AI Can't Copy This: Why Every Creator Needs an Origin Story in 2026 | Philip McKernan | 150

Philip McCrimmon, author of One Last Talk, explains that origin stories are the most compelling way to connect authentically with people, arguing that "your origin story is your most compelling asset." He walks through the SoulSet process, which breaks down the overlap of story, gift, and impact, noting that "A lot of us leave those origin stories behind, and I think that's a mistake."

McCrimmon illustrates this through several stories: a young entrepreneur at a Dragon's Den competition whose grandmother died from a disease related to obesity, a young MLS soccer player from Philadelphia who went on to score his first international goal for the United States, and his own experience with a teacher who told him "you're going to mean nothing out there." He introduces the principle that "your greatest gift lies right next to your deepest wound," distinguishing between talent, which can be learned, and gift, which emerges from one's story.

The conversation includes practical exercises: writing out your story, identifying three happiest days and asking why they mattered, and identifying darkest days to understand how to eliminate them for others. McCrimmon also reframes asking for help by having the host draw a fictional struggling person named Andy, concluding that "It'd be selfish not to ask" for help in sharing one's work.

• What if you reframe promoting your software not as self-promotion but as preventing others from staying stuck in financial helplessness?

  • Move: Identify one core user persona (e.g., 'Andy') who feels burdened by money struggles; write a short origin story that connects your product to their emotional journey, then share it in your next product update or landing page.
  • Why Now?: The current AI-driven market shift is creating fear; positioning your work as mission-driven helps cut through noise and builds deeper trust.
  • Expected Upside: Users may perceive your product not just as a tool but as a roadmap, increasing conversion and loyalty - aligning with the idea that "your book will show Andy the path and the roadmap".

• What if you stopped measuring success by short-term revenue and instead evaluated decisions based on long-term impact for unseen users?

  • Move: Replace one quarterly KPI with a mission-based metric (e.g., "number of users who reported feeling less isolated or more capable") using optional post-survey feedback.
  • Why Now?: As AI reshapes industries, "there's an incredible amount of fear around it"; anchoring to impact provides clarity when outcomes are uncertain.
  • Expected Upside: This shift may reduce decision fatigue and increase resilience, allowing you to stay focused on meaningful work even if competitors emerge - mirroring the mindset that "there'll be another vessel" if the current one fails.

• What if you used your personal setbacks - not just successes - to design more empathetic user onboarding?

  • Move: Reflect on one of your "darkest days" (e.g., burnout, failure, loss) and create a micro-copy script or tooltip in your app that acknowledges similar emotional states (e.g., "Feeling stuck? You're not alone.").
  • Why Now?: "People will forget what you do... but they will never forget how you make them feel"; emotional resonance builds lasting connection in saturated markets.
  • Expected Upside: Users may feel seen and supported, increasing retention; this aligns with the principle that sharing pain helps others feel heard, as seen when Nathan's story could help "Peggy from Yellowknife" realize "my story matters".

• Write your origin story privately, starting from childhood, not as a career highlight reel. Use it to answer "why you?" when pitching your product. Evidence: "just write your story" and "your story is about I was six, I was eight"
• List three happiest moments (not full days, skip weddings and births), then for each ask "why was it?" and "how do I create more of those days?" to identify what your product should deliver. Evidence: "write down the three happiest days of your life"; "how do I create more of those days?"
• When you need to ask for help promoting your product, reframe: "are you asking for you or are you asking for someone else?" If the answer is the latter, the ask becomes a privilege, not a burden. Evidence: "so are you asking for you or are you asking for someone else?"
• Draw a fictional struggling user (name, age, what they feel), then ask "how could my product help [name]?" and write the answer as your value proposition. Evidence: "I want you to imagine somebody who is struggling in life"; "how could your book help Andy?"
• Replace fear-driven motivation with a mission: define the specific person your work serves and the outcome you're creating for them. Evidence: "stop out running what you don't want and moving towards what you do want"