The moment I stopped measuring backwards

Hey there!

Lately my intuition is practically shouting at me to lean harder into YouTube. And I'm listening.

So here is a short recap if you missed it:

The first video is about NotebookLM, which I genuinely think is one of the most underrated AI tools out there. It's completely free, but compared to the ChatGPT, Claude and other LLM’s , it's still flying under the radar.

What makes it special is that you're in complete control of your sources. Upload your YouTube videos, PDFs, articles—whatever—and it becomes an expert on your content without hallucinating random facts from the internet.

I walked through how you can use it to generate YouTube descriptions from your own videos, create mind maps for visual learners (seriously, if you're in education or coaching, this is gold), turn multiple sources into digital product outlines, and even generate lead magnet quizzes based on your existing content.

The second video tackled something completely different: Google's new Veo 3 video generation AI that's now available in Canva Pro. Veo 3 has been taking the world by storm - this model can create mini-movies with synchronized audio—something that used to require entire production teams.

Here's the thing though: my first attempt was... let's just say "not great." But after using ChatGPT's research feature to analyze best practices for prompting Veo 3, I created a framework that made the results so much better.

Why I'm All-In on YouTube Right Now

But here's what I really want to share: this focus on YouTube means other things are moving slower.

The AI Solopreneur Club membership is still in the works (and I promise it's going to be worth the wait).

Some newsletters might take longer.

Some ideas sit in my notes app for weeks.

And I'm learning to be okay with that.

Because following this creative pull feels like something that I want to honor deeply, in a way that forcing myself to stick to a timeline never did.

2 books that have shifted how I see things

This week, I made time to read the two books that completely rewired how I think about progress: 10x is Easier Than 2x and The Gap and The Gain - both by Dan Sullivan & Dr. Benjamin Hardy.

And I have realized that I'd been stuck in what they call "the gap"—constantly measuring where I am against where I think I should be.

Focusing on what's missing, what's not working fast enough, what I haven't figured out yet.

But when you shift to "the gain"—measuring backward from where you started instead of forward toward some imaginary finish line—everything changes.

Suddenly, I could see that by showing up consistently, gaining more confidence on camera, working on the messaging and deepening the connection with you amazing humans - I have come so far!

But I subconsciously have been dismissing because I am still far away from my “ideal“ picture.

I highly recommend reading both books—they're genuinely transformative.

As with everything though, It's one thing to read a book and feel inspired.

It's another thing entirely to actually apply the frameworks to your real life, right?

Prompt of the week

If you want to shift from "gap" thinking to "gain" thinking while identifying your 10x opportunity, here's a prompt for you:

I want to apply "The Gap and The Gain" thinking along with "10x is easier than 2x" principles to my current situation. Help me shift my perspective and identify my next breakthrough.

Current situation: [Describe where you are now in your business/career/project]

Where I think I "should" be: [Describe your expectations or what feels like you're behind on]

What I've been focusing on that's missing: [List your current frustrations or gaps]

Please help me:

Identify my gains: What progress have I actually made from where I started? Help me see the wins I might be dismissing.

Reframe my gaps: Which of my "problems" might actually be signs I'm on the right track or growing?

Find my 10x opportunity: Instead of trying to improve everything by 2x, what's the one area where I could focus for 10x impact?

Design from my future self: If I were already where I want to be, what would I stop doing? What would I start doing?

Create a "good enough" threshold: What's the minimum viable version of my current goals that would free up energy for my 10x focus?

Be specific and actionable. I want clarity on where to focus and renewed confidence in my progress.

What's Coming

The AI Solopreneur Club is still work-in-progress —stay tuned, as I am actively getting myself out of perfectionist mode while working on it.

Mostly, I find myself following my gut and honoring this creative energy wherever it leads these days.

Some weeks that means deep-dive tutorials on the AI tools I am playing with. Other weeks it might mean hands-on working on my membership. Some days, following the advice from these books - are just for recharging my energy, exploration and observation.

What I know for sure is that this journey feels good in the truest sense—not just following the plan, but creating myself as I go.

If' you’ve read so far, I would love to hear what you think - I always appreciate the feedback.

Until next week,

Your AI Solopreneur Bestie, Elena

P.S. If this resonated, feel free to share it with someone who might need the reminder that progress doesn't always look like what we think it should.