How To Die On Your Hill & Create Content With Conviction
Handwashing dishes when you own a perfectly functional dishwasher should be illegal.
I thought everyone elsefelt the same as me, but I was completely surprised when I moved in with my partner and future mother-in-law a few months ago while we wait for our home to be built.
After mealtimes, instead of loading the dishwasher, pressing start, and being done with it… they just handwash the dishes?
The first few times I watched this happen, I was confused. Maybe they had a reason for not wanting to use it on those specific days.
But it kept happening. Every. Single. Dish.
Despite having a dishwasher right there beside the sink, they opted not to use it. Basically… ever.
At one point it was being used for storage for canning jars. Like wut?
I felt like I wasn’t allowed to use it either. Maybe it was broken, or just prone to malfunctioning?
Nope. Turns out they just prefer handwashing.
To that I say: who the hell prefers to handwash dishes?
First of all, I have better things to do than spend 30+ minutes handwashing a bunch of crusty dishes after dinner.
Secondly, dishwashers actually use water MORE efficiently than handwashing. So, better for the earth.
And lastly – re: the gripe that dishwashers “don’t get dishes clean” some people like to make – yes, they DO. They do a better job than I would, because they’re not in a rush to get it done or subject to human error.
If your dishwasher isn’t getting your dishes clean, you’re not loading it correctly.
In the grand scheme of things, whether you handwash dishes or put them in the dishwasher isn’t that important.
But it’s still a hill I’ll choose to die on forever and always.
Stop Hedging Your Content (And Start Dying On Your Hill)
You should create your content with the same level of conviction as I bring to the dishwasher vs. handwashing rant.
Because THAT’S how you become known for a specific idea, philosophy, or way of doing things. It’s how you start standing out in people’s minds when they think of your industry.
Of course, there’s nuance in every situation.
Like, yes, there are some dishes that you simply cannot dishwash, like cast iron. I’m fully aware of that – but it’s beside the main point I’m making, which is that dishwashing simply beats handwashing in every way.
But waffling on about EVERY little nuance in your content isn’t doing the servie you think it is.
It isn’t making you come across as more honest, trustworthy, or well-rounded.
Instead, it’s:
- Confusing your audience about what you actually stand for/believe
- Causing you to look wishy-washy
- Making people wonder if you actually know what you’re talking about
- Burying your main point so people don’t GET it
All of these things make your content WEAKER, not stronger.
If you want your audience to engage with your content and trust that you know what you’re talking about, you need to write and speak with conviction. Waffling on and on about all the little nuances does nothing but dilute the ACTUAL point you’re trying to make.
Creating content with conviction is the reason that I’m slowly becoming known as the girl who says every creative business owner with a newsletter should also have a newsletter archive.
Think of the people in your industry and the beliefs they’re vocal and LOUD about:
→ Sara of Between The Lines Copy preaches weekly (not biweekly, not monthly) newsletters if you want your subscribers to remember and actually give a shit about you.
→ Lindsay Hyatt believes the online-only business model is DEAD and that every online business owner needs to figure out how to tether themselves to the real world to succeed.
→ Jana of Jana O. Media says that SEO isn’t a requirement for blogging, and instead recommends building a capsule blog that is based on what your audience needs – not just SEO keywords.
→ Natalie of Natty Writes teaches a blogs-first approach to marketing, believing that you should start with blogs and everything else can stem from that.
If you were to sit here and pick apart each of these takes, there’s nuance to every one of them. Because of course there is.
But that’s not how they’re positioning it.
They’re not hedging. They’re not saying “well, it depends” or “this might work for some people but not others.”
They’re trusting that the right people will resonate with their message and the wrong ones will self-select out. They state their belief clearly and back it up.
And THAT’S what makes them memorable.
Here’s how to create content with that same kind of conviction:
⛰️ Pick your hill. What do you actually believe about your industry, your work, or how things should be done? Not what you think you “should” believe – but what do you actually, genuinely think based on your experience?
💡 State it clearly (and back it up with reasoning). No “I think” or “in my opinion…” Just say the thing. For me, it’s “dishwashers are better than handwashing” and “you NEED a newsletter archive if you’re sending a regular newsletter.” Then back it up with your real-world experience, knowledge, and insights.
🚨 Acknowledge exceptions without weakening your point. Yes, cast iron exists. It doesn’t ALWAYS make sense to have a newsletter archive. A quick nod to the nuance in some cases is fine – but don’t let it take over your primary message.
♻️ Then KEEP SAYING IT. Just saying something one or two or even three times isn’t enough. Talking about the same things multiple times, in multiple ways, is how you become known for those things.
The goal isn’t to deceive people or to never have someone disagree with you.
It’s to be CLEAR about what you stand for so the right people are drawn to your message and know your offers are for them.
So what’s your dishwasher hill?
Find it. Own it. And talk about it like I defend dishwashers – with your full chest, conviction, and the experience to back it up.