Why you want things you don’t need
The other day I almost impulse-bought a $250 productivity tool.
Didn’t need it.
Wasn’t even looking for one.
I just saw the landing page and thought:
“Yep. That feels like it was made for me.”
It had a Pomodoro timer. Pixel display. Smart-home integrations.
But it wasn’t the features that sold me.
It was the feeling.
That gut-level “I want this” before your brain catches up.
Before logic kicks in.
Before you even realize why.
That’s when I remembered:
We don’t buy tools.
We buy identity reinforcement.
We rarely hit "follow" or "purchase" because of practicality…
but because it reflects (or upgrades) how we see ourselves.
For creators: If you’re only communicating value, you're competing with logic.
But if you're communicating identity, you’re speaking straight to the part of someone that moves.
You can ask yourself:
→ What does this make someone feel about themselves?
→ What kind of person does this signal they are?
→ Am I selling outcomes—or am I reflecting identity?
That’s where decisions actually happen.
Not in the specs.
Not in the list of benefits.
But in the quiet, invisible part that says:
"This is for people like me."
Keep creating,
Dylan
P.S. If you want to hear me talk more about this topic, check out today's podcast episode.