Why Feeling Broken Can Be a Sign of Mastery (512)
Release Date: 09/08/2025
Knowing When a Chapter Is Ending (Pausing this Podcast)
Content Inc with Joe Pulizzi
How do you know when it’s time to move on, even when nothing looks broken? In this final episode of Content Inc. (for now), Joe reflects on how chapters in our lives and careers often end quietly, without a clear signal. He explores why so many capable people stay in roles that no longer fit, how loyalty can turn into a trap, and why understanding the system and chapter you’re in is critical to knowing what comes next. Joe also shares why he’s choosing to pause the Content Inc. podcast and what he’s thinking about as he enters what he’s calling his “third chapter.” This episode...
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Two Storytelling Lessons from My Grandfather (527)
Content Inc with Joe Pulizzi
In this special year-end episode, Joe revisits one of the earliest Content Inc. podcasts, originally recorded in December 2014. It’s a deeply personal reflection on growing up around his grandfather’s funeral home in Sandusky, Ohio, and the unexpected business and storytelling lessons that came from those years. At the heart of the episode is a simple truth. Great storytelling is not about performance or persuasion. It’s about service, empathy, and meaning. Through one powerful story from the Great Depression and a set of foundational content marketing principles, Joe reminds us why...
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Creators: Time to Say No (526)
Content Inc with Joe Pulizzi
In this episode, Joe digs into a hard truth most creators avoid: we keep doing things we no longer enjoy, not because we have to, but because stopping feels harder than continuing. After a personal conversation with his wife about the commitments and routines they no longer want in their lives, Joe realized something uncomfortable. Most of what fills our calendars is self-chosen… even the stuff we complain about. And the longer we avoid questioning it, the more permanent it becomes. This episode will help you get honest about what no longer fits, and give you a simple framework for letting a...
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Gratitude As Competitive Advantage (525)
Content Inc with Joe Pulizzi
In this episode, Joe shares a personal story about his father, two very different types of people he observed over Thanksgiving, and why gratitude may be one of the most overlooked advantages creators can build right now. Joe explains how a well-known research study divided people into three groups: one that listed things they were grateful for, one that listed their hassles, and one that listed neutral events. The gratitude group ended up healthier, more optimistic, more energetic, and made more progress toward their goals. The complainers did worse across the board. Gratitude, Joe argues, is...
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The Misogi Quarter (524)
Content Inc with Joe Pulizzi
In this episode, Joe breaks down the idea he shared during his MarketingProfs keynote — why creators don’t need another tactic or another tool, but a focused ninety-day challenge that forces clarity, momentum, and real progress. It’s called the Misogi Quarter. Joe explains where the idea came from, why creators desperately need it right now, and the simple system for choosing and completing a Misogi that actually changes your identity as a builder. What Joe Covers in This Episode 1. The MarketingProfs Moment Joe reflects on his recent keynote in Boston — a talk unlike anything he’s...
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Two-Part Belief System for Entrepreneurs (523)
Content Inc with Joe Pulizzi
In this episode, Joe revisits an old article he wrote six years ago about Apple’s Think Different campaign and discovers a deeper lesson hidden inside it. This is not a story about marketing, or even about Apple. It is a story about belief, service, and the system every creator needs to survive long enough to succeed. Joe shares how belief powered Apple’s turnaround in 1997 and how the same kind of belief shows up in the creators and entrepreneurs who persist through uncertainty. But he also explains why belief, on its own, can drift into ego and self-focus if it is not directed toward...
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The Last Creator Moat Is Being Known (522)
Content Inc with Joe Pulizzi
In this episode, Joe digs into what he believes will become the final competitive advantage for creators in the years ahead. As AI accelerates and platforms gain the ability to clone creator voices, styles, and content patterns, many of the moats creators once relied on are disappearing. Technology can now replicate content quality. Algorithms can generate reach. Even personal style and voice can be synthesized. The last remaining moat is being known personally by real people. Joe explains why the strongest creators of the next decade will not be the ones with the biggest follower counts, but...
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Please Don't Do This in 2026 (521)
Content Inc with Joe Pulizzi
In this unscripted, straight-from-the-heart episode, Joe talks directly to creators and entrepreneurs about what really matters heading into 2026. It’s not about doing more... it’s about doing less but with intention. Joe calls this episode “The Creator Reset.” It’s about identifying what you don’t want to do anymore — the habits, platforms, clients, or patterns that drain your energy or pull you off mission. Once you stop doing those things, you can finally see what truly lights you up and what you actually want to build. Then comes the challenge: choose one Misogi goal — a...
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3 Content Strategies Before the AI Window Closes (520)
Content Inc with Joe Pulizzi
In this episode, Joe explores what happens after the “three-year window” closes — when AI begins to produce nearly everything on demand. What does that mean for creators and entrepreneurs? Joe shares three essential moves to stay relevant and build lasting value in the coming Age of Abundance. Key Points: 1. Build a Small Tribe with Purpose Forget chasing scale. The next era belongs to creators who build small, mission-driven communities rooted in shared values and purpose. Machines can copy your voice, but not your meaning. 2. Turn Your Process into the Product When content becomes...
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Three Non-Obvious Moves for Creators Right Now (519)
Content Inc with Joe Pulizzi
Joe Pulizzi goes deeper into his “three-year window” theory and shares three unconventional strategies creators can use to build real connection before AI changes how audiences find and consume content. These moves — collaboration, physical experiences, and shared memory — create the kind of trust algorithms can’t replicate. Key Takeaways: Turn your audience into collaborators. Your audience doesn’t just want to consume — they want to contribute. From small communities to co-created projects, inviting people into the process builds belonging and loyalty that AI can’t imitate....
info_outlineThis week on Content Inc., Joe shares a powerful reminder for every creator: feeling “behind” or “not good enough” is not a weakness. It is often a marker of growth.
Fresh off the afterglow of CEX, Joe reflects on a conversation between Jay Acunzo and Ann Handley about imposter feelings and self-doubt. Even when we are recognized and quoted, we can still feel like we are falling short.
To bring it home, Joe draws inspiration from the legendary golfer Bobby Jones, who once admitted his game felt like it was in “horrible shape” during a stretch when he was dominating every major tournament. The truth? Champions do not measure themselves against others, but against their own potential.
For creators and entrepreneurs, that same gap between perception and reality is where mastery lives. Feeling broken can be the best evidence you are leveling up.
👉 Jay Acunzo’s LinkedIn post: [link]
Bobby Jones Book Recommendation
Key Takeaways:
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Everyone feels behind, even top performers.
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Dissatisfaction can be fuel, not failure.
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Growth often feels uncomfortable, and that is the point.
Thanks for listening, and as always… keep building.
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For more inspiration and a step-by-step guide to building freedom on your own terms, grab Joe’s new book Burn the Playbook (plus a 21-day challenge) at https://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/.
Resources & Links:
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My free guide: [Mastering Goal Setting]
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My new book: [Burn the Playbook]
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Let’s connect: [LinkedIn]
- Subscribe to the Podcast [Content Inc.]