The Case For Curation before Creation

“Nickelback had the last big rock song of our generation because songs just aren't counted the same way. So I feel like this is actually a fairly good example of: what is popular is Nickelback, but it's not the best music. It's not the critically acclaimed music. This is what gets played on the radio because it can be played while you're barbecuing and it's non-offensive.

And that's what AI-curated content is, it's the Nickelback of content.” - Meg

There’s a lot of pressure in online business to be original. To create something new. To be the thought leader with the freshest take. But much of what passes for “thought leadership” online is just recycled content, AI regurgitation, or the same tired takes with slightly different branding.

In this philosophy episode of Aggressively Human, we make the case for starting with curation, not creation, to avoid flat, forgettable content where we’re simply competing through the volume of our ideas (h/t Jay Acunzo).

We explore what it really means to be a thoughtful curator, how building taste builds your expertise, and why citing your sources doesn’t make you less of a thought leader but actually strengthens your positioning. We talk about what it actually means to curate well, why human curiosity is the root of all curation, the messy process of composting ideas, and how to make time—and intention—for escaping the algorithmically-driven echo chamber of ideas.

Plus hear us develop (in real time!) the five-step framework for becoming a trusted creator, why your “whisper of discontent” might be your next learning quest, and what it looks like to embrace your expertise without pretending to know it all.

If you’re tired of thought leaders who have more LinkedIn carousels than actual ideas, this episode is an invitation to reconsider curation as an integral pillar.

* Why consumption must come before curation—and why curiosity comes before both

* How to develop taste by reading, listening, and observing widely

* Our 5-stage content development process

* The difference between AI curation and human curation (and why AI flattens nuance)

* How “whispers of discontent” can guide your next learning quest

* Why citation is essential to expert thought leadership

* Curation as care: how to refer, recommend, and connect as a value-add to your ecosystem

* Why your best business moves might come from knowing the right referrals—not from knowing it all yourself

There's value in saying, “Here's a list of the different software that I've tried, but here's the best project management tool for this circumstance and for this circumstance and for this circumstance.” And there's an expertise in being able to help people strategize what the best choice is for them based on.

Your lived experience, your client experience: don't work with this person, work with this person. Don't read this book, read this book. I think that that's a huge part of what you and I do, especially in group coaching programs where we're able to say in real time, “Oh, because you are running this type of business, you should be running this type of marketing strategy, or you should have this sort of accounting practice in place.” - Meg

Prior Episodes Mentioned:

Resources:

* James Clear – cited the Helsinki Bus Theory (not the Stockholm Bus Theory!)

* Jay Acunzo – idea of “don’t be the best, be their favorite”

* Ira Glass – inspiration for early content creation and taste development

* Rob Harvilla – host of 60 Songs That Explain the '90s, used as a curation example

* Chris Guillebeau – founder of World Domination Summit, mentioned by Jessica

* Dani Gardner – coined “whisper of discontent,” mentioned from her book Quiet Marketing

* Lacy Boggs – mentioned for her conversation on what defines thought leadership

* Malcolm Gladwell – concept of “mavens” from The Tipping Point

* Kate Raworth – author of Doughnut Economics

* Rebecca Henderson - Reimagining Capitalism in a World on Fire

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Meg Casebolt

Jessica Lackey