3 Game-Changing Mindsets I Learned from Dan Koe's Writing Bootcamp ($299 USD)

3 mindsets that rewired how I approach audience, content, and creative identity - The best $299 I ever spent

3 Game-Changing Mindsets I Learned from Dan Koe's Writing Bootcamp ($299 USD)

Ever feel that pull to create online – maybe to ditch the 9-to-5, gain financial freedom, or simply spend more quality time with your family instead of waiting for 'someday'? But then the overwhelm hits: you're just faltering and floundering. 🤯 You don't know where to even start, what is your niche, what kind of content you should be crafting to get seen and make an impact, or even which platform to build on. It’s a confusing place to be, and that is how beginners get so overwhelmed that they never start.

I'm Pamela. You might know me for my deep dives into Automating Obsidian (work easier, do less) and Zettelkasten workflows (how to think). I have an idea system, I am familiar with knowledge work. But even with all that, when it came to creating content that connected, I was a complete noob. I was pouring energy into highly technical pieces, getting some followers, but fundamentally missing how to build a real presence. I didn't really know if I was doing well at the number of views that I was getting, if my audience was actually growing, or what I should be doing.

This post is for you if you're an aspiring creator, a knowledge worker, or anyone who wants to get their ideas heard online but feels lost in the 'how.'

We've all heard the advice: "Just make high-quality stuff!" or "Provide value!" And yeah, that's important. But it's only part of the story. Trying to grow like that is like designing an amazing car but forgetting the engine, the marketing, or even how to talk to potential buyers.

My 'rethink everything' moment came via Dan Koe's Writing Bootcamp (Best $299 USD I ever paid).

What the writing bootcamp did for me was that it showed me how creators actually think about things. From how you should test your ideas, the different platforms that they use for that to how they even grow their audience. I didn't realize that commenting on other people's work was for audience growth. I had always been a bit of a lurker and I only really commented if something resonated with me. I had such a strict internal filter that I could go a year without posting a single comment. It was trying this out that really changed everything for me.

Dan and my fellow creators, also gave me insights about this lifestyle. How you live as a creator is not how you live as a consumer. So much more goes into creating content than the effortless take we see on the screen. It is what to do, how to do it, the frameworks, the tools and the mentality. Understanding that it's okay to strategically repurpose your content. What is 'bad' in the creator space, is not really what you would think. E.g. Copyright vs directing your audience to a fellow creator by using a clip from their videos. The course gave me a structured framework to think, adjusted my mindset and pushed me to try things out properly.

I'm sharing 3 game-changing mindsets from that experience that have made the most difference to me.

Let's dive in.

Mindset 1: Your Content Needs Connection (Hello, Active Engagement!)

Bootcamp Insight: "Engaging with other creators (comments, replies, likes) is super important for both building your audience (this is how you are discovered) and understanding how you are doing in your creator journey."

My TLDR Philosophy: Being active in the community isn't just a nice thing to do; it's how people find you, how you get ideas, and how you build a support group.

Engagement takes the form of comments, likes and replying to people. This is the foundation for a sustainable creator lifestyle. This is your idea testground, town crier, and support network.

The Problem This Solves:
Relying solely on publishing your work? Your writing is going to die unseen. This is especially true on places like Substack where there isn't a big algorithm pushing your stuff. If you don't actively engage, you miss out on new readers finding you, you don't get good feedback, and you won't have the support of other writers. This isolates you, leaves you uncertain of how you are doing and stunts your growth. It’s like trying to find your way in a new city without a map or asking anyone for directions – slow, frustrating, and lonely.

My Goal: To make engaging with others a regular, must-do part of my creator routine.

Action Taken:

• A minimum of 15 mins everyday spent replying to substack notes & articles.

• Creator Calls:

My Experience & What I Did:
The bootcamp made me face a basic question: Where does my audience actually come from? How do they even find me? I realized that just posting articles and hoping an algorithm (or, on Substack, no algorithm) would bring readers wasn't going to cut it. I couldn't just hit publish and walk away; I needed to be part of the community, not just watching from the sidelines.

👇 Here’s how I started to think and act differently:

• Getting Seen by Talking to Others: I learned that leaving thoughtful replies on other creators' posts isn't just about being friendly; it's a main way for their audience to find me. Not just scrolling, but leaving genuine, longer replies on posts that resonated with me or sparked an idea. The kind of comments that actually add to the conversation.

  • 😭 I know, cringe At first, the idea of using someone else's post to get noticed felt a bit like using them, maybe even "terrible," like my old lurker self would have thought. But the bootcamp showed me the reality of how things work online: you really do need to engage to grow.

  • 💡 Lightbulb Moment: My replies often got more likes and engagement than my own standalone posts! That's how people were finding me.

• The Community Helps You Grow and Keeps You Going: It wasn't just about getting found. I started to see that really connecting with other writers was key for other things too:

  • Developing and Checking Ideas: Talking to other writers became really important for figuring out what I should be doing.

    • For example, I learned that if you're posting on X or Threads to promote your articles, using a post scheduler is a game-changer. You can batch your work and promote your content over an extended period of time, spacing things out so your audience doesn't get spammed with all the tweets that you made to promote your article

  • Creator Calls (for Support, Reality Checks & Refining Ideas): I committed to weekly calls with another creator. This has been HUGE. We brainstorm, share our wins and struggles, and give each other honest feedback. Group calls, like those with Marc and Anastasia, have also been super productive.

    • ✅ Benefit: So much clarity on my own direction, a ton of inspiration, and some much-needed (sometimes brutally honest!) feedback on things like my hooks. These calls are where you get those reality checks that help you break through blocks, and they're great for hashing out ideas with people who get it.

  • Strategic DMs (for Making Real Connections): I even worked up the courage to DM Michael Dean and Wes Pearce – creators whose work I really admire. The goal wasn't to "get something," but simply to connect with writers I'd love to talk to. This is about building those real friendships with other creators who are on a similar path.

    • 🤯 Surprise Win: And guess what? Michael Dean actually replied AND read an article I wrote analyzing his writing framework! It shows that reaching out genuinely can lead to awesome connections and support. People do reply on substack!

The Payoff:
The good stuff you get from this is much more than just more followers. The real win is building a real network, keeping ideas flowing by talking with others, and feeling like you belong and that people have your back. This way of connecting with others gives you the guidance, friendship, and reality checks you need to make it in this line of work. It makes the whole journey less lonely, easier to stick with, and honestly, more fun. Being an active part of the community is just as important as writing your content.

Mindset 2: Your Content is an Experiment (Test, Don't Assume!)

Bootcamp Insight: "Actively test your ideas rather than just expecting them to work out. You don't actually know what your niche wants... your audience is not the entire market. It's the people who have discovered you."

My TLDR Philosophy: Your assumptions about your audience are probably wrong. Treat content as a hypothesis to be tested, and let the data (engagement, feedback) guide you.

The Problem This Solves:
Pouring hours into content only for it to only get 20% open rates? No one is even clicking in to read? That's the cost of assuming, not testing. We fall in love with our own ideas, perfect them in isolation, and then wonder why no one else is interested. It’s a massive drain on time and energy – a fast track to burnout and wasted effort.

My Goal: To treat content creation like a series of mini-experiments, learning and tweaking quickly based on what the audience actually tells me. Think 📚 Tiny Experiments (Anne Laure le Cunff) on a 12 Week Scale (📚 12 Week Year).

My Experience & What I Did:
This was a really important realization for me. Predicting what the audience wants is impossible without market research. I learned that trying to figure it out in my head, without real data, is dumb. Writing on my ideas alone simply leads to wasted effort. It is crucial to experiment a lot and focus on getting data about your readership.

• What topics are they interested in?

• Why did they follow you?

• What kind of format is going to catch their attention? Do they like pictures? Do they like white space with lists? Emojis?
  It is the realization that you can't provide value if you don't know who you are writing to, because information is only valuable to the right person at the right time for them to receive this.

👇 Here’s my experimental journey:

• The X/Threads Playground: I focused on X, trying out different thread formats like Problem/Solution, Tool Reviews, and Workflow Showcases. I also adjusted my opening lines and added clear calls to action to bring people to my Substack. One post about my content capture system received a promising number of clicks

  • 👀 Observation: At first, I was frustrated because the engagement felt random. I was posting about my journey recovering from burnout alongside my usual tech and note-taking content. Then it became clear to me: the 'no clear pattern' was the pattern. The burnout content, while important to me, wasn't what my emerging audience was there for. They had found me for Zettelkasten and Obsidian deep dives. That realization was painful but very valuable. It told me where to focus.

• The 56-Second YouTube Surprise: Making videos again felt daunting. But I decided to try a super short one – just 56 seconds. It got 360 views! 📈 For the effort involved, this was a huge win and a clear signal: make more short-form video!

• Platform Pivot: After all this experimenting, I realized that while X and Threads were great learning grounds, Substack felt like the right home for my main community. This wasn't a failure for the other platforms; it was a decision based on data and my own intuition.

• Monetization Thoughts: I even "tested" my feelings about how I might monetize down the line. A paid subscription doesn't feel right for me, even if it works out for others. Digital products? That feels more aligned with how I want to offer value.

The Payoff:
Instead of feeling like I'm just publishing content without knowing if it connects with anyone, I'm starting to get a good understanding of what resonates with my specific audience. It’s about finding the right balance between what I want to create and what they want to consume. This iterative, experimental approach is much more efficient and, honestly, more enjoyable.

Mindset 3: The Evolution of a Creator: From Exploration to Strategic Impact

Bootcamp Insight: Approach your content creation strategically. Be a researcher. You cannot skip the exploration phase.

Stage 1, Initial random posting, helps to find your niche. You don't know what that is yet. See how you feel after creating and sharing, and note the responses.

Stage 2, be very strategic. Define your brand: your topics, vision, what change you offer, your solutions, philosophy, and core beliefs. Keep refining this.

My TLDR Philosophy: My goal is to move from posting randomly to intentionally building a clear brand and message that serves a defined audience through distinct phases of growth.

The Problem This Solves:
Feeling like your content is just random noise? Without a strategy, it's hard to be consistent, send a clear message, or really connect with an audience. It's like trying to build a house without any blueprints – you might get some wins, but there's no reliable path to sustainable growth or impact. My early days felt like a digital garage sale of random thoughts. But it is also really important to go through the starting phase and really explore. a bit like learning how to use different carpentry tools before you even try to build a shed.

My Goal: To move from "let's see what sticks" to building a clear brand identity with a defined vision and transformation for my audience.

My Experience & What I Did:
This is definitely an ongoing process, but the bootcamp's phased approach really made sense to me.

👇 Here's how I'm navigating this:

• Phase 1: The Sandbox (Lots of Exploration):

  • Okay, deep breath: I made 1874 posts on X, with 700 in just one month! 🤯🐥 It sounds a bit wild, I know. But this was my "just get moving and build the muscle" phase. I was building the writing habit, getting over the fear of hitting "publish," and learning by doing. Most of it wasn't viral by any means, but the sheer experience was priceless for figuring out what didn't work and what tiny sparks to fan.

• Phase 2: The Blueprint (Strategic Planning & Brand Identity):

  • After all that "random" posting, it became clear I needed to niche down. The data from my X experiments became my guide.

  • ✅ Action Steps I've Taken:

    • Refined my "About Me" page. Current focus: 'Notetaking (Zettelkasten)' + 'Practical AI & Tech Automations' for 'Creators & Knowledge Workers' to provide '1% Easier Workflows'.

    • Rebranded my Substack. New name: "Actionable Notes." New look: logo, watermark. Tagline: "1% Easier." Byline: "Unlock Your Thinking with Zettelkasten, Automate with AI, and Build a 1% Better Creator Workflow."

    • Iterated on my X byline multiple times. (It's harder than it looks!)

    • Developed a "core beliefs" list. This helps shape my AI writing persona (because yes, I use AI, but it needs to sound like me).

    • Defined my visual identity: Clean, minimalistic, black and white with a yellow highlight. The vibe? Like sharing well-organized, helpful study notes. My philosophy here: Iterate and adjust. Just start.

• Phase 3: The Analyst (Researcher Mindset):

  • This means consuming content not just as a fan, but as a student. How do successful creators craft their hooks? What techniques are they using? I’m particularly interested in breaking down how effective communicators structure their arguments.

  • 📚 My "Research" List (constantly evolving!):

    • Dan Koe (X value, how he writes striking tweets, best hook formats)

    • Jon Youshaei (YouTube value-packed channel, big scale)

    • Wes Pearce (Substack articles targetted at creators)

    • MyNameIsDeya (YouTube book reviews + audience = creator)

  • I even did a "Jon Youshaei Brand Establishing Video Hook Dissected" thread on X to analyze what made his hook work so well for retention. I plan to do more of this, maybe even share my analysis of successful YouTuber techniques here.

The Payoff:
Moving towards more strategic creation feels like I'm finally building something with real intention. It's not about limiting creativity, but guiding it. The designing a system where making the right choices (for content, for branding) becomes easier and more natural.

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💡 So, What's the Big Takeaway?

If there's one thing this whole bootcamp experience is teaching me, it's this: being a successful, sustainable creator isn't about stumbling upon a viral hit or magically having all the answers from day one.

It’s about adopting mindsets that allow for growth, learning, and smart adaptation. It's about getting in touch with how other creators do things and redefining the way I work, to be more realistic. It's about adjusting how I think, and judge progress relative to how other creators at my stage are doing.

For me, these three shifts – really embracing active engagement, rigorously testing ideas, and exploring to build with intention – help serves as a reliable internal compass.

It’s still a journey. I’m definitely still figuring things out. With my interest-based focus, I found that conventional 'stick to the plan' advice is actually detrimental. Entrepreneurs often advice 'MVP' and 'pivot quickly', and that has worked very well for me.

I'm having fun as I grow. What about you?

Is there another mindset shift that’s helped your creator journey? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below! 👇

And if you’re interested in more no-fluff insights on building a creator workflow that actually works (for real humans, not hyper-optimized robots 🤖), consider subscribing to Actionable Notes. We’re all about practical insights here.