Most creators focus on health and wealth content.
They're missing the 3 pillars that actually build unshakeable loyalty.
Here's what nobody teaches:
---
Relationships might be the most powerful human motivator of all.
Psychologists found the need to belong is fundamental - we're literally wired for this at a biological level.
Being cast out once meant death.
---
Think about kids in school.
They're not worried about health or wealth.
They're terrified of being an outcast.
Of not fitting in.
Of eating lunch alone.
That anxiety never really goes away.
---
As adults, we still fear social rejection.
We just got better at hiding it.
We still want acceptance from colleagues.
We still want romantic partners who choose us.
We still want friends who genuinely care.
The playground just turned into LinkedIn, and social media.
---
The indirect approach is where most personal brand builders miss entirely:
Don't just create content about relationships.
Create actual relationships through your content.
---
Smart creators build spaces where audiences connect with each other:
- Private groups
- Discord servers
- Live Q&As
- Meetups
When you do this, people come back for the community - not just your posts.
That's when followers become a tribe.
---
Now let's talk about Happiness.
Aristotle wrote 2,300 years ago:
"Happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence."
Everything we do aims at increasing happiness or avoiding suffering.
---
The self-help industry is worth billions.
What are they all selling?
Happiness in various forms.
Lifestyle influencers, travel vloggers, motivational speakers - all selling joy, fulfillment, positive emotion.
---
Coca-Cola launched "Open Happiness" in 2009.
Right in the middle of the global recession.
Economy collapsing, people losing jobs and homes.
They offered an emotional refuge - a moment of happiness in difficult times.
---
Research shows positive content gets shared more than negative content.
People want to spread joy.
They want to make others feel good.
Content that delivers positive emotion has built-in virality potential.
---
But here's the trap:
People who chase happiness directly - who pressure themselves to be happy all the time - end up more prone to disappointment and depression.
The harder you chase happiness as a direct goal, the more elusive it becomes.
---
Better approach:
Frame happiness as a journey, not a destination.
Focus on finding meaning, building resilience, appreciating small daily joys.
Real life includes setbacks and struggle.
That's not a bug, it's a feature.
---
I covered these human needs in the new article, read it here: https://anticodeguy.substack.com/p/the-5-human-needs-that-make-your-e9d?r=1m5hbt
They're missing the 3 pillars that actually build unshakeable loyalty.
Here's what nobody teaches:
---
Relationships might be the most powerful human motivator of all.
Psychologists found the need to belong is fundamental - we're literally wired for this at a biological level.
Being cast out once meant death.
---
Think about kids in school.
They're not worried about health or wealth.
They're terrified of being an outcast.
Of not fitting in.
Of eating lunch alone.
That anxiety never really goes away.
---
As adults, we still fear social rejection.
We just got better at hiding it.
We still want acceptance from colleagues.
We still want romantic partners who choose us.
We still want friends who genuinely care.
The playground just turned into LinkedIn, and social media.
---
The indirect approach is where most personal brand builders miss entirely:
Don't just create content about relationships.
Create actual relationships through your content.
---
Smart creators build spaces where audiences connect with each other:
- Private groups
- Discord servers
- Live Q&As
- Meetups
When you do this, people come back for the community - not just your posts.
That's when followers become a tribe.
---
Now let's talk about Happiness.
Aristotle wrote 2,300 years ago:
"Happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence."
Everything we do aims at increasing happiness or avoiding suffering.
---
The self-help industry is worth billions.
What are they all selling?
Happiness in various forms.
Lifestyle influencers, travel vloggers, motivational speakers - all selling joy, fulfillment, positive emotion.
---
Coca-Cola launched "Open Happiness" in 2009.
Right in the middle of the global recession.
Economy collapsing, people losing jobs and homes.
They offered an emotional refuge - a moment of happiness in difficult times.
---
Research shows positive content gets shared more than negative content.
People want to spread joy.
They want to make others feel good.
Content that delivers positive emotion has built-in virality potential.
---
But here's the trap:
People who chase happiness directly - who pressure themselves to be happy all the time - end up more prone to disappointment and depression.
The harder you chase happiness as a direct goal, the more elusive it becomes.
---
Better approach:
Frame happiness as a journey, not a destination.
Focus on finding meaning, building resilience, appreciating small daily joys.
Real life includes setbacks and struggle.
That's not a bug, it's a feature.
---
I covered these human needs in the new article, read it here: https://anticodeguy.substack.com/p/the-5-human-needs-that-make-your-e9d?r=1m5hbt
Substack
The 5 Human Needs That Make Your Personal Brand Impossible to Ignore [Part 2]: Relationships And Happiness
Discover how needs-based content helps you earn lasting trust by addressing your audience’s core human motivations – turning attention into loyalty.
❤1
Media is too big
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I watched my grandmothers struggle on meager government pensions
Read more about Monetizing Your One-Person Business: From Audience to Income
Watch more videos like that on my YouTube @anticodeguy
Read more about Monetizing Your One-Person Business: From Audience to Income
Watch more videos like that on my YouTube @anticodeguy
Happiness: The Universal Goal Nobody Knows How to Sell
Over 2,300 years ago, Aristotle wrote:
A couple thousand years later, the philosopher Blaise Pascal echoed the same sentiment:
That’s a dark way to make the point, but Pascal’s right. Whether consciously or unconsciously, whether directly or indirectly, virtually everything we do is aimed at either increasing happiness or avoiding suffering. We eat food we enjoy, we seek comfortable shelter, we pursue careers that (hopefully) provide satisfaction. we build relationships that bring joy, we avoid pain and pursue pleasure.
Happiness is the universal human goal. It’s what we’re all chasing in one form or another.
Modern psychology backs this up. Survey after survey shows that when people are asked about their priorities and values, happiness or life satisfaction consistently ranks at the top. The entire field of positive psychology exists specifically to study well-being. There’s even a World Happiness Report that treats national happiness as a key measure of progress.
But here’s where it gets complicated for content strategy: happiness isn’t really a “pillar” in the same way Health and Wealth are. You can take direct action to improve your health. You can take specific steps to increase your wealth. But happiness is more like an outcome – a state that emerges when other needs are met and other conditions are right.
So when I talk about Happiness as a pillar, I’m really talking about content that addresses personal fulfillment, positive emotion, mental well-being, joy, fun, and self-improvement. It’s the “quality of life” pillar.
Over 2,300 years ago, Aristotle wrote:
“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.”
A couple thousand years later, the philosopher Blaise Pascal echoed the same sentiment:
“All men seek happiness. This is without exception. This is the motive of every action of every man, even of those who hang themselves.”
That’s a dark way to make the point, but Pascal’s right. Whether consciously or unconsciously, whether directly or indirectly, virtually everything we do is aimed at either increasing happiness or avoiding suffering. We eat food we enjoy, we seek comfortable shelter, we pursue careers that (hopefully) provide satisfaction. we build relationships that bring joy, we avoid pain and pursue pleasure.
Happiness is the universal human goal. It’s what we’re all chasing in one form or another.
Modern psychology backs this up. Survey after survey shows that when people are asked about their priorities and values, happiness or life satisfaction consistently ranks at the top. The entire field of positive psychology exists specifically to study well-being. There’s even a World Happiness Report that treats national happiness as a key measure of progress.
But here’s where it gets complicated for content strategy: happiness isn’t really a “pillar” in the same way Health and Wealth are. You can take direct action to improve your health. You can take specific steps to increase your wealth. But happiness is more like an outcome – a state that emerges when other needs are met and other conditions are right.
So when I talk about Happiness as a pillar, I’m really talking about content that addresses personal fulfillment, positive emotion, mental well-being, joy, fun, and self-improvement. It’s the “quality of life” pillar.
Why Happiness Content Is Everywhere
The self-help industry is worth billions of dollars. What are they selling? Ultimately, they’re all selling happiness in various forms.
Gretchen Rubin built an entire platform around “The Happiness Project.” Lifestyle influencers promote gratitude journals, mindfulness practices, and “living your best life.” Travel vloggers showcase joyful experiences in beautiful locations. Motivational speakers sell inspiration and hope.
Even brands that aren’t explicitly about happiness use this pillar constantly. Remember Coca-Cola’s “Open Happiness” campaign? They were associating their product with simple joy and positive moments.
This campaign launched in 2009, right in the middle of the global recession. The economy was collapsing, people were losing jobs and homes, anxiety was everywhere. And Coca-Cola’s response was to offer an “emotional refuge” – a moment of happiness in a difficult time. The ads showed people sharing Cokes, strangers smiling, friends laughing. The message was clear: in the midst of all this darkness, here’s a small, simple pleasure you can still enjoy.
The campaign became a beacon of positivity amidst prevailing gloom, and it worked precisely because it tapped into the Happiness pillar when people needed it most.
This is what makes happiness-focused content so shareable. According to research by Jonah Berger on what makes content go viral, positive emotional content – things that inspire awe, amusement, or inspiration – tends to get shared more than negative content. People want to spread joy. They want to make others feel good. Content that delivers positive emotion has built-in virality potential.
The self-help industry is worth billions of dollars. What are they selling? Ultimately, they’re all selling happiness in various forms.
Gretchen Rubin built an entire platform around “The Happiness Project.” Lifestyle influencers promote gratitude journals, mindfulness practices, and “living your best life.” Travel vloggers showcase joyful experiences in beautiful locations. Motivational speakers sell inspiration and hope.
Even brands that aren’t explicitly about happiness use this pillar constantly. Remember Coca-Cola’s “Open Happiness” campaign? They were associating their product with simple joy and positive moments.
This campaign launched in 2009, right in the middle of the global recession. The economy was collapsing, people were losing jobs and homes, anxiety was everywhere. And Coca-Cola’s response was to offer an “emotional refuge” – a moment of happiness in a difficult time. The ads showed people sharing Cokes, strangers smiling, friends laughing. The message was clear: in the midst of all this darkness, here’s a small, simple pleasure you can still enjoy.
The campaign became a beacon of positivity amidst prevailing gloom, and it worked precisely because it tapped into the Happiness pillar when people needed it most.
This is what makes happiness-focused content so shareable. According to research by Jonah Berger on what makes content go viral, positive emotional content – things that inspire awe, amusement, or inspiration – tends to get shared more than negative content. People want to spread joy. They want to make others feel good. Content that delivers positive emotion has built-in virality potential.
Spirituality: The Pillar That Gives Everything Meaning
When I mention spirituality as a pillar, I can almost hear some of you checking out. “I’m not religious.” “My audience isn’t into that woo-woo stuff.” “I’m building a business, not a spiritual practice.”
I get it. But hear me out, because spirituality in the context of content strategy is much broader than you think.
Yes, over 75% of the global population identifies with an organized religion – Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and so on. Religion is a massive expression of the spirituality pillar. But that’s not the only way this need shows up.
In the context of personal branding, spirituality refers to the human need for meaning, purpose, and connection to something greater than oneself. It’s about answering the big questions:
- Why am I here?
- What matters in life?
- What do I want to contribute?
- What legacy do I want to leave?
Viktor Frankl, the psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor who wrote “Man’s Search for Meaning,” observed that
He argued that beyond basic survival, humans crave meaning – that striving to find purpose in life is the primary motivational force in people.
This is spiritual territory, even if it’s not religious in the traditional sense.
When I mention spirituality as a pillar, I can almost hear some of you checking out. “I’m not religious.” “My audience isn’t into that woo-woo stuff.” “I’m building a business, not a spiritual practice.”
I get it. But hear me out, because spirituality in the context of content strategy is much broader than you think.
Yes, over 75% of the global population identifies with an organized religion – Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and so on. Religion is a massive expression of the spirituality pillar. But that’s not the only way this need shows up.
In the context of personal branding, spirituality refers to the human need for meaning, purpose, and connection to something greater than oneself. It’s about answering the big questions:
- Why am I here?
- What matters in life?
- What do I want to contribute?
- What legacy do I want to leave?
Viktor Frankl, the psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor who wrote “Man’s Search for Meaning,” observed that
“ever more people today have the means to live, but no meaning to live for.”
He argued that beyond basic survival, humans crave meaning – that striving to find purpose in life is the primary motivational force in people.
This is spiritual territory, even if it’s not religious in the traditional sense.
Media is too big
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
Your brain is suffocating under information overload – physical clutter, digital chaos, and mental noise
Read more about Mental Decluttering: How to 10x Your Focus In A World Of Constant Noise
Watch more videos like that on my YouTube @anticodeguy
Read more about Mental Decluttering: How to 10x Your Focus In A World Of Constant Noise
Watch more videos like that on my YouTube @anticodeguy
Most personal brands focus on 4 basic human needs: health, wealth, relationships, and happiness.
They're missing the pillar that gives everything else meaning.
Here's why spirituality is the secret ingredient:
---
Spirituality is the human need for meaning and purpose.
Why am I here?
What matters?
What do I want to contribute?
These questions drive us more than we realize.
---
Viktor Frankl survived the Holocaust and wrote something powerful:
"Ever more people today have the means to live, but no meaning to live for."
Beyond survival, humans crave purpose.
---
Here's what makes this pillar different:
It can hit at any stage of life.
A teenager searching for purpose.
An executive in midlife crisis.
A retiree seeking relevance.
Unlike wealth or health concerns, meaning questions don't wait for the "right time."
---
Even wilder - this pillar can be satisfied when others aren't.
Think about monks who renounce wealth but report deep fulfillment.
Activists who sacrifice comfort for their cause.
Purpose is that powerful.
---
Simon Sinek nailed it: "People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it."
64% of consumers choose or boycott brands based on values and purpose.
When your brand stands for something meaningful, customers start to believe.
---
Let's say you teach people to code.
"Learn to code for a high-paying job" = wealth pillar only.
"Learn to code to build things that solve real problems and improve lives" = wealth + spirituality.
See how adding meaning transforms everything?
---
Even in secular contexts, there's massive demand for spiritual content.
Headspace and Calm own 96% of daily active users in mental wellness apps.
People are hungry for inner peace, presence, connection to something deeper.
That's spirituality without religion.
---
The caution: spirituality is deeply personal and can be divisive.
Go too hard and you'll alienate people.
But here's the flip side - if it's genuinely important to you, you'll attract an audience that aligns with those values.
Smaller but more devoted.
---
Let's recap all the pillars of human needs that you can use a a framework for your content:
- Health
- Wealth
- Relationships
- Happiness
- Spirituality
---
These 5 pillars are the fundamental structure of the market itself.
Health, wealth, relationships, happiness, spirituality - these are the evergreen markets.
They existed 1,000 years ago.
They'll exist 1,000 years from now (unless we become cyborgs).
---
Here's a challenge for you:
Audit your last 10 pieces of content.
Which pillars did each address?
The pillars you're ignoring are your opportunities.
Those are the angles that could differentiate you and attract entirely new audience segments.
---
Try this with your next piece:
Pick a pillar you usually ignore and deliberately weave it in.
In worst case you'll have the same performance as usual.
In the best case you'll discover new creative territory that resonates with people.
Build something that matters.
---
Here's the whole series about The Five Pillars Of Human Needs:
1. Health + wealth
2. Relationships + Happiness
3. Spirituality + Framework
They're missing the pillar that gives everything else meaning.
Here's why spirituality is the secret ingredient:
---
Spirituality is the human need for meaning and purpose.
Why am I here?
What matters?
What do I want to contribute?
These questions drive us more than we realize.
---
Viktor Frankl survived the Holocaust and wrote something powerful:
"Ever more people today have the means to live, but no meaning to live for."
Beyond survival, humans crave purpose.
---
Here's what makes this pillar different:
It can hit at any stage of life.
A teenager searching for purpose.
An executive in midlife crisis.
A retiree seeking relevance.
Unlike wealth or health concerns, meaning questions don't wait for the "right time."
---
Even wilder - this pillar can be satisfied when others aren't.
Think about monks who renounce wealth but report deep fulfillment.
Activists who sacrifice comfort for their cause.
Purpose is that powerful.
---
Simon Sinek nailed it: "People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it."
64% of consumers choose or boycott brands based on values and purpose.
When your brand stands for something meaningful, customers start to believe.
---
Let's say you teach people to code.
"Learn to code for a high-paying job" = wealth pillar only.
"Learn to code to build things that solve real problems and improve lives" = wealth + spirituality.
See how adding meaning transforms everything?
---
Even in secular contexts, there's massive demand for spiritual content.
Headspace and Calm own 96% of daily active users in mental wellness apps.
People are hungry for inner peace, presence, connection to something deeper.
That's spirituality without religion.
---
The caution: spirituality is deeply personal and can be divisive.
Go too hard and you'll alienate people.
But here's the flip side - if it's genuinely important to you, you'll attract an audience that aligns with those values.
Smaller but more devoted.
---
Let's recap all the pillars of human needs that you can use a a framework for your content:
- Health
- Wealth
- Relationships
- Happiness
- Spirituality
---
These 5 pillars are the fundamental structure of the market itself.
Health, wealth, relationships, happiness, spirituality - these are the evergreen markets.
They existed 1,000 years ago.
They'll exist 1,000 years from now (unless we become cyborgs).
---
Here's a challenge for you:
Audit your last 10 pieces of content.
Which pillars did each address?
The pillars you're ignoring are your opportunities.
Those are the angles that could differentiate you and attract entirely new audience segments.
---
Try this with your next piece:
Pick a pillar you usually ignore and deliberately weave it in.
In worst case you'll have the same performance as usual.
In the best case you'll discover new creative territory that resonates with people.
Build something that matters.
---
Here's the whole series about The Five Pillars Of Human Needs:
1. Health + wealth
2. Relationships + Happiness
3. Spirituality + Framework
Substack
The 5 Human Needs That Make Your Personal Brand Impossible to Ignore [Part 3]: Spirituality
Discover how needs-based content builds trust and loyalty by addressing core human motivations – health, wealth, happiness, and meaning.
What the hell is this?!
Several days ago, I started receiving a ton of spam submissions to my form on the website built in @webflow.
The website has been live for more than half a year, but it only started recently.
What changed and how do I deal with it?
Several days ago, I started receiving a ton of spam submissions to my form on the website built in @webflow.
The website has been live for more than half a year, but it only started recently.
What changed and how do I deal with it?
How to Use All 5 Pillars In Your Content
Here’s what I’ve discovered: content that addresses only one pillar is commodity content. Content that addresses multiple pillars simultaneously is unique content.
For example, when you write about the digital nomad lifestyle and travel, writing just about visiting cool places would be single-pillar content at best (maybe happiness – “travel is fun!”). Instead, you can intentionally wove in multiple pillars:
1. Health: talk about how changing your environment can improve mental health. How walking in new cities provides natural exercise. How certain climates might benefit people with specific conditions. How breaking routine reduces stress.
2. Wealth: discuss geographic arbitrage – earning in strong currencies while living in lower cost-of-living countries. New business opportunities that become visible when you’re exposed to different markets. The financial freedom that comes from reducing expenses without sacrificing quality of life.
3. Relationships: share how travel makes you more open and social. How you meet new people constantly. How shared experiences in new places create bonding opportunities. How feeling good about your lifestyle makes you more confident in social situations.
4. Happiness: The core theme is freedom. The freedom to design your life. The freedom to escape routines that don’t serve you. The joy of new experiences and constant learning. The satisfaction of proving to yourself that you’re capable of more than you thought.
5. Spirituality: I framed travel as a path to self-discovery. Finding meaning through exploration. Gaining perspective on what matters. Contributing to local economies. Being part of something bigger than your small corner of the world.
That’s five pillars in one piece of content. And because of that, the content resonate with a much wider range of people than if you’d just written “here are some cool places to visit.”
- Someone primarily motivated by wealth saw the financial benefits.
- Someone craving better health saw the mental and physical wellness angle.
- Someone feeling lonely saw the relationship possibilities.
- Someone searching for meaning saw the spiritual dimension.
Here’s what I’ve discovered: content that addresses only one pillar is commodity content. Content that addresses multiple pillars simultaneously is unique content.
For example, when you write about the digital nomad lifestyle and travel, writing just about visiting cool places would be single-pillar content at best (maybe happiness – “travel is fun!”). Instead, you can intentionally wove in multiple pillars:
1. Health: talk about how changing your environment can improve mental health. How walking in new cities provides natural exercise. How certain climates might benefit people with specific conditions. How breaking routine reduces stress.
2. Wealth: discuss geographic arbitrage – earning in strong currencies while living in lower cost-of-living countries. New business opportunities that become visible when you’re exposed to different markets. The financial freedom that comes from reducing expenses without sacrificing quality of life.
3. Relationships: share how travel makes you more open and social. How you meet new people constantly. How shared experiences in new places create bonding opportunities. How feeling good about your lifestyle makes you more confident in social situations.
4. Happiness: The core theme is freedom. The freedom to design your life. The freedom to escape routines that don’t serve you. The joy of new experiences and constant learning. The satisfaction of proving to yourself that you’re capable of more than you thought.
5. Spirituality: I framed travel as a path to self-discovery. Finding meaning through exploration. Gaining perspective on what matters. Contributing to local economies. Being part of something bigger than your small corner of the world.
That’s five pillars in one piece of content. And because of that, the content resonate with a much wider range of people than if you’d just written “here are some cool places to visit.”
- Someone primarily motivated by wealth saw the financial benefits.
- Someone craving better health saw the mental and physical wellness angle.
- Someone feeling lonely saw the relationship possibilities.
- Someone searching for meaning saw the spiritual dimension.