#293: 12 Ways To Stand Out In 2026

The world is changing faster than ever, and sometimes it feels like the old playbooks just aren't working anymore. In this solo episode, I share 12 opportunities I see for creators in 2026—ideas that range from the practical to the philosophical, from the obvious to the genuinely weird. These aren't predictions. They're possibilities. And you don't need to pursue all of them. But keeping a running list of where opportunity exists can help you find the direction that feels most right for you. Some of these ideas might surprise you. Long-form writing making a comeback? In 2026? But I think there's real evidence for it. Others might feel more intuitive—like the continued importance of community, or the value of live learning as self-paced courses lose their luster. And then there are the weirder ones: effortful art, doing the unscalable, being a "good hang." The through-line? In a world racing toward automation and optimization, the most human things are becoming the most valuable. X's Long-Form Writing Competition Substack jay.blog (Jay's Substack) Jay's Writing on Instagram Good Hang Podcast (Amy Poehler) The Lab Full transcript and show notes *** TIMESTAMPS (00:00) Introduction: Where the opportunities lie in 2026 (01:03) Idea #1: Long-form writing is making a comeback (04:46) Idea #2: Demonstrations and "show don't tell" content (06:37) Idea #3: Verifiable human experiences (why we still watch sports) (08:44) Idea #4: Online community is more important than ever (12:33) Idea #5: Live learning over self-paced courses (15:29) Idea #6: Local media and community building (17:47) Idea #7: AI for normies (niche-specific AI content) (19:41) Idea #8: Effortful art in an AI world (21:54) Idea #9: Being unapologetically yourself (be weirder) (24:29) Idea #10: Doing the unscalable (27:00) Idea #11: Fewer moves, bolder strokes (29:07) Idea #12: Being a good hang (32:03) Recap of all 12 ideas *** RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE → #292: Chenell Basilio — The state of email in 2026, growing your list without social media, and new predictions. *** ASK CREATOR SCIENCE → Submit your question here *** WHEN YOU'RE READY 📬 Creator Science Newsletter 🚀 Get CreatorHQ (creator operating system) 🧪 Join The Lab (private membership community) 🧞‍♂️ Get a Personalized Offer *** CONNECT 🐦 Connect on Twitter 📸 Connect on Instagram 💼 Connect on LinkedIn 📹 Subscribe on YouTube *** SPONSORS 💼 View all sponsors Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices