Posted by How do you read Blogs? Listen to Podcasts? Use Facebook? Is it simply a necessary evil, so you can look all-knowing in those marketing and strategy meetings, or are you genuinely excited about the new channels (and new possibilities)? Do you look at (and play with) the channels with one eye open? Are you leery of them? Not sure how useful they are? Or, do you simply read some Blogs awaiting for the moment to scream, "aha, I knew you were a moron!"?
Are you excited to be here?
I am.
And, it’s not just because I love to write, share and explore the amazing new channels of Marketing and how they resonate with consumers. I actually love this space. It’s the reason I don’t take a hiatus in the summer or a break for vacation from Blogging and Podcasting. Taking a couple of minutes every day to put some thoughts down on this Six Pixels of Separation Blog is my break and it’s a mini summer vacation every time I hit the "publish" button. I don’t see this Blog (or the Podcast or Twitter or Facebook) as additional layers of business responsibilities. I see it as my free time to play and explore.
I hope you do too.
If your sole purpose in pursuing these channels is to make money, get a raise (or promotion), cause a scene or make fun of others, my guess is there’s a playground just around the block from where you live with some vulnerable people for you to prey on. No, this Blog posting was not inspired by an incident or an individual. I was doing my morning workout at 6 am, listening to some great Podcasts (Managing The Gray, Jaffe Juice, Marketing Over Coffee and For Immediate Release), and then cooled down (post-workout) by reading through some Blog feeds in Google Reader when it struck me that I am still so excited by everything. It inspires me more and more everyday. It’s not work. I don’t do it to grow my business. I do it so that I can grow as a person – by learning and sharing more and more each day.
Sorry if this reads sappy, but it’s true.
In the span of about sixty minutes this morning (while most were still sleeping in my neck of the woods), the content I was devouring inspired five new thoughts I’m hoping to tackle (four, if you include this one) on this Blog, three case stories for the Six Pixels of Separation book and two topics for me to blab about on the next Six Pixels of Separation – The Twist Image Podcast.
Being passionate seems like such a cliche these days.
That may be so, but it’s still a very powerful personal driver.
Never another podcast episode or article 
Thank you Mitch! Thank you for still being excited and continually providing great and honest content to this playground we are both having so much fun on.
Your post hits home with a little rant I had earlier this week about why people create content. I know that you, like me, create because you love doing it. Yes, it helps you build your business and everything else, but at the simplest level you are doing it because it makes you happy and as you said keeps you excited.
I love this space. I love the people I get to meet, play and work with.
I’m having a blast!
Nice sentiments. I, too, blog personally and professionally because there is just so much to comment on.
And, if you need inspiration, look at your RSS reader, wait for the next new post to pop up and write a blog post around that subject, whatever it may be. I call it “Whose Blog Is It Anyway?” with respect to the fast-thinking show of a similar name.
Cheers,
John Carson.
Love your comment Mitch. It reminds me of a Gloria Steinem quote that I love and live by: “Writing is the only thing that, when I do it, I don’t feel I should be doing something else.”
We write because there is something inside that we need to get out. That, and because its cheaper than a shrink!
Keep writing!
Nice post, Mitch, and very timely. Earlier this week I exchanged emails with colleagues on a list who kept saying that they didn’t have “time to play on Facebook” or “fool around with blogs.” This really irks me! Why do people assume that those of us engaged in social media are wasting our time? Like you, I learn SO MUCH from the blogs I read and the podcasts I listen to (like yours!).
Nicely said. Once you start publishing it is difficult to stop. And passion is necessary because otherwise it is hard work 🙂
For years, I’ve felt like there’s so much to this stuff. I was an AOL/compuserve/prodigy guy back in the day. I started blogging on a WYSIWYG html app in 1998. And now? Now that everyone’s all excited and amped and DOING it?
This is heaven. Now, if only superhero movies would become a reality. Oh wait, that’s happening, too! : )
Nicely said Mitch!
I’m always reluctant when someone asks “What is the business value of _____” (Twitter, facebook, blogging, insert whatever here)
Because well I do get a lot of value out of everything I participate in, in my eyes it’s all an added bonus to doing something I love. Also I love to hear when others feel the same way… So thanks!!
Thanks for an engaging post. I’m new to blogging and I’m noticing everything out there about how to make money with your blog (which is all great, BTW, I mean, knock yourselves out!), but it’s refreshing to hear that there are still people out there doing it because they love it and genuinely learn from it. I can hardly keep up with all the ideas and inspiration I get when I’m clicking through my reader. And that’s what keeps me coming back for more. I like it when all the cylinders are firing…
I’m really enjoying a YouTube video from Dr. Mike Wesch called ‘An anthropological introduction to YouTube’, presented at the Library of Congress a little over a month ago. Wesch discusses social media from a cultural anthropologist’s point of view. A compelling presentation that’s in line with your post re: sharing and building community.
My clients view blogging as a means to an end – it isn’t the revenue generator, but a PR tool that’s part of an often wider PR strategy.
I agree that it should be an enjoyable exercise that helps you connect, maintain connections and develop meaningful relationships over time. There’s where the real value comes into play.
Excellent post. This is the marketplace of ideas – I’m excited to be here also!
I thought that politics and government would benefit greatly from a practical application of this social development so I started (AFAIK) the world’s first open source political campaign. People have yet to catch on and the election is less than 90 days away. Maybe a more worthy candidate somewhere else will be inspired by my effort.