Create Your Own Value
It All Started with a Tweet
Almost two years ago, on March 14, 2021, Marie Poulin tweeted:
“Starting inconsistently is better than not starting at all.
So many folks I’ve talked to say they can’t start their YouTube channel because they don’t want to start until they “have time to be able to do it consistently.”
That’s just a sneaky excuse not to get started!”
I responded, “You’re correct. That’s my excuse, but at least I recognize it. I am, after all, one of the great procrastinators.”
With two questions, Marie called out my excuse, and I haven’t been able to shake the need to find answers. She simply replied:
“Who isn’t being served when you hold back? What wonderful insights + experience do you have that could help others on their journey? :D”
I’ve struggled with the answers to these questions, but they’ve stayed in my thoughts daily for the past two years. Marie’s questions were questions of value: I have a strong desire to write, sharing thoughts that I think might be helpful to others, and a commitment to leave this world a little better than I found it.
With so many voices in the marketplace of ideas, is my voice really special?
Recently, I turned 61, and that has caused me to be a little more reflective as I see my career winding down, celebrate goals that have been achieved, and deal with disappointment because of things that weren’t accomplished. So, I have been asking and answering some hard questions — including the two that Marie asked me.
Not long ago, I wrote in my journal:
“Not sure how much value I have anymore.”
But, I’m an ambitious guy, and not ready to sit in my rocker waiting for the grave. As I stared at the words I wrote, I decided on an answer: I have to figure out a way to create my own value. So, I began to talk to myself as I wrote, and I came up with some answers that I think some of you may find helpful as well.
You Are Unique, But You Are Not Special
At least not now. There are billions of people on our planet and multitudes of voices clamoring for their own unique audience to influence. Everyone wants to harness the power of the internet and social media to make an impact on others, and most of the voices are regular, ordinary people, who have something to share, and can help other people on their journey. For the majority of them, there will be no sudden increase in followers, income or fame. There are just too many voices in the crowd, so it is unlikely any one of us will shine as brightly as we might envision. However, a commitment to step out, bring value to our audience and share honestly without resorting to gimmicks can build something that enriches our lives and the lives of others.
It’s Your Responsibility to Create Something Special
You may start out inconsistently. You may feel that you aren’t anything special. However, if you make a commitment to be consistently inconsistent, coming back again and again with something to share, working on greater consistency, putting in the hard work in spite of the moments of discouragement, you will indeed find an audience, develop a unique niche, and together create something special. But for that to happen, you must nurture the value you have created.
Ask Yourself, How Can I Nurture that Value?
Connect with the people you serve. That’s what Marie did for me, with her two simple questions. After two years of thought I have some answers.
Know who you want to serve. I have made the decision that I want to serve creators and knowledge workers. So, here I am, taking a step to serve you.
Turn your audience into a community. Anne-Laure Le Cunff has done an excellent job of doing this with Ness Labs. She turned a commitment into writing regularly into a community that has now grown to include many others, while continuing to encourage over 50,000 individuals. She has created a space for others to share a commitment to “mindful productivity” in a world filled with distractions.
You and I Can Do the Same
Our reach may not be as large as some, but our impact, even in small circles can be outsized. Often, the favorite voices I follow are not the ones that shine brightly in the spotlight, but the individuals who consistently share their insights, dropping pearls of wisdom on Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, Medium, or some other place on the web. Jewels that are hidden, waiting for someone like me to seize them, nurture them, grow because of them.
It may seem insignificant at the time, like the two questions Marie asked me — questions she probably doesn’t even remember asking, but they have had tremendous influence on my life, and created a commitment from me to bring value to others in similar spaces. Perhaps her questions can continue to have impact, bringing the same value to you that they have to me? Now it’s time for you to decide.
