How to Reverse-Engineer & Improve your Strategy

I joined a reading circle recently. The goal is simple – read 10 to 12 pages daily. You decide on the book. Perhaps members will fall in love with reading again or be motivated to finish that book they started or have been meaning to read forever.

My choice is a book that I read partially, in 2011, 14 years ago, called Work the System by Sam Carpenter.

There’s something Sam says in the preface that speaks directly to this season we’re in—the obsession with answers instead of understanding.

People are always on the look out for what works. They often ask me: “What’s the best strategy for X?” Or, “What’s the right way to do Y?”

As I scroll through LinkedIn, many of the popular posts are those where someone figured out a system to get more leads, scale, or write posts that guarantee engagement.

And I get it. It’s tempting to want the answer. But the not so obvious truth is—you already have part of it. It’s buried in what’s already working.

Except as Sam observes –

“The gratification of the moment is a distraction from thoughtful contemplation of the reasons why events happen as they do. For too many of us, slowing down to examine things is not entertaining, and that’s too bad because it is mandatory that we take the time to understand the machinery of our lives if we are to modify that machinery to produce the results we desire.”

We need to return to a time when there was careful preparation with no expectation of immediate payback.

Are you paying attention to yourself the way you pay attention to other people’s content?

Reverse engineering isn’t about copying someone else’s success. It’s about decoding your own.

Here’s what I mean:

Before you overhaul your messaging…before you launch a new product or hire a strategist…

Stop and look at what already has traction:

• What conversations leave you energized and clear?
• Which clients or projects flowed almost effortlessly?
• What posts got saved—not just liked?
• When do you feel most on purpose in your week?

These are not random wins. They are data points in your alignment pattern.

The mistake most people make?

They reach for someone else’s blueprint, and in doing that, they override what they already know to be true.

What worked for that person might’ve been rooted in their Human Design, their energetic style, their motivation code, or their own deep lived experience.

You can learn from them, yes. But if you want to build a strategy that holds—especially in uncertain times—you have to build it around YOU!

So how do you do that?

Reverse engineer your own success. Here’s a starting framework:

1. Pattern Spotting -Where have things flowed easily for you? When did clients or collaborators light up? What has worked without forcing?
2. Decode the Why-Was it timing? Energy? Language? Offer design? Audience fit? Get curious—not critical.
3. Design Around It-Take what worked and make it repeatable. Build your rhythm, your message, your offers around what’s already alive for you.

This is alignment. Not just having a strategy. But having one that’s actually yours.

Copying someone’s formula isn’t the same as learning from their process

I read a recent post from Justin Welsh that broke down his three-part formula for capturing attention in 2025. It was sharp, clear, and well-structured—as his posts often are.

But here’s the thing: What Justin shared wasn’t the real magic. The real magic was in what he did—long before the formula was born.

• He wrote thousands of posts.
• He paid close attention to what made people stop scrolling.
• He noticed what made people feel seen, and what fell flat.
• And then—after seeing the patterns—he reverse engineered what worked.

What transformed his work was the process.

Too often, we try to skip that part. We grab the formula, plug in our own ideas, and wonder why it doesn’t land. But if you didn’t go through the process of noticing what resonates for you, then you’re just borrowing a costume.

So what’s the better move?

Do what he did. Not what he shared.

• Write. Observe. Reflect.
• Notice what gets saved.
• What makes people reply.
• What leaves you energized.
• What feels like you on the page.

And then? Reverse engineer your own resonance.

That’s how you create a strategy that fits. Not one that looks good. One that works for you.

Try this:

1. Pick 3 posts, 3 offers, or 3 conversations that felt aligned.
2. Ask: Why did this land? What was I really saying? How did I feel sharing it? What pattern am I seeing across all three?
3. Use that to shape what comes next.

You don’t need a better template. You need a better understanding of yourself.

Strategic Reflection Prompt:

Where have you been copying someone’s output instead of learning from their process?

If you’re in a season of shifting, questioning, or reimagining how you work—don’t reach for another formula just yet.

Start with what’s already working. Let’s find the pattern. Together.

Book a Clarity Conversation – 30 minutes – space to uncover what’s already true—and build from there.