Articles by Kieran Tie

Hey there—I'm Kieran Tie. I publish my best writing exclusively to my newsletter, The Untitled Dispatches, once a week. Some of those articles end up below.

Your creative resistance is smarter than you think

Sometimes those creative instincts telling you to protect your work aren't character flaws—they're trying to save what makes your work worth reading.
Ambition

The burnout industry's dirty little secret

Think your burnout needs fixing? Maybe it's not your body that's broken—it's your relationship with stopping.
Balance

The story I didn't expect to write

They say money talks, but I had to listen to something else.
Personal

When did “being real” get so fake?

And when did being ourselves become yet another item on our to-do lists?
Balance

When the "wrong" words feel so right

Turns out a little mess is a good thing. Here’s how to embrace it.
Writing

Self-editing 101: The key to great writing

The key to great writing? Great rewriting. Here’s everything I’ve learned about self-editing and polishing your writing to perfection.
Writing

The real reason we hate our own writing

The editing process exacerbates that voice inside of us. It forces you to scrutinize your own voice, pick apart the good from the bad, and tell yourself you could have done better. Forcing yourself to actually look for errors feels no less painful than, say, plucking out an eye.
Writing

Stop feeling guilty about not being productive

Feeling guilty about not being productive with your freelancing? Here's an easy strategy that will help you do more with less guilt.
Balance

One chapter ends, another begins

This is my promise to keep moving. To accept change as it comes, and to always keep pushing forward, even if that means giving up on looking behind.
Personal

How to value yourself

Your self worth and self value shouldn't depend on your productivity or success. Here's how you should value yourself properly.
Ambition

Scaling up your business without growth

The opposite of “more” isn’t “less” — if we care enough, it’s better.
Growth

“Following your passion” is bullshit – do this instead

There's no single passion or true calling out there, just waiting for us to discover it. Instead of spending all your time searching, find somewhere you can make a difference doing work that's meaningful for you.
Ambition

Ikigai

Your ikigai is more of a compass than a map. By relying on your ikigai to steer you in the right direction, you'll end up with a more fulfilling career, a more sustainable business, and a longer, happier life.
Balance

Action before motivation

Getting yourself motivated to take action doesn't work the way most people think it does. Here's how you can break the cycle and get started right now.
Balance

Know what you're solving for

Having a successful career, business, or side project - and avoiding burnout - are both closely tied to being intrinsically motivated about your work.
Balance

State of the Union 2017 (and preview of 2018)

Another year complete - time to peer back at what went well (and what didn't) in 2017, while also looking forward to what's coming in 2018.
Personal

How to travel the world and run your business without going crazy, even with a family

Get advice on how you can travel the world, run your business, and not go crazy, even with a family and kids.
Freelancing

Marketing yourself as an introvert

As long as you're connecting with the audience you're trying to help, then you're winning at marketing - and that's something even us introverts can manage.
Growth

People are tired of orange carrots

When everyone is tired of the orange-carrot complex, here's how to make sure your offer stands out from the bunch.
Growth

Lowering the bar

Things won't always go the way you want them to. But by lowering the bar, the next jump won't seem quite as hard.
Ambition

Share what you do

Focus on sharing what you know and what you've learned in a way that helps others - there's always someone a few steps behind you that you could help.
Growth

Recovering from burnout

Burnout was the worst thing that ever happened to me, and recovering was difficult and painful - but it’s also been one of the most wonderful things I've gone through. I feel like I'm now on a better path - one that fits me and my values.
Balance

The best in the world

How can you make your clients' experience working with you so memorable, so effortless, and so exceptional, they never want to work with anyone else?
Freelancing

Step back

Give yourself space to notice the world around you - amazing things can happen when you do.
Balance

Pass Go, collect $200

Break free from the hourly mindset, and build a system where every single thing you do increases the value of the time you've already spent.
Growth

Making time management suck less

I'm no productivity expert - but there are a few things I've found that help me get more done in less time, while still keeping my sanity.
Balance

You don't need goals to be successful

Instead of aiming for a specific target, I'm focused on making sure my work stays true to my values and letting them guide the decisions I make.
Ambition

Authenticity is your secret weapon

Authenticity is your secret weapon – your personality, style, opinions, and voice are what make your personal brand shine.
Growth

A crisis of creativity

I’ve never considered myself a creative. I always thought creativity went hand-in-hand with artistry – and I was the least artistic person you could meet.
Ambition

The best time to create is right now

Fuck waiting for the right time, or for inspiration to come down from on high. There’s no better time than right now to get down to work.
Ambition

Great expectations

I’m not happy with this article, and I haven’t even written it yet.
Ambition

There is no secret sauce

Our world today is consumed by hacks, tips, tricks, and listicles - and building a business or life around them will only take you so far.
Balance

If you're waiting for 100%, you'll be waiting a while

Uncertainty is here to stay - but how you deal with it can mean the difference between success and failure.
Ambition

Self-doubt and somersaults

Lessons on overcoming entrepreneurial self-doubt and fear of failure - as taught by my 2-year-old.
Ambition

Make shit that matters

3 years ago, I had a stroke at age 27. I don't remember a lot. One minute I was in the office, and the next thing I can recall is coming out of the MRI.
Balance

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