Hey,

I think we have all done it.

At some point in our lives, we downloaded something we did not pay for. A cracked app. A free course from a Telegram group. A book that was not free but somehow we got it for free anyway.

I will be honest. I have done it too.

I always cracked my Windows activation key. I downloaded books that were not free. And I am not going to justify it by saying I was 15 years old and did not have a credit card.

It was still stealing. I believe that to this day.

The only thing I have done since is go back and repurchase what I took. Especially the books. And they were cheap by the way. The total price I paid back was so low it almost made me feel worse. Like bro, you stole something that cost less than a meal.

Luckily I was never into cracked games or Adobe or online courses. So the debt was small. And I think I have paid it.

Because yes. It is a debt.

And I know those are hard words. Most of us try to justify it. Ignore it. Bury it under excuses like "I was young" or "I did not have money" or "everyone does it."

Now let me be clear about something. If you are someone who does not feel guilty at all when you download a cracked course or a pirated book or a stolen digital product, this email is not for you. You probably do not care. And that is between you and yourself.

But this email is for the people who feel the guilt.

The ones who know they did something wrong. The ones who think about it sometimes. The ones who want to pay back or at least find a solution.

If that is you, keep reading.

Let us start with the creators. Not the billion dollar companies. The creators. The small ones and the big ones.

At some point you needed a course from someone and you found it for free on Telegram or some website. Maybe a book. Maybe a digital template. And it was easy to download. Maybe you even learned from it. Maybe you made money from it.

It is time to pay it back mate.

If you now have money and you can afford that book you downloaded or that course or that template, you should pay for it. Full price.

And do not say "oh it is a big creator, a $19 book is not going to hurt them."

First of all, it is $19. Just pay it.

Second, it does hurt. Imagine 100,000 people got that book for free. That is almost $2 million. Gone. From one creator.

And the rule here is simple. Do not think about what others are doing. Focus only on yourself. Watch only yourself. And pay it.

Now imagine something for me.

Instead of a digital download, it is physical. You walked into a bookstore and you stole a book off the shelf. Nobody saw you. You walked out.

I think you would feel the real guilt. And I think you would 100% go back and pay for it.

So what is the difference between physical and digital?

Both were created by someone who spent years on them. Both cost money to produce. Both represent someone's time, effort, and knowledge.

The only difference is one you take with a few clicks of a mouse. The other you take with your hands.

That is it. That is the only difference.

So why does one feel like stealing and the other does not?

It should feel the same. Because it is the same.

Now if you have money, go pay it. Full price. Do not negotiate with yourself on this.

But if you do not have money right now, here is what I want you to do.

Reach out to the creator. Send them an email. Tell them you downloaded their work. Tell them you feel guilty. Tell them you do not have money right now and ask if they forgive you. Or ask them when you can pay it back. Or ask if they can give you a discount.

And trust me, most creators will respect that more than you can imagine.

I know because it has happened to me.

People have gotten my templates for free. And yes it hurts. Every time.

But some of them reached out to me. Some said they did not have money. I told them enjoy it and whenever you have money pay it back. Some had a little so I gave them a big discount. I said pay whatever you can.

And honestly? I have zero hate toward those people. Zero.

The ones I have a problem with are the ones who never reached out. Who took it and disappeared and never thought about it again. That is the part that stings.

Now let me talk about the big companies. Adobe. Microsoft. Rockstar. Getting GTA for free.

Most of us say those companies will not get hurt. They rob us anyway. They charge too much. Adobe is a thief. They deserve it.

And look, I understand that feeling. I am not defending billion dollar companies.

But the principle stays the same.

Because here is the thing. When you buy a product, even from a massive company, it is a one-to-one exchange. You pay. You get the product. And that company has employees to pay. Rent. Costs. Real people behind the logo.

I never saw this clearly until I started my own business. Until I started spending my own money on what I create. And I realized every penny counts. Even for the big guys.

I am not forcing anyone here to pay back anything.

But you know that guilt is there. It has always been there. And it is quietly begging you to make it right whenever you can.

So make it right.

And look. If you have ever wanted to grab Second Brain but the price was a barrier, do not steal it. Talk to me.

If you do not have money right now, reply to this email. Tell me your situation. I will find you a deal. A discount. Something that works. I have done it before and I will keep doing it.

Because I would rather you pay something and feel good about it than get it for free and carry that guilt.

Second Brain 6.0 is 30% off right now. And you get 7.0 free when it drops.

👉 olsnotion.com/secondbrain

Creator? Creator Brain 4.0 is my system.

👉 olsnotion.com/creatorbrain

But seriously. If money is tight, reply. We will figure it out together.

Thanks for reading.

Osama (OLS)

P.S. — The difference between stealing a book from a shelf and downloading it for free is not the action. It is that one is easier to forget. But the debt is the same.

Disclaimer: This Newsletter idea actually came from a recent video by Doros Online that really made me think. If you want to watch it → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGyNzAI--qQ