Top 3 Lessons I Learned From #ASKGARYVEE!
Gary Vaynerchuk, also known as Gary Vee for those of you who don’t follow him, is one of the most recognized and talented entrepreneurs, social media gurus, and marketers of our current generation. When I think of Gary, however, I don’t think of those titles that usually accompany his name. I think about somebody who is at the level he is because of his sickening work ethic, inner drive, and passion for what he does and what he believes in, which is what I find so inspiring about him. When I first heard about who he was from my friends I was honestly a bit skeptical because of his intense, direct, and frantic nature and personality. However, after reading his book, #ASKGARYVEE, I just can’t get enough of the knowledge, wisdom, and value that he brings to the table. This is why I encourage all of you reading this post to follow him on all of your social media platforms (instagram and facebook are my favorite), listen to his podcast episodes every time you start your car, and even watch a motivational compilation video of his best talks on YouTube if you’re in need of a direct response to why you’re not a the level you want to be yet. There is no doubt that I have learned quite a lot about social media from Gary this semester through my social media management class, but the most influential and valuable lessons I’ve learned from his book are lessons about life. Through Gary, I have learned a great amount of self-improvement tools to apply to my day-to-day life and success in social media such as hustling, gratitude, and leadership, which are going to be the key components of this post today.
First and foremost, one of the most awakening and influential chapters I have come across in Gary’s book has been “Hustling”. This is a chapter ultimately devoted to informing you that if you want to take your life to the next level, open the business you’ve always dreamed of, and live the life you have always imagined then you’re going to have to hustle, which he defines as devoting every ounce of your mind, body, and soul to achieve what you never thought possible. No excuses, no procrastination, no social life, and no rest, just pure hard work until you make it to where you want to be. He recognizes that people often like to talk the talk about achieving success but don’t walk the walk when they have to make the necessary sacrifices to reach their goals. This is something that has sparked a light in me because it made me realize how many of my goals and new years resolutions I have given up on because I wasn’t ready to hustle, or make the sacrifices I had to make, in order to achieve them. However, I am grateful for this realization because now that I am about to begin my new, difficult journey in grad school I have a new perspective about what it is to work hard and do whatever it takes to achieve something thanks to Gary. If you’re looking for a chapter with some practical advice about how to work your butt off then definitely check out this chapter.
Furthermore, another chapter that really inspired me to become the best possible version of myself is the chapter titled “Gratitude”. This chapter really spoke to me because I learned that one of the best ways to build a successful brand and relationship with a client, or even a community, is to simply show your true colors and express how grateful you are for the people who took the time out of their day to view your content. This could be done in various forms but many companies don’t realize the power that a simple retweet on twitter, share on instagram, or shout-out on facebook live has on a potential client’s mind. This, according to Gary, has an extraordinary return potential because it creates a relationship and “people love when you take an extra second out of your day to acknowledge them.” However, he says that some organizations, such as non-profits, fail because they target people with expectation instead of approaching them with gratitude, which is why they don’t get his donations. Instead, it’s the organizations that take the time to build a relationship and approach him with gratitude that tend to grab his attention. Gratitude is such an underestimated powerful tool that I will live my life by because I have come to learn that if you take care of your devoted followers, even if its something as simple as sending them a free gift box, then they will take care of you by giving you and your business positive word of mouth. However, gratitude should be from the heart and something that you’re not doing just to get people to like you.
Finally, the last chapter in this book that has made a lasting impression on me has been “Leadership”. This chapter spoke volumes to me personally because it gave me a lot more confidence throughout my first journey in managing a smoothie bar and leading a staff for the past year. One attribute that any good leader must have, according to Gary, is that they must be willing to practice and model the behavior they want to see in their staff. This is an interesting perspective because if a leader isn’t willing to showcase and embody the values, beliefs, and culture of the organization, then how can he expect his staff to follow in his footsteps and get the results the company is looking for. As a result of this lesson, I have made it a priority to represent and live by the values of customer service, extraordinary commitment to helping others, and hard-work in my management journey.
Gary Vee is an icon that has been such a positive influence in my life ever since I started following him in the beginning of the semester. Although he is a social media, marketing, and entrepreneurship guru, the lessons I have learned from him stretch far beyond those limits and can be applied to anybody at any stage of their life. Whether it’s building a business, getting that dream job, or taking your life to the next level the key is to hustle, be grateful, and lead by example.
