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Misbah Haque

I write about high agency thinking and skill acquisition.

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The skills AI can't train for you | Habit Chess Newsletter

The Skills AI Can't Train for You Welcome to the Habit Chess newsletter where I talk about training the strength & conditioning of skills. So you can make moves when they matter most. read on mizhq.com read time: 4 minutes Picture this: AI can diagnose your illness faster than any doctor, write your emails better than you can, and plan your vacation down to the minute. Yet for all its power, AI can't make you healthy, peaceful, or loved. Naval Ravikant once said there are three things that...

Hi Reader, I want to share something fascinating I've been watching unfold over the past couple of years. It's Daniel Priestley's rapid rise in the podcasting world—without even having his own show. I've been following his podcast appearances since I first discovered him, and there are some serious strategic moves worth highlighting. How I Discovered Daniel The first time I came across Daniel Priestley was on Ali Abdaal's podcast on YouTube. At that time, Ali's Deep Dive podcast channel was...

Hey friend, Have you ever quit something too early only to watch someone else succeed exactly where you gave up? I've been there, and it's painful. But here's the thing: sometimes quitting is exactly what you should do. Contrary to popular belief, winners quit all the time. They just quit the right things at the right time. The trick is knowing the difference between a temporary setback and a permanent dead end. This is especially crucial when you're working on big projects or goals with...

Hi Reader, After years of helping creators build their own table through podcasting, I've finally put everything I've learned into one place. I’m excited to share that my book, "Pod Mahal: Build Your Own Table With Podcasting" is officially available on Amazon! Why I Wrote This Book In 2016, I was a curious fitness coach recording my first podcast from my childhood bedroom. No audience, no credibility, just a burning desire to connect and find my way in the industry. Within one year, that...

Hi Reader, YouTube is no longer the only player in long-form video. In November 2024 on a podcast with Colin and Samir, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek revealed that Spotify now has a paying member base as large as Netflix's. This means that YouTube isn't the only option now for distributing video podcasts. The streaming giant has methodically positioned itself to become the Netflix of audio. And now, they're making their biggest move yet: a full-scale push into video podcasting. I wish they’d focus...

Hi Reader, In this email, I'm breaking down Justin Welsh's podcast strategy – one that doesn't require having your own podcast. First, some context... This isn't sponsored content. Justin doesn't know I'm analyzing his strategy, but I am a paying customer of his (LinkedIn OS, Content OS, and monthly templates for about 18 months now). I respect the way he's built his personal brand and think you'll appreciate some of these strategies even if you've never heard of Justin. The unfair advantages...

Hi Reader, I wanted to share something that's been on my mind lately. Three game-changing writing rules I've learned from Jerry Seinfeld. I did stand-up comedy for about four years, and Seinfeld was someone I studied relentlessly. What always resonated with me about him was how he approached comedy as a writer first. Every word in his sets has been meticulously chosen over years of work. In fact, he once said something to the effect of: that guy you see on stage? That's someone I invented to...

Hi Reader, Here's how to turn a simple podcast into your most powerful client acquisition tool (without needing a million listeners). In 2016, I started my very first podcast out of my childhood bedroom with no audience, no credibility, and within a year that show helped me land my dream job in the Bay Area, coaching Fortune 1000 executives, professional athletes, and anyone coming back from an injury (that was really my specialty). Since then, I've helped produce shows that have gone on to...

Hi Reader, I've been reflecting on a book I discovered about a decade ago that had a profound impact on me when I first read it. I first listened to it on Audible and when I met my wife she had the paperback version. I'm going to revisit this at least once a year. There was something simple about it that I remember working when I first tried it. I'm talking about The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, first written around 1997. What makes this book so powerful is its promise: it reveals the...

Hi Reader, There are surface skills that look good on LinkedIn. And then there are the root skills that actually transform your life. I'm Misbah Haque by the way. In 2016, my first podcast got me my dream job coaching Fortune 1000 execs and pro athletes. Since then, I've produced shows with over a million downloads. After years of helping people transform their careers, I've identified three skills that quietly shape your entire life. They make it easier to pivot. To build. To sharpen. To...