Hey Reader - Tayla here,
It’s been a little while — so I want to share a quick story, some honest lessons, and what you can expect from me moving forward.
I grew up believing that success came down to working harder than everyone else.
More effort. More hustle. More output.
That belief carried me through school, uni, all the way into my first years of full-time work. It’s part of the reason I started this newsletter in the first place - to share the knowledge and systems I'm so passionate about.
But a lot has changed over the past 9 months. (I won’t bore you with it now, but if you’re curious I’ll be sharing the full story in a new YouTube video soon).
And it’s all led me right back here with two realisations:
Realisation 1: Everything you thought about success… is probably wrong
I now understand the meaning of high performance, and the true purpose of productivity, to an entirely new level.
Working hard, by itself, does not get you what you want.
And being a high performer requires far more than simply being “productive”.
Fourteen months ago, I started a new job.
Since then, I’ve been promoted twice.
Getting that job, earning those promotions, didn’t come from sitting quietly, hustling for hours on end.
They came from something deeper:
- Strategically building my skills
- Improving my communication, competence and mindset
- Learning to manage my energy and focus effectively, and understanding how to generate value by solving the biggest problems
What I learnt the hard way, is that drowning yourself in work and hustle doesn’t maximise your impact.
And it certainly doesn’t build a full, meaningful life.
I tried convincing myself it did.
(Spoiler: it doesn’t).
Realisation 2: The entire world is about to change, but 95% of us aren’t ready for it
I’ll never forget sitting at my desk one night, staring at an impossible to-do list, feeling the mental overload that even years of productivity knowledge couldn’t fix, and realising something just had to change.
The methods we’ve been taught - to-do lists, time blocking, focus hacks - were built for a simpler world.
Ten years ago, they could 10x your results.
But today? Life places more distractions, more demands, more uncertainty on us that ever.
We have big goals, but we’re too busy to chase them.
We understand how important relationships, health and a positive mindset are, but we’re too stressed to prioritise them.
So the past 9 months, I’ve been searching for answers.
Better systems. Better strategies.
A new way to excel in both our careers, and our lives.
And that’s when I started looking seriously at the seismic shift happening with AI.
Done right, the tools we now have at our fingertips don’t just make you 10x more productive.
They make you 100x - and one day, 1000x.
They don’t just save you time.
They give you back your energy. Your creativity. Your mental space.
There’s just one problem…
Everyone is telling you to “use AI, or be replaced”.
But in my months of searching, I have not been able to find a single person sharing how we’re actually supposed to do that, in a way that’s practical, relevant and not completely overwhelming.
Especially for people like us - people with goals, businesses, careers, and lives to build.
Where to next
Since we last spoke, I’ve explored a few different paths behind the scenes - building systems, consulting, testing what works and what doesn’t in the real world.
That season gave me absolute clarity: this is where I belong.
I love teaching.
I love the challenge of turning complex ideas into simple systems and strategies.
I genuinely could not think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than diving into a research hole and coming out with a better way to work (and live).
And I know the next step in this journey is diving into this unknown, intimidating but completely exciting world of AI-powered productivity and truly sustainable high performance.
I feel like I’ve just scratched the surface in my own AI journey, but the systems I’ve implemented have already changed my career, my mental clarity, and my quality of life in ways I couldn’t have imagined.
I know many of you are on similar journeys, with similar goals to me. So I couldn't think of a better way to learn than to bring you along with me.
In saying that, here’s what you can expect moving forward.
This newsletter will have two key formats, rotating on a weekly basis:
Week 1: The AI Edge
Every second Sunday, you'll receive a 'top 3' roundup designed to help you stay ahead:
- The Top 3 AI updates you need to be across (with my takes on what it means for you)
- The Top 3 Resources I've discovered across the past fortnight (designed to help you excel in life and work)
- My Top 3 AI Use Cases sharing how I've actually been using AI on a day-to-day basis (so you can steal it for yourself)
Week 2: AI Productivity Deep Dive
The other weeks? We'll go in depth on one specific tool, system or strategy to help you immediately up your AI game. Think:
- Practical strategies
- Tried and tested systems
- Resources and mindset shifts
All designed to help you work smarter, take back time and energy, and create a life of more impact and more ease.
I'll also be sharing brand new YouTube videos every week - focused on AI-powered productivity systems you can actually use (you can subscribe to my channel here to be reminded when these come out).
I’m not an AI expert.
I’m not here to preach from a mountaintop and claim I have all the answers.
I’m learning and building this alongside you.
And it's for this very reason that I hope I can be the best teacher you could ask for - because I've been through it.
And I'm going to be sharing exactly what I wish I knew just a few months ago.
So if you’re feeling both the pressure and the potential of this AI-powered future…
You’re in the right place.
Thanks for sticking with me. I can’t wait to share what’s coming next.
Tayla
P.S. I'm putting together a short survey to learn more about where you’re at with AI - what you're curious about, what you’re struggling with, and how I can create the most valuable content for you.
If you'd like to share your insights, I'd love to hear from you - please take 60 seconds to answer the survey here.
P.P.S. I’m sending you a free resource to help you start strong using AI smarter every single day. Look out for my next email this Sunday!
Looking for more resources?
You'll find all my Notion templates, courses and other free resources here.
Have feedback or a resource request?
Share it here. (I'm constantly looking for opportunities to serve you better. Your feedback influences my weekly content and free resources so I can give you exactly what you need).
