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.
Media is too big
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Most people have no idea their environment is literally sabotaging their mental performance
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
One million dollars. It’s a number that sounds almost fictional when you’re starting out as a solo entrepreneur. But it’s actually just math.
If we’re talking from a business perspective, the key understanding is simple – you need to sell products worth one million dollars in total. That’s it. The interesting part is figuring out how to break down that number into something achievable for a One Person Business.
You could sell one product for $1,000,000. Or you could sell a $10 product 100,000 times. Maybe a $100 product 10,000 times. Perhaps a $1,000 product 1,000 times. The mathematical possibilities are actually quite straightforward when you lay them out like this.
But there’s a catch that most solopreneurs miss: only about 3.6% of one-person businesses ever reach $1 million in annual revenue, according to recent U.S. Census data. That’s roughly 1 in 28 solo entrepreneurs who make it to seven figures. The average is just $47,800 per year.
So what separates that elite 3.6% from everyone else? It’s understanding which pricing strategy fits your current situation and expertise level – and then building a repeatable system around it.
The internet has made reaching thousands of customers theoretically possible for anyone with a laptop. Yet most people get stuck because they never figure out the pricing-volume equation that works for their specific business. Should you go after a few high-paying clients or chase thousands of small transactions?
I’m currently mapping out my own path to that first million, and I want to share what I’m learning along the way. Because here’s the thing – real people are doing this, and the numbers are actually growing fast. In 2022, there were 116,803 one-person businesses in the U.S. earning over $1 million. That’s more than double the 57,222 from just the year before.
So how do you join that group? Let’s break down the actual math and strategies that work.
If we’re talking from a business perspective, the key understanding is simple – you need to sell products worth one million dollars in total. That’s it. The interesting part is figuring out how to break down that number into something achievable for a One Person Business.
You could sell one product for $1,000,000. Or you could sell a $10 product 100,000 times. Maybe a $100 product 10,000 times. Perhaps a $1,000 product 1,000 times. The mathematical possibilities are actually quite straightforward when you lay them out like this.
But there’s a catch that most solopreneurs miss: only about 3.6% of one-person businesses ever reach $1 million in annual revenue, according to recent U.S. Census data. That’s roughly 1 in 28 solo entrepreneurs who make it to seven figures. The average is just $47,800 per year.
So what separates that elite 3.6% from everyone else? It’s understanding which pricing strategy fits your current situation and expertise level – and then building a repeatable system around it.
The internet has made reaching thousands of customers theoretically possible for anyone with a laptop. Yet most people get stuck because they never figure out the pricing-volume equation that works for their specific business. Should you go after a few high-paying clients or chase thousands of small transactions?
I’m currently mapping out my own path to that first million, and I want to share what I’m learning along the way. Because here’s the thing – real people are doing this, and the numbers are actually growing fast. In 2022, there were 116,803 one-person businesses in the U.S. earning over $1 million. That’s more than double the 57,222 from just the year before.
So how do you join that group? Let’s break down the actual math and strategies that work.
I cooked a couple more bangers, but they worked for LinkedIn and for Threads.
Still, none of that works on X for some reason.
At this point, I really think it's so random. And all these "proven templates" and tactics are nothing more than a beautiful religion.
Still, none of that works on X for some reason.
At this point, I really think it's so random. And all these "proven templates" and tactics are nothing more than a beautiful religion.
🔥1
Most solo entrepreneurs never crack $50K a year.
But 1 in 28 hit $1M+ (3.6% according to stats).
Those who hit the number understand one simple equation:
---
The math to $1M is simple.
You can sell:
- 1 product at $1M
- 10 products at 100K
- 100 products at $10K
- 1,000 at $1K
- 10,000 at $100
- 100,000 at $10
Same destination.
Different roads.
---
Most people start backwards.
They try selling $5K offers with zero proof.
One bad customer leaves a review and your business is dead.
94% of people avoid brands with negative reviews.
---
The smarter play is to start low and climb the ladder.
Sell a $10 product packed with $100 of value.
People buy it, love it, share it.
You get reviews without risk.
You test your positioning.
You build confidence.
---
Real example: DesignJoy.
One person with no employees.
Charges $3-5K per month for unlimited design work.
20-30 clients at any time.
$1.2M per year revenue.
---
The path I find most realistic: the $100 product sold 10,000 times.
Sounds massive until you remember there are 5.6 billion (!) people online.
10,000 is a rounding error in internet scale.
---
But let's be honest - execution is brutal.
Yes, billions of people exist online.
But getting 10,000 to find you, trust you, and pay you requires the real work.
But, Carrd did it: one person business, 800K users, $1.5M per year.
---
The evolutionary approach that actually works:
1. Launch $10-50 product
2. Get feedback, improve it
3. Raise price or create premium version
4. Build high-ticket offer for engaged customers
Each step builds credibility and revenue.
---
Here's your signal: if your conversion rate is way higher than expected, your value exceeds your price.
So raise it guilt free.
You'll sell less but earn more per sale.
Better for a one-person operation - less support, more time to build.
---
Whether you niche down tight or go multidomain - both work.
What matters: solve one problem really well for one type of person.
You don't need to go viral.
You need to be really, really good at helping specific people.
---
$1M still sounds like fantasy to me while writing this.
But the math is real, and the examples are real.
116,803 solopreneurs did it in 2022.
The equation is simple.
The execution is everything.
---
Here's the full version of my rambling on the topic: https://anticodeguy.substack.com/p/how-to-earn-my-first-million-dollars?r=1m5hbt
But 1 in 28 hit $1M+ (3.6% according to stats).
Those who hit the number understand one simple equation:
---
The math to $1M is simple.
You can sell:
- 1 product at $1M
- 10 products at 100K
- 100 products at $10K
- 1,000 at $1K
- 10,000 at $100
- 100,000 at $10
Same destination.
Different roads.
---
Most people start backwards.
They try selling $5K offers with zero proof.
One bad customer leaves a review and your business is dead.
94% of people avoid brands with negative reviews.
---
The smarter play is to start low and climb the ladder.
Sell a $10 product packed with $100 of value.
People buy it, love it, share it.
You get reviews without risk.
You test your positioning.
You build confidence.
---
Real example: DesignJoy.
One person with no employees.
Charges $3-5K per month for unlimited design work.
20-30 clients at any time.
$1.2M per year revenue.
---
The path I find most realistic: the $100 product sold 10,000 times.
Sounds massive until you remember there are 5.6 billion (!) people online.
10,000 is a rounding error in internet scale.
---
But let's be honest - execution is brutal.
Yes, billions of people exist online.
But getting 10,000 to find you, trust you, and pay you requires the real work.
But, Carrd did it: one person business, 800K users, $1.5M per year.
---
The evolutionary approach that actually works:
1. Launch $10-50 product
2. Get feedback, improve it
3. Raise price or create premium version
4. Build high-ticket offer for engaged customers
Each step builds credibility and revenue.
---
Here's your signal: if your conversion rate is way higher than expected, your value exceeds your price.
So raise it guilt free.
You'll sell less but earn more per sale.
Better for a one-person operation - less support, more time to build.
---
Whether you niche down tight or go multidomain - both work.
What matters: solve one problem really well for one type of person.
You don't need to go viral.
You need to be really, really good at helping specific people.
---
$1M still sounds like fantasy to me while writing this.
But the math is real, and the examples are real.
116,803 solopreneurs did it in 2022.
The equation is simple.
The execution is everything.
---
Here's the full version of my rambling on the topic: https://anticodeguy.substack.com/p/how-to-earn-my-first-million-dollars?r=1m5hbt
Substack
How To Earn My First Million Dollars: The Math Behind One Person Business
Discover how to earn your first million as a solopreneur using math-backed One Person Business strategies, pricing models, and growth systems.
🔥1
Media is too big
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Money worries are literally making you stupid – and science proves it
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
🔥1
Business consultant Ken Yarmosh suggests a “hybrid or laddered approach: a low-ticket ‘entry’ offer can feed into a high-ticket ‘premium’ offer.” You’re essentially building trust at a low cost, then giving your customers the option to go deeper with you.
Think of a $10 or $50 product as an entry ticket for both you and your potential clients to get acquainted with the quality of what you deliver. If you pack that inexpensive product with value worth way more than its price tag, you create several opportunities:
- People can leave good reviews without much financial risk
- They’ll share it with others because it over-delivered
- You can test your positioning and messaging
- You gain confidence in what you’re building
Let’s say you sell 100 units of your $10 product and notice the conversion rate is extremely high. That tells you the value exceeds the price. You’ve found product-market fit. At that point, you can raise the price to better match the value you’re delivering, which will naturally lower conversion somewhat but likely increase your overall revenue.
A perfect example of the high-ticket subscription approach working at scale: Brett Williams runs DesignJoy, a one-person graphic design service. He charges clients between $3,000 and $5,000 per month for unlimited design work. With just 20-30 happy clients at any given time, he’s built a $1.2 million per year business. All by himself, with no employees.
The evolutionary method I’m planning to follow: start with a smaller product, gather feedback, improve it, potentially raise the price, then create a more comprehensive version or complementary products. This builds both your product line and your reputation simultaneously.
Think of a $10 or $50 product as an entry ticket for both you and your potential clients to get acquainted with the quality of what you deliver. If you pack that inexpensive product with value worth way more than its price tag, you create several opportunities:
- People can leave good reviews without much financial risk
- They’ll share it with others because it over-delivered
- You can test your positioning and messaging
- You gain confidence in what you’re building
Let’s say you sell 100 units of your $10 product and notice the conversion rate is extremely high. That tells you the value exceeds the price. You’ve found product-market fit. At that point, you can raise the price to better match the value you’re delivering, which will naturally lower conversion somewhat but likely increase your overall revenue.
A perfect example of the high-ticket subscription approach working at scale: Brett Williams runs DesignJoy, a one-person graphic design service. He charges clients between $3,000 and $5,000 per month for unlimited design work. With just 20-30 happy clients at any given time, he’s built a $1.2 million per year business. All by himself, with no employees.
The evolutionary method I’m planning to follow: start with a smaller product, gather feedback, improve it, potentially raise the price, then create a more comprehensive version or complementary products. This builds both your product line and your reputation simultaneously.
Now let’s talk about what I consider the most realistic path for most people building a One Person Business: the $100 product sold 10,000 times.
When you first hear “10,000 customers,” it sounds massive, right? But here’s the perspective shift that changed how I think about this: the internet has over 5.6 billion users. Pick literally any niche, and there are almost certainly more than 10,000 people online who are interested in it and could benefit from a good product in that space.
If you deliver something valuable – let’s say a course that helps someone earn an extra $1,000, and you charge only $100 for it – that’s a reasonable transaction. Why wouldn’t someone invest $100 to gain $1,000 in value or earning potential?
Entrepreneur Pieter Levels (@levelsio), who built several one-person million-dollar businesses, was “shocked” at how feasible the math can be:
When you first hear “10,000 customers,” it sounds massive, right? But here’s the perspective shift that changed how I think about this: the internet has over 5.6 billion users. Pick literally any niche, and there are almost certainly more than 10,000 people online who are interested in it and could benefit from a good product in that space.
If you deliver something valuable – let’s say a course that helps someone earn an extra $1,000, and you charge only $100 for it – that’s a reasonable transaction. Why wouldn’t someone invest $100 to gain $1,000 in value or earning potential?
Entrepreneur Pieter Levels (@levelsio), who built several one-person million-dollar businesses, was “shocked” at how feasible the math can be:
“With a $100 product, you only need 10,000 people for $1 million… you don’t need a lot of customers, just a small niche.”