On January 9, 2023, I made a quiet deal with myself:

Write every single day on LinkedIn for one year.

No strategy decks. No engagement tricks.

Just write. Share what I know.

Show up.

Back then, I had about 5,000–6,000 followers.

Today, I’m sitting at 34,000.

It’s a number that still feels wild to me.

Because for the first 6–7 months, nothing really moved.

I posted.

Nothing went viral.

Nothing popped.

Most days were quiet.

And I almost gave up—more than once.

But I didn’t.

I stuck with it.

Because the goal wasn’t to go viral.

It was to be visible.

To share what I know with the people who might need it most.

UX jobseekers trying to land their dream roles.

Career switchers stuck at the portfolio stage.

Mid-level designers looking for more than job boards and ghosting.

I wanted to give them what I never had.

Today, I want to mark this 34K moment with 34 things I’ve learned.

34 Lessons from Writing Daily on LinkedIn for 2 Years+

1. Likes don’t equal leads.

2. Views don’t mean value.

3. One viral post won’t change your life.

4. But one real connection might.

5. Most buyers never engage publicly.

6. The best clients often show up quietly.

7. Comments are where the real conversations happen.

8. Posting sharpens your message.

9. Publishing sharpens your purpose.

10. Writing helps you think better.

11. Don’t write for everyone.

12. Write for someone.

13. Share less advice, more experience.

14. The truth always lands better than the trend.

15. Repetition isn’t bad—it’s branding.

16. Say one thing per post.

17. Clarity > cleverness.

18. Raw beats polished.

19. Consistency beats inspiration.

20. The algorithm is weird.

21. But it’s not your enemy.

22. Surface area of luck is real.

23. You’re not your analytics.

24. Vanity metrics are tiring.

25. Followers ≠ fulfillment.

26. People quit too early.

27. You only need to be helpful.

28. Your voice matters more than your format.

29. Start before you feel ready.

30. You’ll grow into it.

31. Post like no one’s watching—because at first, they won’t be.

32. It’s okay to evolve.

33. Make your own rules.

34. Gratitude beats growth.

None of this would’ve happened without you.

You, the person reading this email.

Maybe we’ve talked before.

Maybe you’ve been silently following since day one.

Maybe you’re new here.

But I just want to say:

Thank you.

Thank you for being here.

Thank you for reading.

Thank you for sticking around.

Since I started writing, I’ve had the privilege of:

• Helping 20 jobseekers actively work toward their dream UX jobs

• Seeing 4 already land offers they’re proud of

• Connecting with people from around the world

• Turning strangers into collaborators, clients, and friends

Not bad for a guy writing from a small city like Singapore.

This post was inspired by Christopher Nguyen (who also inspired my limited edition action figure—which I’ll post on LinkedIn too).

So if you’ve got a question for me, hit reply.

I’m doing a casual AMA (Ask Me Anything).

Happy to chat, reflect, or jam with you on whatever’s top of mind.

P.S.

To the 33,999 of you who followed, read, skimmed, liked, DMed, or stayed quiet—thank you.

Every bit of this has been worth it.

—Joseph