Solve Your Problem, Then Share the Solution

Over the past eleven months or so of writing this newsletter every single week, I’ve started to notice certain patterns.

One of them is this: people don’t just want to learn how to solve problems - they want to learn how you solved your problem.

You’ve probably experienced this before. Someone tells you they lost 45 pounds, and what’s the first thing out of your mouth?
“How’d you do it?”

We all know the basics - eat better, move more. But what we really want to know is their version. The process they followed. The specific habits, choices, or turning points that made it finally click.

Because that’s what we relate to. We see ourselves in someone else’s journey.

And that’s probably the single biggest advantage humans still have over AI right now.
AI can tell you how to solve a problem.
But you can tell someone how you solved it.

That’s the difference between theory and lived experience. Between information and transformation.

Your Lived Experience Is the Real Gold

Here’s what I’ve realized: most people are sitting on a goldmine of solutions they’ve already discovered - but they don’t think they’re worth sharing.

Maybe you finally figured out how to manage your time after work to make room for a side project.
Maybe you found a way to land your first client without any experience.
Maybe you built the courage to post your first video online.

Whatever it is, someone out there is struggling with that exact problem - and your real, lived solution could change their trajectory.

It doesn’t have to be perfect, polished, or profound.
It just has to be real.

My Own Example: Solving My Content Problem

When I first decided to start building my personal brand, I thought it would be easy. After all, I’d spent years posting for my band - music videos, live clips, holiday messages. That felt natural.

But posting from my personal account? That was a whole different story.
What do I write about?
Will I sound self-promotional?
Will anyone care?
And how in the world do I find time to create content while working full-time, being a husband, and raising a baby?

For a long time, I let those questions keep me stuck.

But eventually, I made a commitment: I was going to figure it out.

Through trial, error, and a lot of reflection, I built a system that now powers all of my content - and it’s changed everything about how I create and share consistently.

Here’s what that looks like:

1. Capture ideas daily. Every time I have a thought, story, or lesson - whether on a run, heading to or from the office, during a meeting, or taking my son for a walk - I jot it down in my notes app. No filtering. Just capture.

2. Develop one idea per week. Each week, I take one of those captured ideas and expand it into that week’s newsletter.

3. Turn the newsletter into a video script. I record that week’s topic as a YouTube video, using the same story and message in a visual format.

4. Clip it for short-form content. I take the YouTube video and clip it into vertical Reels to share across all my social platforms.

5. Repurpose key themes visually. I extract key quotes, ideas, or lessons and turn them into infographics, carousels, or simple visuals.

6. Use the same themes for photo captions. When sharing personal or professional photos, I use those same ideas as captions or short reflections to keep my message consistent.

Then I repeat this process every week.

This system gives me structure and momentum. Each piece of content feeds the next - one idea becomes a newsletter, a video, a short, a carousel, and a post. I’m no longer starting from scratch each time. I’m simply building on what I’ve already created.

That’s my system - my solution to a problem I used to struggle with.
And now it’s something I can share to help others who are in that same place I once was.

Why Sharing Matters

When you share how you solved your problem, two things happen:

1. You build trust. People connect with authenticity. When you share what you’ve done, it shows that you’ve been there, done the work, and learned from experience - not just theory.

2. You create impact. The solution that changed your life might be the one thing someone else needs to finally break through.

3. You gain clarity. Teaching something forces you to understand it more deeply. It helps you articulate your process, refine it, and even improve it.

The moment you start sharing your solutions, you stop being “just another person online” - and start becoming a guide, a teacher, a resource.

That’s how thought leadership begins.
Not from having all the answers, but from being willing to share the ones you do have.

Key Takeaways

Here are a few ways you can apply this idea starting today:

1. Identify a problem you’ve solved.
   Think of something that used to frustrate you - in business, health, relationships, mindset, or daily routines - that you’ve now figured out.

2. Break down how you solved it.
   Outline the real steps you took. Be honest about what didn’t work along the way. The specifics are what make your story powerful.

3. Package it simply.
   You don’t need to build a course or write a book. Start small. Turn your solution into a post, a short video, a tweet thread, or even a conversation.

4. Test and refine.
   See what resonates. If people start asking questions or sharing their experiences, you’ll know you’ve hit on something valuable.

5. Build from there.
   Once you’ve shared one solution, share another. Over time, you’ll naturally create a body of work centered around what you actually know and live.

Your “problems solved” list is the foundation of your personal brand. It’s your credibility, your connection, and your contribution - all rolled into one.

Final Note

Everyone’s looking for the next big idea.
But maybe the most powerful ideas are the ones you’ve already lived.

The solutions you’ve earned through effort, persistence, and reflection - those are the ones worth sharing.

Solve your problem. Then share the solution.
Because someone out there is still struggling with the version of the problem you’ve already overcome - and they’re waiting for someone like you to show them the way.

If this resonated with you, share it with someone who might need the reminder that their story - and their solutions - matter more than they realize.

Until next time,
Elliot