You folks talk to me a lot about what you’re looking to achieve on the Interwebs.
A lot of times I hear that you want to become a ‘thought leader’, or rich and famous.
But it never, ever fails. If we speak for at least 10 minutes, you will bring up Chris Brogan.
It makes perfect sense. Chris has been working in tech forever, and blogging for years, plus he makes plenty of money talking and writing about large scale strategy that makes us think, “Hey now, I can do that! I should be like him!”
Get Over It…
We all aspire to be successful and it’s normal and healthy to associate these wants with the people on the top of the mountain. But like the man says, none of it happens overnight.
So how can you be the ‘Big Man (Woman) on Campus’ in your own space or place?
Maybe you’re an e-commerce director for a multimillion dollar grocery business.
Perhaps you publish a blog read by 11 people regularly.
Doesn’t matter — the opportunity for you and me to succeed is ridiculous (even in this economy, provided you invest yourself entirely into online/offline networking and problem solving). The power of distribution is real. What I mean to say is that great content + solving a problem + killer distribution = wealth.
I’m surely no Chris Brogan, but people ask me questions and seek my opinion about social and online media every day. It’s very flattering, and my hope is that it’s a direct result of being helpful. Oh yeah, and I get plenty of crap just like you do. Sometimes it’s a jibe, sometimes a nasty Twitter message (go on and check @joemescher — there’s got to be plenty).
OK, wrapping up:
Start something cool, become a local resource for people to speak with directly, don’t fear run on sentences like this one, and utilize every damn social tool out there from SlideShare to FourSquare in the pursuit of your goals (or build a new one — developers aren’t prohibitively to hire!).
Get movin’
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
You know, *I* wasn’t me for 8 years. It took me years and years to get my first 100 subscribers. We all start somewhere. Don’t try to be me. I didn’t try to be the folks I saw in 1998. I just explored, experimented, and adapted.
God. Be me? I’m smelly. : )
Thanks Chris,
That’s a really thoughtful comment — much appreciated. “Just Be Yourself” is definitely the message of the post, glad you took time to read it.
Joe
As someone who has received help from you I wanted to say thanks. It is lucky for all of us that you take your own advice…in your case being yourself = infectiously positive attitude. Now I’m going to go back to problem solving and distribution, or problem solving about distribution…
Thanks Anna!
Keep rockin’ and rollin’ — winwinapps is on the right track (especially with a tenacious exec like you at the healm!).
Chris Brogan remembers where he came from, last year he sat down with me to answer a few questions and told me and every one who cares to listen about his latest book, Trust Agents.
I know first hand it’s not just about people who can help him, I could not offer him much. He genuinely cares for the little guy and is not only a thought leader but a good guy too.
PS. click the link to see the interview.
http://www.vazt.us/index.html?menuID=4&flvID=3
Great interview with Chris, thanks for sharing Seamus.
I particularly enjoy how he says “Brands should grow with us (new/evolving) or stay classic (nostalgia)”.
Cool stuff.