The one step ahead method might be the smartest content strategy of 2026

This is the strategy that I wish I had used when I first started making content, but honestly I didn't have the balls to do this, but you can do this and you should do this, and I'm going to give you the balls. This is called the one step ahead method, and this is what some of the fastest-growing creators are doing right now. It's what some of my most successful students are doing, and that's what I'm a moron for not doing. When I first started making content, I thought I had to position myself as some kind of expert. I thought nobody would take me seriously unless I acted like some kind of content guru who descended from the mountains carrying the algorithm tablets. But it turns out people don't just want to information, they want evidence, and that's where the one step ahead method comes in. Instead of being above your audience, being like this is what you should do, you're on the same wavelength, but you're just one step ahead. Think about it this way. If you were learning to run for the first time, whose content is going to be more relatable to you? The running coach who teaches people how to run marathons or the person who's documenting their first 5k. That second person is more achievable. They don't threaten your identity. They're showing you what's possible, and that's a very powerful feeling. Then also, when you're one step ahead, you're closer to the beginner fees. When you're an expert, you can suffer from something called the curse of knowledge, and this basically means that you forget what it was like to be a beginner. But when you're one step ahead, you remember the frustrations. All the struggles are fresh in your head, and it's not that you have more information to offer. You just remember more, and that's very valuable to people. Also, when you're one step ahead, you're usually in some kind of story. When you're an expert, and you've got to where you want to be, the story is over, and there's no tension. When you're on a journey, that is something for people to get invested in. It also dismantles any hierarchy, and it's better for creating community, which is incredibly powerful for building something long term that you can actually monetize. So if you were like a fitness creator, instead of being like, "Here's how to build muscle," you could say something like, "I have finally stopped being terrified of the weight section in the gym, and here's how I did it." Or if you're a business creator instead of being like, "Here's how to build a seven-figure business," you say something like, "Here's everything I'm doing this month to try and replace my salary." If you're a parent and creator instead of being like, "Here's the correct approach to bedtime with toddlers," you say something like, "We finally got our toddler to sleep through the night, and here's what we did, so this might work for you." Somebody told me that's not really stuck with me. You don't have to be the person at the top of the mountain. You just need to be far enough up the trail that you can turn back and tell people where the loose rocks are. And if you want to learn more about this strategy and how you can use this for your account, join the content club. That is my course and community for content creators where I've taught thousands of people, like almost 10,000 people, how to grow and monetize. If you would like in, send me a DM and I will give you a discount code.