i don't feel like writing this

And if you read it, there is a chance it might help you.

Confession:

After two weeks in West Africa… And coming home to two little boys who really missed their dad… I’ve had a hard time getting back in gear.

It doesn’t help that my Oklahoma City Thunder laid an absolute egg in what was supposed to be my night of jubilation.

Ideas aren’t flowing like they usually do. And putting words on the page feels… painful.

There’s never a convenient time for this kind of creative fog.

But a few things matter more to me than you all.

So I knew I needed to write something that was actually helpful, not just something that felt forced.

So what did I do?

I skipped the intro.

I started with the “My Best Finds” section.

Then I bounced around to the other parts of the email that felt easier to write.

Once I got rolling, I picked up steam. And more words led to more momentum, which led to more words.

Before I knew it, I had knocked out most of this email before the boys even woke up.

Here’s what I relearned (again):

You don’t have to write Top to Bottom.

Not sermons. Not emails. Not newsletters. Not novels. Not pitch decks.

You can jump around. Start with what’s easiest, most fun, or most obvious. Write the low-hanging fruit first.

This is one of the core principles in the Very Good Email Playbook.

Because building momentum with small wins often unlocks the hard, creative stuff.

When you try to start with the “main event,” it can create unnecessary friction.

So next time you’re stuck 👇

Don’t start with the headline. Start with the part you actually want to write.

Let that carry you into the rest.

Here are Payton’s Picks for the week. If you find something worth sharing with the rest of the Lab, reply to this email!

🧙‍♂️ Story

Today marks the 50th anniversary of "Jaws," the pop culture phenomenon widely regarded as the first summer blockbuster. 🦈
Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling in LinkedIn Carousel form (LinkedIn)

📧 Email

With the rise of AI, there are 6 trends to watch for happening in the inbox. (LinkedIn)
Meta aims to fully automate ad creation using AI (WSJ)

✝️ Faith

Jason Mitchell, Lead Pastor of LCBC, talks about what you need to do to see a 280% greater spike in first-time visitors returning to your church (YouTube)

👀 ICYMI

Very Good Email Playbook: If you’re tired of writing “meh” emails that get ignored, I’ll show you how to write ones people actually want to read. It’s free, and it’s packed with everything I’ve learned the hard way.
VeryGoodGhost Agency: I handle every aspect of content creation, from research and writing to editing and optimization, so you get scary good results.
Reply to Book a Free Call: Want to chat about your story, email strategy, or how to do this whole thing without losing your soul? Reply to this email, tell me what you’re working on, and I’ll send over a calendar link.