SOFT LIFE SHORTCUT: Inside the Soft Life Blueprint, this step is supported with done-for-you templates so you're not starting from scratch.

Today's the day. You're going to create your first draft.

And I already know what you're thinking: "But it won't be perfect." "What if people judge it?" "What if it's not good enough?"

Let me tell you the truth that will save you months of procrastination:

YOUR FIRST DRAFT IS SUPPOSED TO SUCK

Every successful digital product creator has a messy first draft.

Mine was terrible. Typos. Awkward phrasing. Incomplete sections.

And you know what? I still launched it. Made sales. Got testimonials. Then improved it.

Here's the secret: Done is better than perfect.

Perfect keeps you stuck. Done gets you paid.

THE 80/20 RULE FOR DIGITAL PRODUCTS

Your product doesn't need to be 100% polished to be valuable.

If it's 80% done, it's good enough to launch.

Think about it: Would you rather have a product that's 100% perfect but takes 6 months to create? Or a product that's 80% great and launches in 3 weeks?

The 80% version makes money. The 100% version stays on your hard drive.

What does 80% look like?

✅ All main sections complete
✅ Clear instructions provided
✅ Core value delivered
✅ Functional and helpful
⚠️ Some typos (you'll fix in editing)
⚠️ Design could be better (you'll refine)
⚠️ A few sections feel rough (you'll polish)

That's enough to launch.

You can improve it after people buy it. In fact, customer feedback will tell you exactly what to improve.

HOW TO CREATE YOUR FIRST DRAFT WITHOUT OVERTHINKING

1. BATCH CREATE CONTENT

Don't write one page, edit it perfectly, then move to the next. That's how you stay stuck.

Instead:

Block 2-4 hours. Turn off your phone. Close all tabs. And CREATE.

Write everything in one sitting.

Don't edit. Don't perfect. Just get it out of your head and onto the page.

You'll be shocked how much you can accomplish in one focused session.

EXAMPLE BATCH CREATION SCHEDULE:

Saturday Morning: 9am-1pm

• 9:00-9:30am: Review outline
• 9:30-11:00am: Write Sections 1-3 (no editing)
• 11:00-11:15am: Break
• 11:15am-12:45pm: Write Sections 4-6 (no editing)
• 12:45-1:00pm: Quick review of what's complete

Result: 6 sections drafted in 4 hours.

If you tried to write and edit simultaneously, you'd finish maybe 2 sections in the same time.

Batch creation is the secret.

2. USE TEMPLATES

You don't have to design from scratch.

Canva has templates for everything:

• Ebook layouts
• Planner pages
• Worksheet designs
• Course slide decks
• Social media graphics

Here's how to use them professionally:

1. Pick a template that matches your vibe (minimalist, bold, colorful, elegant)
2. Customize the colors to match your brand palette
3. Change the fonts to your chosen pair (from Day 14)
4. Replace placeholder text with your content
5. Delete any elements you don't need

That's it. You've just created a professional design in 30 minutes.

Templates aren't cheating. They're smart business.

CANVA TEMPLATE SEARCH EXAMPLES:

• "Ebook template minimalist"
• "Planner pages modern"
• "Workbook template clean"
• "Course presentation professional"

Pick one, customize it, move on.

3. FOCUS ON COMPLETION, NOT PERFECTION

Your goal right now is to finish a complete first draft. Not a perfect one. A complete one.

Fill in all sections from your outline. Even if the writing is rough. Even if you're not sure about some parts. Get it all down.

You'll edit later. Right now, you're just creating.

COMPLETION CHECKLIST:

For an ebook: ✅ Every chapter has content
✅ Introduction written
✅ Conclusion written
✅ All worksheets created
✅ Cover designed

For a course: ✅ Every lesson has script/outline
✅ Welcome video scripted
✅ All worksheets/resources created
✅ Module structure complete

For a planner: ✅ Every page designed
✅ All prompts written
✅ Cover created
✅ Instructions page included

If these boxes are checked, you have a complete first draft.

The quality doesn't matter yet. Completion matters.

4. GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO BE MESSY

Your first draft can have:

✅ Typos (you'll fix them)
✅ Placeholder text like "[Add example here]" (you'll fill it in)
✅ Sections that need expanding (you'll add more)
✅ Awkward phrasing (you'll rewrite)
✅ Repetitive parts (you'll cut them)

That's okay. That's expected. That's NORMAL.

Professional writers don't write perfect first drafts. They write messy first drafts and then they edit.

You're doing the same thing.

FAMOUS FIRST DRAFT QUOTE:

"The first draft is just you telling yourself the story." – Terry Pratchett

The first draft is for YOU. To get the ideas out. To see what you have.

The second draft (editing) is for your READER. To make it clear and polished.

Right now, focus on getting it out.

OVERCOMING PERFECTIONISM

Perfectionism is fear disguised as high standards.

You're not delaying because you want it to be great. You're delaying because you're afraid it won't be good enough.

Here's what I want you to remember:

Your product doesn't have to be the BEST in the world. It just has to be valuable to ONE person.

If your ebook helps one person budget better, it's successful.
If your planner helps one person stay organized, it's successful.
If your course helps one person launch their business, it's successful.

You don't need to change the world. You just need to help one person.

And your messy first draft can do that.

THE MESSY FIRST DRAFT PROCESS

Here's exactly how to do this:

STEP 1: SET UP YOUR WORKSPACE

Physical space:

• Quiet room
• No distractions
• Water/coffee nearby
• Phone on airplane mode

Digital space:

• Close all browser tabs except Google Docs and Canva
• Turn off email notifications
• Put Slack/Teams on "Do Not Disturb"
• Open your outline document

STEP 2: SET A TIMER

Block time: 2-4 hours minimum.

You need uninterrupted focus to get into flow state.

30-minute sessions don't work for creation. You spend 15 minutes getting focused, create for 10 minutes, then lose momentum.

2+ hour blocks create magic.

STEP 3: FOLLOW YOUR OUTLINE

Open your outline from Day 12.

Write or create section-by-section, following the structure you already built.

Don't skip around. Start at the beginning. Finish at the end.

If you get stuck on one section, write "[COME BACK TO THIS]" and keep moving.

Momentum is more important than perfection.

STEP 4: USE THE "VOMIT DRAFT" TECHNIQUE

Just vomit words onto the page.

Don't worry about:

• Grammar
• Spelling
• Flow
• Elegance

Just get the IDEAS out.

Example of a vomit draft:

"In this section Im going to talk about budgeting. So like basically you need to know where your money goes. Track everything for a week. Use an app or spreadsheet whatever works. Then categorize - food, rent, bills, etc. You'll probably be shocked at how much you spend on random stuff. I know I was. Cut the unnecessary things. [add example here] Then make a budget based on reality not what you wish you spent."

Is that polished? No.
Is that usable? YES.

You can clean it up in editing. But you can't edit a blank page.

STEP 5: KEEP GOING UNTIL IT'S DONE

Don't stop to edit. Don't stop to redesign. Don't stop to second-guess.

Just. Keep. Going.

Write until every section has content. Design until every page has a layout.

Then STOP.

Close your laptop. Walk away. You're done with the first draft.

FIRST DRAFT TIMEFRAMES

How long should this take?

Ebook (30-50 pages):
One 4-hour session, or two 2-hour sessions.

Course (10 lessons):
Three 3-hour sessions (one per week for 3 weeks).

Planner (30-60 pages):
Two 3-hour sessions.

Templates/Worksheets:
One 2-hour session.

These are realistic timeframes for a COMPLETE first draft.

Not perfect. Complete.

WHAT IF YOU GET STUCK?

STUCK ON: What to write next

Solution: Look at your outline. What's the next section? Write anything about that topic. Even if it's rough. Even if it's just bullet points.

STUCK ON: How to explain something

Solution: Pretend you're explaining it to a friend over coffee. Write it exactly how you'd say it out loud. Conversational is better than formal anyway.

STUCK ON: A specific section feels hard

Solution: Skip it. Write "[COME BACK TO THIS]" and move to the next section. You can fill it in during editing.

STUCK ON: Self-doubt

Solution: Remember your WHY from Day 2. Remember the person who needs this. Write for THEM, not for the critics in your head.

EXAMPLES OF MESSY FIRST DRAFTS

My First Ebook (2019):

What it looked like:

• Typos on every page
• Inconsistent formatting
• Some sections had placeholder text: "[Add case study]"
• The cover was... not great
• Chapter 3 was half the length of the others

What I did:

• Launched it anyway at $27
• Made 50 sales in the first month ($1,350)
• Got feedback from buyers
• Fixed the typos and added the missing content
• Redesigned the cover
• Raised the price to $37

Result: That "imperfect" ebook has now made over $45,000.

If I had waited for perfection, it would still be sitting on my computer.

Student Example: Sarah's Meal Prep Guide

Her first draft:

• Some recipes didn't have photos
• A few typos
• The design was basic
• Instructions could be clearer

What she did:

• Launched at $27
• Sold 30 copies in 2 weeks
• Asked buyers: "What would make this better?"
• Added photos
• Rewrote unclear sections
• Kept improving based on feedback

Result: Her meal prep guide now makes $3,000-$5,000/month.

THE TRUTH ABOUT "PERFECT" PRODUCTS

Want to know a secret?

There's no such thing as a perfect product.

Every product—even the best-sellers—has:

• Typos customers find
• Sections that could be better
• Things the creator would change if they started over

But perfect products make $0.
Good-enough products make money.

You can improve your product AFTER launch with the revenue it generates and the feedback you get.

But you can't improve what doesn't exist.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT

TODAY'S GOAL: CREATE YOUR COMPLETE FIRST DRAFT

For ebooks/guides:

• Write all chapters/sections
• Create all worksheets
• Design basic cover
• Don't edit—just create

For courses:

• Write all lesson scripts/outlines
• Create all worksheets/resources
• Outline all videos
• Don't record yet—just script

For planners:

• Design all pages
• Write all prompts
• Create cover
• Don't perfect—just complete

TIME BLOCK: 2-4 hours (TODAY or this weekend)

Block it on your calendar right now. Protect this time fiercely.

COMPLETION DEFINITION:

You're done when: ✅ Every section from your outline has content
✅ All main pages/chapters exist
✅ The structure is complete
✅ You can see the full product from start to finish

Quality doesn't matter yet. Completion matters.

TOMORROW

Tomorrow, we're talking about design basics for non-designers.

Even if you "can't design," I'm going to give you 5 simple principles that make any digital product look professional and polished.

But first, you need content to design.

So today: CREATE YOUR MESSY FIRST DRAFT.

Don't overthink it. Don't perfect it. Just get it done.

Your future self—the one making passive income—will thank you.

See you tomorrow for Day 14: Design Basics for Non-Designers.

Lesson Summary

The text provides insights and guidance on the challenges and mistakes commonly made in hiring contractors for businesses:

• Hiring too early or too late
• Not investing in training for contractors
• Delegating tasks before documenting processes
• Hiring friends or family members
• Micromanaging contractors

It emphasizes the importance of calculating the financial benefits of hiring, effective delegation of tasks, and completing a readiness assessment before hiring. Proper onboarding and setting up contractors for success are crucial to save time and boost revenue. The text concludes with a real example illustrating how hiring a Virtual Assistant facilitated business growth and revenue increase.

Focusing on Type 2 Specialist Contractors and Type 3 Service Delivery Contractors, the text discusses when and how to hire such professionals:

• Where to find them
• Associated costs
• Tips on successful onboarding and management

The hiring process is detailed, covering steps like creating job postings, application screening, video interviews, paid trial projects, onboarding, effective communication, expectation setting, feedback provision, providing raises, and handling terminations professionally. Platforms like Onlinejobs.ph, Upwork, Fiverr, and network referrals are suggested for finding contractors.

Guidance is provided for hiring the first contractor, stressing the importance of task delegation for business growth. The Hiring Readiness Formula outlines criteria such as consistent revenue, documented processes, and cost feasibility. It suggests immediate delegation of tasks like data entry and administrative work, while retaining tasks that require personal expertise. The text also covers the three contractor types – general virtual assistants, specialist contractors, and service delivery contractors – and offers tips for finding them through various platforms and referrals. The hiring process is outlined step-by-step, including creating detailed job postings, screening applications, and making informed hiring decisions.

These insights are tailored to help entrepreneurs effectively hire and delegate tasks, empowering them to scale their businesses beyond $10,000 monthly revenue.