Tag: thought leader

CHALLENGE: Binge Reading Blogs

How did Tony Robbins become the Tony Robbins?
How did Tim Ferriss become the Tim Ferriss?
How did Seth Godin become the Seth Godin?

Lewis became a master of connecting.
Maria became a master by connecting ideas from across time.
Paul became a master of speaking, teaching and emotional intelligence.
Ramit became a master of money and psychology.
Pat became a master of podcasting and business by helping others.

We all have our influences in real life and on paper. Titans of our industries. 
But no one starts at the top. (And if they did they wouldn’t have the values to stay there.)

The question is what strategies and insights can we learn from them and apply to become our own thought leaders. How do we get from 0 to 1?  (H👺ll, how do I get from 0.01 to 1?)

I see writing as a direct window into the soul. Our thought process, fears, strengths, ideas — who we are, etched a period of time. (Even lies give us valuable insights into their psyche.)

That’s why I’ve decided to start binge reading blogs of thought readers I follow and enjoy. To know where they started, and understand how they become who they are today. I don’t want to be Tim Ferriss, or Pat Flynn or whoever, but I want to similar things they have created for lives. I want to be able to learn, create, and connect without being encumbered by if I’ll be able to pay rent next month.

Of course a blog is just a piece of their life, but even a small slice of what it takes to be successful is enough to create radical change in our lives.

And I figure, If I’m going to binge something, might as well make it something that improve my life and makes me a better person. (… …. okay fine fine, I’m still going to binge Stranger Things too. 🙂

Here are 5 ground rules I’m following:

1. I am binge reading at most two blogs at a time. (Two because I want to find connections and correlations between the two influencers) 
2. I will read every relevant post, but if they seem useless to my life I’ll skim them.
3. Any time a blog sparks an idea, be that a writing prompt for Renaissance Life or an idea I can use for my work (at 60Watts, boldsheep, Pass It Down or Paul) I will immediately start working on the idea until completed.
4. If any blog post mentions something I should do (action steps) I will immediately do it before moving on. Whether that’s a challenge, business advice, or anything that resembles increased happiness and wellbeing.
5. Some Influencer don’t JUST have a blog but a podcast, books or other areas of interest. I will binge those as well.

I’m looking for patterns, insights into life and how they become who they are today.

If I am every going to be worthy of the title of a Renaissance Man, I’ve got to learn from the best.

I’m starting with Ryan Holiday and Tim Ferriss.

Here’s a list of people I know I’ll want to read of the top of my head:

Ryan Holiday
James Altucher
Pat Flynn
Ramit Sethi
Brain Pickings
Seth Godin
Hugh Macleod
Tim Ferriss
Chase Jarvis
Lewis Howes
Penelope Trunk
Copyblogger (Brian Clark)
GrowthLab

Feel free to make any suggestions to any influencers you enjoy in the comments below or via email. (I’ll periodically update this list)

I’ll keep you updated on my binge reading journey as I go.

Join me on this CHALLENGE —  if your crazy like me.

Keep Pursuing,

— Josh Waggoner

Becoming a Thought Leader

Have you noticed the butt-load of people out there trying to build their personal brand without actually living what they’re saying?

I don’t think it’s possible to be great influencer without doing what you are preaching. (I’m telling myself this more than anyone else)

Are you trying to be your own version of GaryVee? How about Seth Godin, Sophia Amoruso, or Tim Ferriss?

Well, then you better d🙉mn well be creating your own business and doing the work.            

Love or hate his in-your-face personality, GaryVee’s created a $100+ million dollar agency. And that speaks volume. In fact, he’s said so himself — his highly successful personal brand is his side-business.

Without the practice behind the preaching, it’s all icing and no cake. (The first bite is amazing but immediately downhill from there)

I can self-help you all day, but if my strategies don’t work for my own life, how could I possibly think they would work for yours?
Arrogance is not confidence.

How can we teach business without having a successful business of our own? (Or even a failed business of lessons learned?)

How can we teach anything without the experience to back it up?

If you want to be a thought leader like I do, you can’t just say it — you’ve got to live it.

Q: How are you living it?

Thought leadership requires practicing what you preach.

(And I think you have to have a balance of both practicing and preaching)

I can see three approaches to becoming a thought leader (two good, one bad): 

  1.  Preach what your learning
  2.  Preach what you’ve learned
  3.  Preach what you’ve heard.

The first two require incredible amounts of energy and thought, but are well worth it by the amount of influence, connections, and success you will create.

The last might get you a following, but it won’t be real. Your following will only consist of other shhmoe’s trying to do the same thing. (#followforfollow)

I don’t label myself as a Renaissance Man, instead, I see my mission as becoming a Renaissance Man — there’s a big difference.

One says I’m there. I’ve made it. I’ve got nothing left to learn. (closed-minded and destined for mediocrity.)

The other says this is a lifelong journey. It’s not about becoming the dream, it’s living towards the dream.

Remember: If you want to be a thought leader, go out there and live.

Keep Pursuing,

— Josh Waggoner

 

Influence

“An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching”

— Gandhi

“
We’re so engaged in doing things to achieve purposes of outer value that we forget the inner value, the rapture that is associated with being alive, is what it is all about.”

— Joseph Campbell