“Why I write, what I write.”

This was around mid-2021 Covid had taken over the world with lockdowns being imposed everywhere. I being stuck at home starting to slowly lose interest in studies because of the intense boredom that took over. But, one good thing that happened to me at the time was I developed the habit of reading. The first book I ever read was “Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki. I still remember, began to read this book around 6 in the evening and finished reading the book by 2 in the night. I was literally so indulged in the book that day, that I literally forgot to take note of how time passed. That book genuinely opened my mind and at least made me aware about the world that exists beyond traditional education. Thereafter, once I started reading it so happened to me that I felt the need to share the information and knowledge I learn on the internet and part of the reason why you are reading this blog is because of this book called “Show Your Work” by Austin Kleon. This book has had a huge influence on me, to start putting my work on the internet. A Quote from this book which has stuck with me is

“If you want to be heard, you must first speak”

Austin Kleon

Now, that you know the backstory here’s a few Insights I gained from the book “Show Your Work”.

Insights from the book

• KEEP A MAILING LIST : The people who sign up for your list will be some of your biggest supporters just by the simple fact that they signed up for the potential to be spammed by you.

• You can’t find your voice if you don’t use it.
• Remembering that you’ll be dead soon is the most important tool you can use to make big choices in life.
• Your creative process matters. To connect better with the audience you have to show the process of it.
• Anything that influences you work is worth sharing because that gives the audience the clue to who you are.
• Be open and honest when talking about what you like. Have guts to own it and all the people who like similar things will connect with you.
• Carving out a space for yourself online, somewhere where you can express yourself and share your work, is still one of the best possible time investments you can make with your time.
• Don’t think of your website as a self promotion machine, think of it as a self invention machine. Online, you become the person you really want to be. Fill your website with your work and your ideas and the stuff you care about.
• The beauty of owning a turf on the internet is you can do whatever with it. Your domain name is your domain name and you don’t have to make any compromises. Whether people show up or they don’t, you’re out there, doing your own thing.
• When shown an object, or given food, or shown a face, people’s assessment of it – how much they like it, how valuable it is – is deeply affected by what you tell them about it.
• Stories are a powerful driver of emotional value that their effect on any given objects subjective value can actually be measured objectively.
• What you want is to follow and be followed by human beings who care about issues you care about. YOU WANT HEARTS AND NOT EYEBALLS.
• Anyone who isn’t embarrassed of who they were last year probably isn’t learning enough

These are few actionable insights from the book. Maintaining an email list and a website are probably two of those things I’ve implemented so far. Also, if you are wondering where the email list is Click Here