The Simmonds Signal

Weekly insights for writers, creatives and storytellers to turn art into a fulfilling, sustainable career.

My most humiliating story (that doesn’t turn out the way you think)…

But before we dive in, here’s something you don’t want to miss:

Dakota Robertson, Marcos Ruiz, and I have teamed up to bring you GrowthGhost—the ultimate program to master ghostwriting and turn it into a consistent, full-time income.

If you’re ready to turn your writing skills into a high-paying career, this is the program for you.

Join the waitlist here to find out if it’s a fit for you.

Now back to bonding over my humiliation…

I used to be a college professor.

One day, in class, my students were rating each other from 1-10.

“Josh, you’re a hard 7.”
“Connor, you’re a 5 for sure.”

As I marked their homework, I tried to tune them out.

Until one of them rated me…

“Taylin, I hate to break it to you, but you’re a hard 6.”

I laughed, shook it off, and kept marking.

But truthfully, it cut deep. Because it was true.

I was:

⇢ 30 lbs overweight
⇢ Living with 3 roommates
⇢ Hadn’t had a date in over a year
⇢ Suffocating under a mountain of debt
⇢ Distracting myself from it all with nightly Netflix

I was no 10.
Not even a 7.

Dating this version of me was the polar opposite of what a Disney princess dreamt of.

• Confidence? Couldn’t find it.

• Dinner dates? Couldn’t afford it.

• Yearly vacations? Couldn’t think of it.

The “experience of me” was nothing special.

This was the moment when I realized attention might not be the world’s most valuable currency…

Experiences are.

Experiences that:

⇢ Define your character
⇢ Shape your perspective
⇢ Give you interesting stories to share

Your experiences have the power to transform you from a 3, 4, or 6 into an 8+.

Don’t believe me?

The Experience of You

The major turning point of my life was when Dakota Robertson taught me ghostwriting.

2 and a half years later, I went from:

• $42,000 per year → $500,000 per year

• Not affording travel → Visiting 12 countries

• Doubting my capabilities → Finding true confidence

• Binging Netflix → Doing Ayahuasca in the Peruvian Amazon

• Being a business novice → Being coached by a deca-millionaire

These experiences shaped my character.

They sharpened the “experience of me.”

All because one jacked Twitter influencer placed a bet on me.

I recently asked him:
“Why?”

He said I reminded him of his younger self.

A beaten down, low testosterone dweeb, full of untapped potential.

It turns out that being a “Hard 6” earned me the opportunity of a lifetime.

And a similar opportunity awaits you as well…

Imagine what the ultimate “experience of you” would look like.

If you talked with one of your idols
↳ How would they feel?

If you took your dream girl on a date
↳ How would she feel?

If you were the best version of yourself
↳ How would you feel?

Imagine the fully actualized future version of you.

Living your ideal life.

That is the version of you we are going to create.

And we’re going to do it by making you valuable.

But what does it mean to become valuable?

Value is determined by your ability to solve meaningful problems.

Help women solve their love problems
↳ They will see your value

Help entrepreneurs solve their money problems
↳ They will see your value

Help 6’s solve their confidence problems
↳ They will see your value

To “become valuable,” you need to stack skills—and skills I recommend starting with are the ones that make you more money.

Let’s be real: money isn’t everything… but the experiences it unlocks are far better than the ones you can afford when you’re broke.

So, what money-making skill will you master?

If I had to pick one: ghostwriting. It completely changed my life.

That’s why Dakota Robertson, Marcos Ruiz, and I are teaming up for the next launch of GrowthGhost. We’re building the best program out there to help you make a sustainable living as a ghostwriter.

GrowthGhost is the program that changed my life. So it’s surreal to be able to give back.

Doors open in a few weeks—join the waitlist here for exclusive bonuses (we’ll announce them soon).

Remember: becoming valuable means mastering skills that solve meaningful problems.

In other words… it’s mastering skills that will take you from a 6 to a 10.

-Taylin John Simmonds