There are no new ideas, and it’s painfully obvious.
Where did all the rebels and the dreamers go?
The past 28 days of my career hiatus have been pretty eye-opening.
I took a step back from social media, I recoiled from the hustle life, and tried to put ‘planning and learning’ above ‘doing and grinding’.
It was a huge change of pace for me, and it’s given me some big things to think about, it terms of my career, what it means to run a business, and what my life purpose is.
I played a lot of video games, trained a group of freelancers, prepared them for world domination, made a business plan, and hunkered down to read.
A lot.
After putting down this immaculate book series, I got into gear to start planning my triumphant return to business.
This meant articles, social media posts, and speaking very loudly about topics that ruffle feathers.
For this reason, I turned to Medium, LinkedIn, Reddit, and Facebook to see what was on peoples’ minds.
So I could write something that would get people talking. Something that made people feel heard.
Something that mattered, something that nobody was talking about. Or they were talking about it, but not quite in the way that reflects on how people are really feeling, and what they’re really thinking about.
However, after slogging through the content marketing article thought-piece minefield, I was stuck.
The gigantic disconnect between the industry veneer and the everyday people…feels very, very, very large.
Does it feel that way for you too?
There are no new ideas, and it’s painfully obvious.
Ideas are cheap, execution is expensive, and the abundance of cheap ideas I’ve seen over the past 28 days has been absolutely mind boggling.
The LinkedIn Thought Leader posts where people neither Lead nor Think, and Medium burps about 50 Ways To Supercharge Your Productivity, just don’t cut it anymore, guys.
Mine either.
They’re tired, dated, old, and not relevant.
Worse than that, these types of lukewarm social posts and articles are coming at a time where political upheaval is a real thing, 1 in 4 Americans refuse healthcare because of the cost, and America is in a crisis that this Tomi Lahren remix certainly can’t fix.
I have to honestly ask everyone who keeps writing these types of articles without touching on what’s really going on in the world a very serious question here, please tell me:
Where have all the rebels and the dreamers gone?
People like Ted Bauer are always keeping it fresh with their Realness. He’s not the easiest glass of water to drink, but boy if his writing isn’t a rebellious palette cleanser.
I’ll always go to bat for companies like And.Co who provide actual solutions for freelancers and small businesses. They’re dreamers. They go out of their way to help.
ZenLeap continues to try to fight the good fight and push back against bogus hiring practices, and I’ll always stan them.
The clients I’m reconnecting with in with February and my current roster are always people I’ll fight for, because I believe in who they are, their causes, and what they do as being vital, valuable, and helpful.
They’re rebels and dreamers, all the same.
But when other people keep on chugging on the Tech-Hype Hustle-Life Train without a lick of self awareness when all this shit is going down, I really have to wonder about this little bubble tech professionals live in.
Don’t get me wrong. The most popular posts on Medium right now are socially conscious, have to do with ethics and AI, and are meaty, weighted, and valuable.
But the other stuff? You know, the stuff I basically should be writing to get more leads, versus whatever the hell this is?
The popcorn entrepreneurs are snacking on while they try to do the impossible: be rebels and dreamers?
It’s not very helpful, and it’s a bit more than just tone deaf.
Clearly I’m a hypocrite because I’m financially solid enough to ditch freelancing for 30 days.
Touché. However.
It’s not lost on me that I had the privilege to not work for nearly all of January, believe me.
Forgoing income isn’t something really just anybody can do, simply because they want to figure out their business and are stressed out to all hell.
I’m aware. I’m aware of what working for myself gave me, painfully aware. I’m very aware of what tech has given me.
And perhaps like a dog biting the hand that fed me, I’m chewing on the gristle a bit too hard.
But there was a point to stepping back, not just for the sake of my own sanity, but so I could be present and measured, planned and learned, steeled and strong enough to solve at least one of the problems I see swirling around that keeps not being fixed despite people like me bitching about it:
Employment and Work Culture.
(Sassy gals incoming on February 1st, here’s your heads-up.)
I read a whole book series that is arguably about togetherness, overcoming, and yeah, dreaming up your destiny.
It changed my life. It refocused my thoughts.
I can’t possibly understand why in this current point in time hollow business adages, new-old-tired-bleh productivity hacks, Thought Leader Vomit, Best Practices We’ve Already Read About, The State of Design, Startups that don’t solve an actual problem, and new apps that nobody wants, needs, or cares about are worthwhile things to waste your time on.
What is your business doing that is different than anyone else?
What is your Startup doing that is working to solve a real human problem, a real human need?
What is your product doing that will delight people, make them happy?
What is your service doing to educate people, help them build skills, help them get better at a hobby or craft, or bring them success in their own ventures?
Why does your writing matter, what does anyone get out of it other than yourself, and how does it change lives?
(Please consider the entire context of this post before you think I’m after you for your writing, social posts, or your blog articles, please read for context, please try to understand.)
What is your business doing to help your employees live, grow, succeed, and flourish?
What are you doing to make a lick of a difference, to leave your mark, to help people, to offer a real solution that saves someone time, money, their sanity, helps people, teaches people, makes them laugh, or otherwise?
With the way the world is now, does it even matter if you made a magical new SaaS product that helps streamline Sales Funnels?
There are already copious solutions for that, and unless your’s is obviously the best choice and your company is a Solid Bro and treats consumers and employees better than really anybody else ever, who the fuck cares?
And if that’s you, we want to talk with you, because I haven’t heard about you yet, and we should probably get your marketing sorted.
Ok, Kira. Stop Grandstanding. Get to the point already, gawd you’re insufferable.
If you’re not actively trying to be a solution that people really need (you know, give value)…then you’re part of the problem.
Is that a nebulous point? Possibly. Am I trying burn all money, destroy capitalism and business-shame everyone who reads this article?
You’d think so, but no.
Because I’m a part of the problem too. Now, I’m trying…not to be.
So, what are you going to do about it?
If the answer is you are doing these things, you’re trying to figure out, I just confused you, or you got a kick out of this rant, but you don’t hate me: cool.
You’re thinking and trying, and that’s amazing. And you don’t hate me because you understand that none of the above was about you. Clearly, it’s not.
If the answer is you’re mad at me, thanks. That means I should give you a wide berth anyways, because the point flew over your head and went into a black hole.
I’m going to be over here trying to be the change I wish to see in the world, posting about things that bring joy, bringing The Realness, raising up my team, and helping like-minded businesses create and do amazing things.
Ciao.
Kira Leigh is a snarky marketing nerd, writer, and artist. See her work here and send her a message if you want to work together with her amazeballs team.
Special thanks to Renato P. dos Santos for his continued support.
