Measured Updated dailyMarkdown copy
Humbling confession beside your credential
A viral sports and outdoors format on TikTok and Instagram
Open by putting an embarrassing early failure or ego-free admission next to your current status.
4
accounts it worked for
8x
median, times their usual
#59
of 94 in sports and outdoors
Angle
Talking head, Slideshow
Why it works
The contrast earns instant trust and empathy. Jessy Elmago, Lauren Sillence, Paul Reed and Bernardo Faria all use it in the first line or first frame.
Hook formulaI [failed badly] but [now impressive result], here's what I learned.
How to make it
- 1State the failure or humbling fact first
- 2Contrast it with the credential, years or result
- 3Use it to introduce your advice or story
Examples
Best first, one per account. Each links to the original post.
- @lauren_sillence
42K followers, Instagram
“IVE BEEN TRAINING MUAY THAI FOR 8 YEARS AND I STILL...”
15x their usual likes, slideshow, combat sports
- @jessyelmago
98K followers, Instagram
“I LOST MY FIRST EIGHT AMATEUR FIGHTS IN A ROW”
10x their usual views, talking head, combat sports
- @bernardofariabjj
301K followers, Instagram
“AT 63, I HAVEN'T BEATEN ONE OF MY BLACK BELTS IN A FEW YEARS.”
6.2x their usual likes, talking head, combat sports
- @paulreedmma
150K followers, Instagram
“I Started MMA at 35 Before MMA I was too Much drunk and high”
5.8x their usual likes, talking head, combat sports
Your post here and want it removed? Email [email protected].
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Get the MCPMore sports and outdoors formats
- Show the finished shot before teaching
17 accounts, median 9x their usual
- Silent red X then green check demo
15 accounts, median 12x their usual
- Film a real student failing, then fixed live
11 accounts, median 8x their usual
- Live stats overlaid on action footage
10 accounts, median 9x their usual
- Draw arrows and circles on technique footage
14 accounts, median 4x their usual
- Put a dollar figure in the hook
6 accounts, median 36x their usual
- Open on the failed rep before the fix
9 accounts, median 9x their usual
- Call out popular advice, then correct it
10 accounts, median 6x their usual
- Hard cut flips the mood on the beat
5 accounts, median 41x their usual
- Loud raw sounds over a gear task
5 accounts, median 36x their usual
How this is measured
- Every post is compared with its own account's usual reach, not with other accounts. "14x their usual" means the post got 14 times the median views of that account's recent posts.
- TikTok videos and Instagram Reels are measured on views. Instagram carousels have no view count, so they are measured on likes against the account's usual likes, and say so.
- A post makes the library at 2x its account's usual or more. A format is a repeatable move (what is said or shown, or how it is edited) that several accounts used in breakout posts. It is listed here once it worked for 3 or more different accounts.
- Formats rank on how many accounts they worked for and how far above usual, damped so a fluke on one tiny account cannot outrank a format that worked for ten.