Sleep Your Way to the Top!
Let your subconscious do the dirty work and wake up to fresh ideas
It’s Week 7 of my “turn-this-newsletter-into-a-book” experiment. What could possibly go wrong?
If you’re new here, welcome aboard! If you’ve been here since Week 1, it feels like we’re family—probably because half my readers actually are. Thanks for always reading, Mom!
My mission is to help anyone think like a comedy writer and unlock their creativity using my process: “Write Drunk, Edit Sober.” Let’s dive in…
When I say, “Sleep your way to the top,” I mean actual SLEEP—that thing we do every night if we’re not too busy having sex. Most comedy writers aren’t.
Often, the best way to solve a creative problem isn’t to grind through it—it’s to sleep on it. Sleep is a powerful source of creativity…
Fun Fact: Three Nobel Prize-winning scientists came up with their groundbreaking ideas in their dreams!
Funner Fact: Paul McCartney woke from a dream with the melody of "Yesterday" in his head and quickly recorded it on the piano. It was so polished that at first, he couldn’t believe it was his own song!
Funnier Fact: No dream of mine has ever led to a Nobel Prize or a number-one hit (yet). But when I was three, I did sleepwalk into my parents’ bedroom, mistook it for the bathroom, and peed all over my dad. And somehow, he still always reads my newsletter. Thanks Dad!
Okay, I digress. Let’s get back to why sleep supercharges your creativity…
The Science: When we first wake up, our brains are still in a relaxed, dreamlike state, where the barriers between our conscious and subconscious are more fluid. This allows fresh, uninhibited ideas to bubble up, boosting our creativity before the day’s worries kick in—like whether you prepared enough for your 9 AM presentation or if you’ll have time to shower after hitting snooze 17 times.
HomePlay: The second you open your eyes, try grabbing your journal instead of your phone. I know that seems impossible but trust me—that cat meme your Aunt Linda texted you can wait.
You can write about ANYTHING. Rank your favorite potato-based snacks, unpack your thoughts on crypto, or brainstorm excuses to get out of going to Karen’s party—it’s your journal, you do you!
This is what I mean by “Write drunk.” When you let your thoughts flow freely, you unleash a flood of ideas. Later, you can “Edit sober” and decide which ones are worth keeping.
HomePlay Bonus: One thing I’ve started doing that’s led to many creative breakthroughs is adding writing prompts to my journal the night before. Usually, it’s about something I’m stuck on, whether big or small, like:
-How do I fix the punchline to my joke about kangaroos?
-What’s a fun weekend adventure my family would love?
-How can I get a million subscribers to my newsletter? (Still working on that one.)
Remember, there’s no wrong way to journal. And research shows, people who journal first thing in the morning are more creative throughout the day. And sexier!
Cheers to your creativity,
Gil
P.S. I’d love to hear from you! If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment. If you didn’t… please leave a comment.
P.P.S. Here’s a video I shot while riding my OneWheel that sums it all up.