Introducing Analog First!

JOSH RACE, SAINT AUGUSTINE, FL

Why Your Best AI Work Begins with Pen and Paper

Hi there! I'm Joshua Buckminster Race, and I've discovered something that's changing everything about how I work with AI.

When I started getting serious with ChatGPT and other AI tools, I noticed something peculiar: the quality of what I got back depended enormously on how I approached the conversation. And the best results? They consistently came when I stepped away from the keyboard first.

Analog First Principle #1: Always pause before typing something. Clarify your thinking process with pen and paper first, then start typing. Have some fun with a nice pen. But don't be too rigid.

That simple shift—starting analog before going digital—produced such dramatically better results that I've spent the last several months developing and testing a methodology around it.

And that's why I'm launching Analog First.

What Happens When You Go Analog First?

Let me give you a quick example. Last month, I needed to create a complex project proposal with AI assistance. My first attempt went like this:

Approach 1: Jumped straight into prompting → Got generic, shallow recommendations → Spent hours refining and still ended up with mediocre output.

Approach 2: Spent 15 minutes sketching ideas on paper first → Developed clearer thinking → AI immediately provided relevant, tailored, and nuanced suggestions → Finished in half the time with twice the quality.

This isn't just about "better prompts." It's about fundamentally changing how you think before you even touch the keyboard.

What You'll Find Here

Each week, I'll share a deep dive exploring a specific aspect of the Analog First approach. These aren't just tips—they're backed by action research and real-world testing.

Some upcoming topics include:

• Why your brain processes information differently on paper vs. screens

• How to create "conversation maps" that transform your AI interactions

• The surprising connection between physical movement and digital creativity

I promise these posts will give you immediately applicable techniques, not just theories.

This Is Just the Beginning

While these weekly deep dives will always be free, I'm building something more comprehensive for those who want to go deeper:

The Analog First Community (hosted on Circle.so) includes:

• The complete Analog First Foundations Course

• In-depth case studies showing the methodology in action

• Interactive challenges with physical components

• Direct feedback on your own analog-to-AI process

I won't constantly pitch this in every post, but know that when you're ready to transform your entire relationship with AI tools, that's where we'll go deeper together.

Join the Experiment

If you're:

• Fascinated by AI but frustrated by inconsistent results

• Believe in the power of stepping back to move forward

• Willing to pick up a pen before opening your laptop

...then we're going to get along wonderfully.

Subscribe to get weekly deep dives delivered directly to your inbox. And if something resonates, contradicts your experience, or sparks a question—hit that "Message Josh Race" button below. This whole project grew from conversations, and I'd love to continue that tradition.

Ready to see what happens when you go Analog First?

JOIN THE EXPERIMENT

P.S. Keep an eye out for our first Analog First Challenge coming next week—a simple 3-day experiment that will show you exactly what I mean about the power of starting on paper.