Where Do You Find Blog Inspiration?
This morning I shared in our Team Meeting, “reading is a great inspiration for blogging.”
- A catchy headline here.
- A top 10 list there.
- Perhaps a sign on a butcher shop.
- Thumbing through magazines in the checkout line.
- Bumper stickers during your commute.
Inspiration is free floating. We need only become aware.
Tonight, after everyone else went home; when the chaos and hubbub of the day was washed away by quiet solitude, I read.
A blog post by Chris Garrett caught my attention. The post explored the personas and pseudonyms we often create when developing online connections for the first time. There are certainly good reasons to maintain privacy, and yet blogging demands your writing to be real.
By being an authentic you there is much more potential for creating real connections with people, and through these connections opportunities and friendships. If you are faking it then you will either be found out at worst, or at best be unable to have great face to face meetings and successful joint projects.
Real people rock. If anything, I would always rather meet an imperfect human being than a fake robot. Be proud to be you, mistakes and all.
It is our “realness” that forms bridges between people.
What do you think? Do you feel you have to hold back on your personality? Does comparing yourself to others hold you back? Please share your thoughts… I’m listening.
Bragging Rights. Who Has Yours?
About a year before Clay Shirky’s recent blog post in which he explores how women are less willing to take risks in self-promotion than men, I had an “Aha Moment.”
Resentful. Angry. Frustrated.
“I know so much more than he does, and yet he’s on stage teaching people about shiny tools he doesn’t use or understand himself.“
“I taught him about Twitter, now he’s on a national platform acting as if he ‘get’s it’ and doesn’t have the balls to even give credit where credit is due.“
“Time after time I submit a proposal only to later discover the guy who calls me for assistance all the time is presenting instead. What’s the deal?“
True to my southern heritage, the social culture of my age group, and a host of other outside variables, I was stuck.
Stop Waiting for Someone to Recommend You
You should know that you almost never find a prophet in your own backyard. The reverse is also true. To be recognized as a credible resource with a unique blend of experience and skills travel is often required.
Social media tools enable you to “travel” without leaving your desk.
A targeted, well defined, strategic social business marketing campaign introduces you to:
- new people
- new ideas
- new freedoms
- new industries
- new skills
- new opportunities
- new revenue
What’s your experience?
Are you sitting in a little red wagon, like I was, waiting for someone to come along and pull you where you want to go?
Do you think self-promotion is rude? When is it okay to brag about yourself?
Share your thoughts in the comments. Together, we can learn to pull our own damn wagon.
How To Write a Blog Post When Your Brain Hurts
It’s late at night and I have to get up very early tomorrow to work on a training opportunity. An opportunity which is a direct result of my engagement in social networks, communities, blogs, and microblogs.
I felt compelled to get a post out the door, however my brain is too tired to provide analytical thought (never my strong suit). You can find tips and tricks all over the place. So, I thought I’d see if I could find an image to capture what’s in my brain at the moment.
The best place to look for visual thinking is David Armano’s L+E Visual Thinking Archive.
What thoughts come to mind as you explore the above image? Are you a visual thinker? Come on over from the feed reader, so you can appreciate David’s genius. Share your thoughts in the comments. It’s okay to be the first. I promise.
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Other Places We Can Connect
