The Trap of Trying to Explain Everything Yourself
Most people building courses believe they need to create everything from scratch.
Every concept explained. Every tool demonstrated. Every step recorded by them personally.
So they spend weeks making videos that already exist elsewhere, often better. They delay launching because they feel they need to "cover everything." They burn out trying to be the source of all knowledge.
But here's the truth: your value isn't in explaining everything yourself.
Your value is in knowing what matters, organizing it clearly, and giving someone a path they can actually follow.
This lesson exists to show you how curation can be more valuable than creation.
What Curation Actually Means
Curation isn't lazy. It's strategic.
You're not outsourcing the thinking. You're removing the noise.
When you curate, you:
Find the best existing explanation of a concept
Embed or link to it
Add context for why it matters and what to do next
Sequence multiple resources into a clear path
Your students don't need you to reinvent the wheel. They need you to show them which wheel to use and when.
Read: Why Curation Is a Skill (Not a Shortcut)
Embed the Best Existing YouTube Explanations
YouTube has thousands of well-made explanations on nearly every topic.
If someone has already created a 10-minute video that explains landing page structure better than you could, use it.
Here's how:
Step 1: Find the clearest explanation.
Search for the topic. Watch a few options. Pick the one that's concise, clear, and free of fluff.
Step 2: Embed it in your course or link to it in your guide.
You don't need to recreate it. You just need to point to it.
Step 3: Add your context.
Before the video: "This video explains why headlines matter. Watch it, then come back for the next step."
After the video: "Now that you understand the concept, here's how to apply it to your specific situation."
Your context is what makes the curation valuable.
Read: How to Use YouTube Videos in Your Course Without Looking Lazy
Link to Stripe, PayPal, and Setup Walkthroughs
People don't need you to explain how to set up Stripe. Stripe already has documentation.
Same with PayPal. ConvertKit. Squarespace. Any tool.
Instead of recording yourself clicking through settings, link directly to the official setup guide and add your commentary:
"Here's Stripe's walkthrough for connecting your bank account. Follow it, then come back and we'll test your first transaction."
This saves you hours of recording. And it stays accurate even when the tool updates its interface.
Your role isn't to replace documentation. It's to tell people what to do with it.
Read: When to Link to External Resources (And When to Explain It Yourself)
Organize Trusted External Content into One Clear Path
The internet is full of great content. The problem isn't availability. It's organization.
Your students are overwhelmed by options. They don't know:
Which tutorial to follow
What order to do things in
What's essential and what's optional
That's where you come in.
You're not creating all the content. You're creating the path.
Example structure for a course on setting up a landing page:
Step 1: Watch this 8-minute video on landing page structure
Step 2: Read this article on writing headlines
Step 3: Use this Squarespace template
Step 4: Follow Squarespace's setup guide (linked here)
Step 5: Send me your draft for feedback
You curated five resources. You sequenced them. You gave context. You removed decision fatigue.
That's the product.
Read: How to Build a Course by Organizing What Already Exists
Your Value Is Selection, Sequencing, and Context
Here's what your students are actually paying for:
Selection: You've already done the research. You've tested the tools. You know what works and what wastes time.
Sequencing: You've organized everything into the right order. Step 1 before Step 2. Foundation before advanced tactics.
Context: You explain why something matters, when to use it, and what comes next.
That's your unique value. Not the raw information.
Trying to recreate everything yourself doesn't make you more valuable. It just makes you slower.
Read: Why Students Pay for Curation, Not Just Information
When to Create and When to Curate
You don't curate everything. Some things you should still create yourself.
Create when:
No good explanation exists
Your specific process is the value
You're teaching something personal or non-standard
Context alone isn't enough
Curate when:
A better explanation already exists
The concept is universal (not unique to you)
Official documentation is clearer than anything you'd make
You'd just be repeating what's already available
The goal isn't to avoid work. It's to focus your work where it actually adds value.
Read: The Create vs. Curate Decision Tree
Bottom Line
You do not need to explain everything yourself.
The internet is full of great explanations, setup guides, and tutorials. Your job isn't to replace them. It's to organize them into a clear, actionable path.
Embed the best YouTube videos. Link to official setup guides. Add your context, sequence, and judgment.
Your value is in selection, sequencing, and context. Not originality for its own sake.
Curate first. Create only when curation isn't enough.
That's how you build faster, stay sane, and deliver more value.