The Digital Contrarian™

Ryan Levesque

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The Digital Contrarian™

Ryan Levesque

Issue #080

| The Digital Contrarian™

The “Contrarian Canon” (Part 1)

The "Contrarian Canon" (Part 1) & My Word of the Year for 2026.

Ryan Levesque

7 min read

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Today’s weather was one of those “throw another log on the fire” kinda days…
 
And today’s issue is one of those “gotta bookmark this” kinda emails…
 
Let me explain…
 
 
I wrote that with my forthcoming book Return to Real…
 
The book has been a project I’ve found myself procrastinating on for the last few months…
 
(And one on which I hadn’t made much “tangible” progress since finishing the first draft of the manuscript earlier this year.)
 
The reality is that there was something that had me blocked:
 
A few months ago, I came to the realization that the book I was trying to write with Return to Real…
 
Is actually two books.
 
I was struggling to squeeze everything into a single title.
 
But really, there is a two book arc.
 
And while I already have much of my material for Book #2.
 
I was feeling blocked because I didn’t have sufficient clarity on a few key components on how to connect RTR with Book #2.
 
However…
 
Over the last week, with a few uninterrupted days of deep thinking time…
 
I’m happy to report that I now do have clarity.
 
And I’m ready to rock and roll.
 
BUT…
 
What’s also become abundantly clear is this:
 
In order to get the final version of the RTR manuscript over the finish line in time for my Spring 2026 release…
 
Realistically, I need to devote 100% of my writing energy for this next month (January 2026) toward finishing the darn book.
 
So for the next few weeks…
 
What I’ve decided to do is this:
 
With a little help from ChatGPT, I’ve pulled some of the most powerful – but overlooked – key ideas, concepts, strategies, and tactics that I’ve written about over the last year…
 
What I consider to be part of the “Contrarian Canon.”
 
I’m going to give you a few of these each week, for the next few weeks, to give you an opportunity to catch up on some of the gems that you might’ve missed…
 
I encourage you to pick ONE to double click into today – maybe one that you missed or that based on where you are right now – feels relevant to you in this moment…
 
So without further delay, here are FIVE (5) – in no particular order, beginning with…

1 | How to Optimize Your Business Around Things in Life that Don't Change (From Issue #037)

“If the 5-year period you’re living right now were a chapter in your book – what would be the title of this chapter??”

In this issue, we begin with a sobering reminder that nothing “dominant” is permanent (even marketing platforms that at one point felt inevitable)…
 
This serves as the doorway into a contrarian strategic question:
 
“Instead of obsessing over what’s changing in the world, in 2026 – what if you anchor your business around what doesn’t change?”
 
What you’ll get if you double‑click:
A practical way to distinguish durable anchors (human desires, skills that don’t expire, timeless principles) from fragile tactics (tools, platforms, labels)—and to redesign your strategy accordingly.
 
Here’s the full issue:

2 | How to Achieve the Optimal "Effort-to-Reward" Ratio with Your Product (From Issue #035)

“Difficulty is the currency of meaning – which is why the struggle is so often the solution.”

In this issue, we challenge the modern assumption that convenience = happiness.
 
We contrast two worlds—one optimized for hyper‑efficiency (delivered food, instant gratification, “cheap dopamine”) and one optimized for effort‑driven satisfaction (growing food, making things, doing the work)—and then walk through why the second world reliably feels better (and the real business opportunity this presents).
 
What you’ll get if you double‑click:
A biology‑backed explanation for why “easy” so often feels empty—and a compelling lens for building a life (and business) around earned reward instead of cheap stimulation.
 
Here’s the full issue:

3 | How to Become Anti-Fragile & Build Your Business for What's Coming (From Issue #034)

“The thing you’re most afraid of doing in this moment – is often the thing you most need to do.”

In this issue, we explore the core move of shifting from merely being resilient (withstanding shocks) to becoming antifragile (getting stronger because of shocks), and then thinking about how to position yourself so disruption becomes an advantage, not a threat – particularly relevant for what’s coming with AI in 2026 and beyond.
 
What you’ll get if you double‑click:
A grounded way to think about adversity—plus a strategic perspective on how to benefit from volatility rather than just endure it.
 
Here’s the full issue:

4 | How to Determine Your Pricing By Using Advanced Pricing Psychology & Strategy (From Issue #032)

“Price is never evaluated in a vacuum. Price is only ever evaluated relative to a point of comparison.”

In this issue, we do a deep, practical teardown of pricing—not “pricing tips,” but pricing as psychology, narrative, and decision design.
 
We walk through a real pricing grid I built for a private client and show why most “good/better/best” menus are fine… but still leave money (and clarity) on the table.
 
We also surface a subtle goal most people miss: your pricing should reduce cognitive load and guide buyers to the best choice for them, not just for you.
 
What you’ll get if you double‑click:
A concrete case study + principles you can apply to your own offers to increase clarity, conversion, and perceived value—without gimmicks.
 
Here’s the full issue:

5 | How to Cultivate Influence By Over-Indexing Around the Right Megatrends (From Issue #031)

“You need to be willing to make unpopular moves – that much of the world disagrees with – if you want a chance at generating outsized returns in your business.”

In this issue, we explore an antidote to shallow “growth” advice.
 
We take the concept of over‑indexing (from investing) and translate it into a strategic lens for business:
 
Extraordinary outcomes usually require going deeper than most people are willing to go… but the danger is doing that unconsciously and creating blind spots.
 
The really useful shift is pairing over‑indexing with megatrends (waves with long‑term inevitability) and then layering contrarian thinking on top—because when an idea is already consensus, the upside is often already “priced in,” whether you’re investing or building a market position.
 
What you’ll get if you double‑click:
A framework for choosing what to intentionally over‑index on (and what not to), and how to find contrarian angles inside megatrends where the opportunity is asymmetric.
 
Here’s the full issue:
* * *
Which one are YOU going to double-click into today?
 
Go ahead…
 
Scroll back up and pick the one that most intrigues you at this moment…
 
I have a feeling you’re going to walk away with at least one non-obvious new idea or insight…
 
(And one that perhaps, might just help shape your entire next year…)
* * *
Okay, I’m going to leave you with that for today…
 
AND…
 
I’m going to sign off here for our last issue of 2025…
 
Have a GREAT rest of your year…
 
Remember to hug the ones you love.
 
And I’ll see you again… next year :-)
 
All my best,
 
Ryan :-)
 
P.S. I almost forgot!…
 
My “Word of the Year” for 2026…
 
I always like to go into the New Year with a word that sets my intention for the new year.
 
In 2024 – My word was Reconnection.
In 2025 – My word was Discovery.
In 2026 – My word is…
 
Flywheel.
 
There are layers to what that word represents…
 
(Which I’ll unpack for you at a later date…)
 
But for now, more importantly, I’m curious:
 
Do YOU have a word yet for 2026?
 
If you DO have a word…
 
After you finish reading the issue you’ve double-clicked into above…
 
Take a moment to SHOOT ME AN EMAIL to let me know your Word of the Year for 2026 – I’d love to hear from YOU :-)

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The Great Sea Change

The Great Sea Change diagram from Return to Real