You’ve done the hard thinking. You’ve found your insights, explored your contradictions, and reflected deeply. But now you’re stuck—staring at a blank page, unsure how to turn those ideas into a compelling college essay.
In this episode, Steve explains why the next step is not perfection—it’s motion. You’ll learn how to choose the right moment to write about, why your first draft should be messy, and how that so-called “garbage draft” is the best way to get unstuck and start building an unforgettable essay.
What You’ll Learn:
- Why insight alone won’t get you a finished essay
- How to choose a powerful, reflective moment for your personal statement
- The truth about “impressive” stories (and what to do instead)
- Why the garbage draft is your most powerful tool for clarity and momentum
- A simple two-step plan to move from stuck to confident
Ready to finish your essay?
Join Steve’s College Essay Workshop and get:
- Access to recordings from completed weeks
- Step-by-step guidance to write a powerful, authentic essay
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Bobby Bones Show
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.