Content That Stands the Test of Time: Lessons from Ryan Holiday

The other day I was listening to an interview with Ryan Holiday on The Marketing Secrets Podcast.

For those of you who don’t know, Ryan Holiday is an author, most famous for his works on Stoicism.

Since it was on a marketing podcast, he didn’t talk about Stoicism much, or at all.

In fact, I don’t really recall much of what he talked about, except for one big takeaway.

To build on the timeless means to create things that won’t go out of fashion.

It is far better to create products or content that will stand the test of time as opposed to jumping on the next big craze.

For example, Ryan Holiday writes about Stoicism. This is a school of philosophy that dates back to ancient Greece. Needless to say, those philosophies are not changing.

In comparison, fidget spinners were a one-off fad. Sure, they may come back into fashion from time to time, but if you are a fidget spinner salesman, you’re not standing on solid ground.

But the lines can get blurry. For example, the fundamentals of good health never really change. Eating healthy and exercising have been known to be good for you for a really long time. But within the health industry we always see new fad diets or workouts pop up.

So the subject of health is timeless, but there are many things within it that are not.

I’m not suggesting you should never try new things. After all, sometimes fads become the norm. Additionally, if you just need to make a quick buck then you can certainly take advantage of the ‘next big thing’, even if it isn’t a big thing for long.

My caution is that your main focus shouldn’t be a fad. Build on a stable foundation, something that will stand the test of time.

Well, is it?

What is your core product?

And can that still be your core product in 5, 10, or 20 years?

Of course, technology changes, but your core product doesn’t have to.

I write books. Whether you read them on a physical copy, on your Kindle, or listen to it via audiobook, the book is still the same.

The delivery is different, but the core product is still the same. It’s timeless.

Other than the actual product you produce, you also have to consider the theme.

I'll stick with the author's analogy because that is what I know.

Works of fiction are generally timeless.

With non-fiction, however, you may have to choose a bit more wisely.

If you write about current affairs, then the lifespan of your work is very short-lived.

Sharing information about ancient philosophies, history, religion, building wealth, and many other subjects can be timeless.

This very post is also timeless.

Whether anyone will pay attention to it or not is a different story.