledge) — opened tabs on articles, blogs, etc.
Notion DATABASE — filled with interesting notes I’ve collected over the years
My Physical Bookshelf (which hasn’t gotten much love lately; I like reading digital but I like SEEING physical books; ˆI know, weird
→ Organize the knowledge you want to consume. Lay out “healthy” mental snacks for yourself. Be MINDFUL of all information entering your brain. * AND every action you take; reflect on it every night. Question and speak to yourself.
Consciously build your life, or passively let the fake Social Media World build your life… which never leads to anything good
Attention is everything.
last thing is poetry.
i think everyone needs a creative outlet or hobbies… mine is poetry. Can’t really say much else XD
(Side NOTE: everything I wrote here is just expanded from a one page Google Doc I wrote last night… I have been reflecting to be CLEAR on what I want and it came down to these 3 targets); I’m always recording my train of thought. And asking questions.
Let’s play this exercise…
* every answer you want is followed after asking the RIGHT questions
You just need to find the right sequence of questions to give you the answer you want.
But in the habit of laziness and saving time I’m PASTING my ENTIRE 2024 Reflection… see my train of thought in action below (if you want to):
I seem to have lost all sense of materialism.
There is nothing I truly “desire” to buy anymore.
Nothing I’m ‘filling a gap’ with in my heart with things anymore
ALL controlled substances have effectively been eliminated.
A season of peace & solitude has begun.
A season of REFLECTION.
A season of CONQUEST.
To Begin With the End In MIND:
Study ALL Advertising
Streamline Client Acquisition — Ecom Niche
Grow Personal Brand (Online & Offline)
REFLECT + Slay Dragons
Effectively my goal of becoming the #1 Advertiser of All Time in Gross Revenue Generated Comes to:
Studying EVERYTHING (the end is ALREADY Set)
APPLYING it (in client work)
Focusing on MY STRENGTH — The Written Word.
Outsourcing: video editing & graphic design work to others
Additionally, a focus has been placed on my internal state of being:
Reality Control
Faith & Spirituality
Reflection
CORE (& Replacing It)
Shadow Work
Slaying Dragons (+ Searching for eggs they might have left behind)
Remember, I have the answers and the means to attain it.
=> Ask the RIGHT QUESTIONS
What do ecom owners want but not yet know how to get?
AI chatbots/automations
Consistent revenue
Organic growth
LTV / Repeat Customers
SALES + SCALE
What can I show/prove to them that “I’m their guy” even before they show up to a call?
Some sort of digital presence (ALL in on TWITTER GROWTH)
Some DAILY NEWSLETTER (Substack)
What can I SAY to them to intrigue them enough to get on a call with me?
Free Trial
Past Result (With IMG proof)
Entire process or no process (give it a unique “IP” name and roll with it)
How can I get their attention?
Softwares they use (potentially ‘following’ them)
Think of NEW Merchant software (that would replace Shopify/Woocommerce — Wix, … etc)
FB Groups? — Again, specific SOFTWARES
FUNNEL Software — FB GROUPS/Users
ClickFunnels, Magnetic Marketing, ETC
Skool Communities — *new*
Other agency owners — job boards, FB friends, Skool communities, Twitter Profiles, etc. (JV PARTNERSHIP)
Classic COLD EMAIL
FB ADS — NEW Business Est. within 24 months (settings)
WHO do I want to work with?
Ecom Brand
Selling Utility Products (common household stuff) BUT
High Ticket — $100+ (ACV)
Speciality/Community Products? (E.g. Fishing Equipment)
*At the end of the day, I INTEND to master advertising and have somewhere I can put it to good use and practice.
Cold EMAIL Outreach — MyLeadFox + Ligna
Twitter Growth + DM
Daily Newsletter
= GOAL #1: High Ticket Client Acquisition (Digital Perpetuity)
Reflect (Shadow Work + Slaying Dragons)
Walk
Workout + supplements
Esoteric reading / Heremeticism
Reality Control
Spirituality
NLP
Mentalism
= GOAL #2: SELF-Mastery (Harmony)
Poetry
ALL Advertising (books & Courses)
Storytelling
= GOAL #3: Advanced Persuasion (bypass free will)
STUDY (Courses):
*Phoneless Sales Machine
*Cash Creator
*Magnetic Story Selling
NOTE: Goals are in order of priority, START with client acquisition. Don’t move to #2 until 1 is streamlined. +advertising knowledge
There you go.
Ask Questions + Reflect
Do it every night. Every day. Whenever. Wherever Do it often. Open your Notes app. Open a Google Doc. Open a notebook…
LAST BUT NOT LEAST: buy a legal pad (they’re awesome — trust me)
And the palace of your dream life will be built, brick by brick according to blueprint.
This was a long read.
I don’t care if anyone read it truthfully.
i’m glad I wrote it.
But if it helped you and you gained some insight from it shoot me a reply or email Shakoor@ShakoorStrategy.com
Be mindful of EVERY SINGLE ACTION you take.
Shakoor