Get Out. Get Moving. Start.
Action always beats intention.
A dream you don’t have to fight for isn’t a dream—it’s a nap. One changes your afternoon. The other changes your world. Keep fighting.
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The 5 C’s of Social Media Dominance – Part 5
For the last week, we’ve been talking about the 5 C’s of social media. We covered “Content, Context, Clarity and Consistency.” Today it’s time to talk about the final C:
5. Community.
In order to build a community, you have to decide which type of approach to social media you are going to take. And there are basically only three approaches:
The 5 C’s of Social Media Dominance – Part 4
(This is part 4 in a 5 part series, read parts 1, 2 and 3.)
Last week, we talked about the first three C’s of social media dominance: content, context, and clarity. Today let’s talk about:
4. Consistency
Two years ago, the readers of my blog Stuff Christians Like raised $60,000 to build two kindergartens in Vietnam. It was an incredible experience, and it firmly cemented in my mind the power of what a generous community can do online.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution wrote an article about the first kindergarten, and the headline was, “Blogger raises $30,000 in 18 hours.” Technically, that headline was true, but the headline should have actually read, “Blogger raises $30,000 in 18 months.”
That’s how long it really took to raise the money. For 18 months, I consistently wrote Stuff Christians Like. I poured in a million words of the best ideas I could think of into the conversation with readers. Day after day, post after post, with consistency, I jumped into the discussion happening on Stuff Christians Like.
Sunday Summary – Week 25 FinishYear
I’m writing today from Panama City, Florida and the middle of Tropical Storm Debby. (That name is not even a little terrifying.)
Week 25 of FinishYear is over! (It’s not too late to join FinishYear with us! Here’s what we’re doing.)
On every Sunday in June, we’ve been sharing a quick summary of how we did that week on our Finish List.
Here’s my list of goals, and the summary of the progress I made:
1. Make the Quitter Conference awesome for people who attend.
This week I started work on what might be the coolest thing I’ve ever worked on. It’s an idea geared at helping Quitter Conference attendees. Can’t release details yet, but in July we’ll be announcing a wave of awesomeness for the conference. Stay tuned! (If you want to join us on September 21-22, sign up today!)
2. I am going to finish reading 12 non-fiction books this year. One per month.
Last week I finished reading “Ten Steps Ahead: What Separates Successful Business Visionaries from the Rest of Us
3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Done! Not a great week as far as working out goes. We’re at the beach right now and I didn’t work out much.
4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
The editor has the book right now. I’m gathering proof, finding research to back up the ideas I’m sharing in the book. This one is still on track.
5. I am going to finish a box of thank you cards this year as a sign of my gratefulness.
Zero cards. This one is about to get kicked to the curb.
6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
Finished! I’m working on the book of Mark right now.
That’s how I did.
How was your week?
What on your Finish List went well? What on your Finish List needs more attention next week?
The 5 C’s of Social Media Dominance – Part 3
(This is part 3 in a 5-part series. Read parts 1 and 2 for more background.)
Earlier this week, we talked about the first two C’s for Social Media Dominance, Content and Context. Today let’s talk about:
3. Clarity
A few months ago, I had dinner with a friend of mine. He’s a social media consultant. He gets paid thousands and thousands of dollars to help companies with their social media strategies. During the middle of the meal, he leaned forward and confessed something quietly, “I know I’m supposed to be using Google +, but I just don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing.”
And as silly as that might sound, I feel the same way.
I’m pretty sure it’s awesome. I mean it’s Google, after all! Who doesn’t love Google? But whenever I check in or log in or whatever verb you use when interacting with +, I don’t really know what I’m supposed to do.
The 5 C’s of Social Media Dominance – Part 2
(This is part 2 in a 5-part series, read the first part here.)
On Monday, we looked at the role “Content” plays in Social Media Dominance. Today, let’s talk about:
2. Context
I think it was the brilliant Gary V
Dramatic? Of course, but he makes a great point. Context changes everything, and I learned that in a maternity ward in Boston almost 9 years ago.
My wife had given birth to our first daughter L.E. in Brigham and Women’s, a hospital right near Fenway Park. As I was returning to the room with ice chips, the only real value I was able to provide in those first 24 hours, I noticed something out the window. I walked over to the edge of the waiting room and couldn’t believe what I saw.
The 5 C’s of Social Media Dominance – Part 1
Lately I’ve been spending a lot of time helping leaders navigate the waters of social media.
I don’t consider myself an expert, especially since I haven’t put in the 10,000 hours of expertise yet that folks like Malcolm Gladwell talk about. I still end sentences with prepositions for instance.
But I have been swimming for a few years, and I’ve learned a few things. Lots of them by failing, some of them by floating into the right wave at the right time, a few of them on purpose.
So this week, as I work on creating the most intensive guide to social media I’ve ever built for the upcoming Quitter Conference, I thought I would share the 50,000 foot view.
There are only 5 words you have to understand in order to dominate social media. Here’s the first one, with the next four coming in the days to follow:
Sunday Summary – Week 24 FinishYear
Happy Father’s Day! Week 24 of FinishYear is over! (It’s not too late to join FinishYear with us! Here’s what we’re doing.)
On every Sunday in June, we’ve been sharing a quick summary of how we did that week on our Finish List.
Here’s my list of goals, and the summary of the progress I made:
1. Make the Quitter Conference awesome for people who attend.
There were two really cool things that happened this week. First, I talked to one of the three greatest speakers I’ve ever seen. He might be joining us at the Quitter Conference. I should know in the next few days whether he’ll be able to come present. The second thing is that I think I figured out how to give every attendee something that is absolutely crazy. It’s a pretty wild idea but if we can pull it off, it’s going to be awesome. Details soon! (If you want to join us on September 21-22, sign up today!)
2. I am going to finish reading 12 non-fiction books this year. One per month.
Still reading The Art of Possibility
3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Done! I ran a few times this week but did not make it to the gym to work out with weights.
4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
Right now I’m gathering more ideas to put in the book once the editor sends me back his thoughts. This one is on track.
5. I am going to finish a box of thank you cards this year as a sign of my gratefulness.
Zero cards. Again.
6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
Finished! It took more than 6 months, but I did it. I hand wrote the entire book of Proverbs. I’m going to do the same thing with the book of Mark and am already in chapter 2.
That’s how I did.
How was your week?
What on your Finish List went well? What on your Finish List needs more attention next week?
The secret to becoming a professional writer.
(I love seeing graduates of the Quitter Conference like Jeff Goins killing it! Jeff is a writer who lives in Nashville. You can follow him on Twitter @jeffgoins, or read his blog: goinswriter.com.)
About a year ago, I learned an important secret. It’s a trick that all professional writers use to set themselves apart from the amateurs. And it’s the one thing I was afraid to do.
For years, I wrote. I published blog posts and magazines articles. My words moved readers, and I was paid for my craft. And still, I doubted I was a writer. Using words like “aspiring” and “wannabe,” I subtly sabotaged my art. Because I was afraid to admit my dream.
After all, if I called myself a writer, then I’d be responsible for acting like one.
In the midst of this struggle to find my calling, I had the opportunity to interview Steven Pressfield, author of The War of Art. I asked him when a writer becomes a writer, and he said seven words that forever changed the way I thought about writing:
The power of perception.
I’ve confessed before that I’m not a “glass is half empty” kind of guy. I’m a “glass is half empty and the part that is full is full of scorpions,” kind of guy.
Part of the reason I think that way is that people have often told me silly, empty little platitudes like “Turn a frown upside down!” Or “Let your smile be your umbrella.” And I feel like those cheesy, “go get em’ tiger!” sayings can’t possibly be true. Attitude and perception aren’t that important are they?
I didn’t think so until I met a 22-year-old college senior named Santiago who really challenged me. (He’s the same guy that inspired me to start seriously thinking about the importance of mobile apps.) One night at dinner I told him I’d been reading about how high unemployment was for college students. Some studies say that it’s the highest it’s been since World War II. Up to 20% of all college grads don’t have jobs.
Santiago smiled when I told him this and then replied,