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How My Forbidden Eminem Obsession Landed a Huge Writing Feature

You likely want to be featured on a website that is #1 in the country, or the world, in your industry.

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Created by Midjourney - Not Eminem

You likely want to be featured on a website that is #1 in the country, or the world, in your industry.

This could catapult your business astronomically through website and social media visits and bring in higher level business transactions. Do you have a plan to make this happen that doesn’t involve cookie cutter outreach and marketing?

Hold on, I’ll get to Eminem in a minute. As a marketing strategist and writer, it’s my job to make this happen. I facilitated getting clients on the biggest sites in their industry such as The NY Times, Newsmax, TechCrunch, and many more. If this is something most companies want, and all have really good information and ideas, how do you cut through the noise and get featured?

Here are two things I do: 

First: Whatever it takes to access the dog-on-the-bone mentally that I will get what I want no matter what. This involves having an obsession with my mission for the client’s goal. In one case, it involved Eminem. I had a client that wanted to be on a way bigger website than they were worthy of. The competition was thick as an overgrown forest, gatekeepers did their jobs really well at not letting any emails reach the ones in charge, and if you did manage to get in, something in the company or information was written up negatively or simply wasn’t considered powerful enough to be written about and was not featured. 

Most important was that the journalists on the site were, well, let’s just say ‘very proud of themselves’ and their power to read, accept and reject queries to be featured, rightly so. You had to construct your outreach in a way that was different from other companies and marketers and even if you succeeded at that piece, differentiating yourself is not always enough.

To be honest, I personally wanted to prove myself as a marketing strategist to add another notch to my professional belt, and wickedly enjoy an impossible challenge. Starting from no way in, and challenging obstacles, I needed to access a part of myself that was in the realm of the forbidden and rebellious, ride or die, I’m not stopping until my mission is complete.

The first step did not involve logic; it was through a different part of the brain. As music utilizes the opposite part of the brain, that was my way in for this monumental project. 

How to access the ride-or-die mindset

As a kid growing up in a NY suburb, I was not allowed to listen to any music other than what was carefully selected by my parents and school. I had no iPhone, internet (Gen X) and our home did not have a TV for the purpose of keeping outside influences away. 

Yet once I was old enough to buy a ‘Walkman’ for cassettes, I discovered it had a radio and it was small enough to keep hidden. The world of forbidden, punishable music opened up to me at the tail end of my teen years. Madonna, Michael Jackson and all the other artists of my generation were always in my ear, despite the fear of being caught. 

Here’s where Eminem comes in. For this project of landing a journalist to write about a mediocre-deserving client on a worldwide top website, I knew this was my moment, my one chance, my opportunity to level up my concierge strategies.

To steal my mind, I listened to Eminem’s brilliant and motivating words in ‘Lose Yourself’ on repeat all day and night for three months, creating a driven and laser focus on my project

“You better lose yourself in the music, the moment, you own it, you only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow this opportunity comes once in a lifetime.”

The second step

This involved intense logic. I studied the information from the client, and read the content by the top 3 journalists on the site we were aiming to be featured on. I followed the journalists on all their social media and read every post they wrote, and every comment they wrote on other posts. I did this for three months and having a Master’s degree in Psychology, I was able to understand their personalities, and witnessed events in their lives they shared virtually. 

I formed a plan that began with reading and commenting on their posts, sharing their posts and getting on their radar. I connected through carefully selected social media platforms or email, and spent time deciding what to say. 

Eminem kept me company in the background, egging me on with music my parents and community would likely have disowned me for. 

“You only get one shot.”

I found my way in through these two strategies and a stroke of luck that came unexpected in my efforts. When your mind is strong and you do the work, you are opening yourself up to synchronicities. I achieved my goal of getting the client featured in a powerful, positive, article that launched them stratospherically. 

Use anything you need to first get your mindset to the place of self-belief, determination, and obsession. Focus on how the goal you are working towards will change YOUR life, and the life of your company or client. Think as if you only get one shot, one attempt at this goal. Music, working out, researching, running, imagining a pot of gold at the end of the track, select whatever outlandish idea works to motivate you at a laser focused level.

Next, comb through information until you get to know the people you need to assist you, feature you, or introduce you. Craft your request or message to them from a place of strategic analysis and laser focus. 

And finally, recognize that there is a great deal of luck that comes into play, but you have to be present and ready. When you see your lucky shot, combined with your logic and steel mind, take it.

Esther Fink is an award-winning copywriter with awards from Oprah Magazine, Proctor & Gamble and others. She has a Masters in Organizational Psychology and combines psychology and writing to go viral.

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Transform your forgotten bio link into a high-impact gateway that fuels engagement, clicks, and conversions across every social platform.

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Personal Development

These 11 Habits Will Make You More Productive, Successful, and Confident

Boost your focus, confidence, and results with 11 powerful habits successful people use every day.

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Successful people love to help beginners. They have an incredible work ethic and rarely complain. As a result, others naturally look up to them and want to follow in their footsteps.

But here’s the truth: there’s no success without sacrifice. You’ll need to give up comfort, excuses, and sometimes even social approval to accomplish your goals.

Value comes from solving problems, and these 11 powerful tips will help you become more productive, successful, and confident, starting today.

1. Take Short Breaks After Finishing a Task

Psychology shows it’s important to reward positive behaviour.

After completing a big task or finishing a book, take five minutes to walk, stretch, or simply breathe. This quick reset helps your brain recharge and strengthens focus.

Many great writers swear by morning walks, solitude, and reflection can unlock creativity.

But if you refuse to take breaks, don’t be surprised when burnout hits. Your brain needs recovery time just as much as your body does.

2. Schedule Your Most Important Tasks First

Multitasking kills productivity. If you want to get more done, try time blocking, a method where you dedicate set periods for specific tasks.

Productivity expert Caitlin Hughes explains, “Time blocking involves scheduling blocks of time for your tasks throughout the day.”

For example, if you’re a writer:

  • Research your topic at night.

  • Write your first draft in the morning (don’t worry if it’s rough).

  • Edit in the afternoon, great writing comes from rewriting.

You can’t buy more time. Use it intentionally and without regret.

3. Eliminate Distractions from Your Workspace

Focus is the foundation of success.

According to Inc. Magazine, it takes an average of 23 minutes to recover from a distraction. That’s nearly half an hour of lost productivity every time you check your phone.

Put your phone away. Close unnecessary tabs. And yes, limit your Netflix binges.

Meeting deadlines consistently is one of the fastest ways to stand out and earn respect.

4. Take Full Responsibility for Your Life

Entrepreneur Derek Sivers once said, “Everything is my fault.”

This mindset doesn’t mean self-blame; it means self-ownership. Stop pointing fingers, making excuses, or waiting for others to change.

If your habits (like smoking or drinking too much) hold you back, it’s time to make better choices. Your friends can’t live your dreams for you; only you can.

5. Invest an Hour a Day in Learning New Skills

Knowledge compounds over time.

Whether you read books, take online courses, or practise a craft, consistent learning gives you a competitive edge.

I used to struggle with academic writing, but I improved by studying the work of great authors and applying what I learned.

Your past doesn’t define you; your actions do. Every new skill adds another tool to your arsenal and makes you more unstoppable.

6. Develop a Growth Mindset

Psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck introduced the concept of fixed vs. growth mindset.

  • A fixed mindset believes success is based on natural talent.

  • A growth mindset believes success comes from effort and learning.

Choose the growth mindset. Embrace challenges. See failures as feedback. In today’s fast-moving digital world, adaptability is your biggest advantage.

7. Learn Marketing to Reach People Who Need You

I once believed marketing was manipulative, until I realised it’s about helping people solve problems.

If your work provides genuine value, marketing is how you let others know it exists. Even Apple spends billions on it.

Don’t be ashamed to promote your skills or business. Without visibility, your ideas will never reach the people who need them most.

Creative professionals who understand marketing and sales have an unfair advantage.

8. Ask Your Mentor the Right Questions

Good mentors can fast-track your growth.

While mentorship often costs money, it’s one of the best investments you can make. Great mentors don’t care about titles; they care about your progress.

If you don’t have access to a mentor yet, books are your silent mentors. Read the best in your field, take notes, and apply what resonates.

9. Build Confidence Through Action, Not Affirmations

Author Ryan Holiday once said, “I don’t believe in myself. I have evidence.”

Confidence doesn’t come from shouting affirmations into the mirror; it comes from proof. Doing hard things, keeping promises to yourself, and following through.

When you consistently take action, your brain gathers evidence that you can handle whatever comes next. That’s real confidence, grounded, earned, and unshakable.

10. Focus on Your Strengths

Your strengths reveal where your greatest impact lies.

If people compliment you on something often, it’s a clue. Lean into it.

A former professor once told me I was creative, and that simple comment gave me the confidence to go all in. I studied creativity, applied it daily, and turned it into my career advantage.

Double down on your strengths. That’s how you build momentum and mastery.

11. Identify and Challenge Your Limiting Beliefs

Your beliefs shape your reality.

For years, I believed I couldn’t be a great writer because of my chronic tinnitus and astigmatism, sensory challenges that made concentration difficult. But over time, I realised those struggles made me more disciplined, observant, and empathetic.

Your limitations can become your greatest motivators if you let them.

Avoid shortcuts. Growth takes time, but it’s always worth it.

Final Thoughts

Becoming productive, successful, and confident isn’t about working harder than everyone else. It’s about working smarter, consistently, and intentionally.

You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. Start small: take a break after your next task, schedule your priorities, or spend one hour learning something new.

Every habit you change compounds into long-term success. Remember, true change comes from practising new behaviours.

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