Content is our Responsibility

I recently had an epiphany of sorts. Last November I left my job of 13 years. I talked a bit more about this in detail in my last post. So I wont dive deep into that here however, trying to forge my own path has led to new questions. And it has forced me to really face who I am and who I want to be.

One thing that has become apparent is that in this present day attention economy, one needs to utilize content in order to bring attention to their product and skillset.

For me that has been a bit frustrating because while I have wanted to really dive into making content, I’m also retooling my skillset and building digital products and services from scratch. This means that I don’t yet feel like I have the expertise to sit online and pose as some sort of expert that can build a brand around “being THE expert”.

Imposter syndrome is a Bitch because it makes us forget all the things we are already good at. Truth is I have years of knowledge that make me uniquely qualified to build the things I’m building and offer the services I offer. Everything doesnt have to be a one for one.

One thing that we are all amazing at however is eing ourself

I always like to say “I presently Am the Man I’m supposed to Be”

Meaning, at this very moment the person I am is not a mistake, it’s who I should be. If I don’t like that person than I have the very same moment to make a choice to change and then the statement becomes even more true.

We seem to be constantly on the hunt to be someone else instead of who God has already made us. The human being that has been crafted through our lived experience in order to shine a light for others. Matthew 5:16 says:

If you are going to document something about your life, if you are going to share it with the world than really share yourself in a way that shows the good work the Lord has done through you

I was recently listening to a clip from David Shand’s Sleep is for Suckers Podcast and he talked about a different perspective on podcasting (and i’m paraphrasing):

sleepis4suckers

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• Podcasting is not about making money

• its a responsibility to leave something documented for your kids

• Leave your children something so they can hear your voice

He talked about how brilliant his father was and the wisdom he gave, but now that his father is gone he will never get to hear that brilliance again.

This really resonated with me and got thinking of my own father who is know in a nursing home with Frontal Temporal Dementia. He was is a God fearing man. He met all of these amazing people during his life. While studying at MIT He went to church with and learned karate from Ronald McNair (the 2nd Black astronaut to go into space).

Him and my mother had Ninoy and Corazon Aquino over for dinner at their home in Boston right before Ninoy flew back to the Philippines knowing he would be killed.

I wish I could have a moment of my father being lucid and compliant enough to share those stories now so that I could record them to playback for my children and grandchildren.

But alas, I have stories too. Stories that are part of my legacy that I don’t want to fade with my memory or when my life ends.

What if making content was simply about encapsulating your thoughts and the essence of who you are? Making content is about your children, so they always have a way to hear your voice, to hear your wisdom. To tell someone, this is what my dad or my mom thought about x.

I think David is right and as crazy as it sounds “podcasting” or making content in some form is actually our responsibility

Its time to Stop trying to brand yourself and realize that you are already THE BRAND. You have a story worth telling You just need to change your perspective.

Who are you trying to reel in? Do you even need to capture anyone else’s attention in the first place, or just focus on telling a good and honest story

Build a community that resonantes with you and your journey.

Peace fam.