I recently shared a project with a friend and they were startled. They had never seen the project even though I had been working on it for several weeks. Apparently all the information bouncing around in my head doesn't magically get sent out to the rest of the world. So I had to really think about why I don't post more frequently. I help people with their own projects in the forums and in real life. But I never write about my own. Why is that?
I started with excuses.
I work in isolation with no local cohorts so no one cares and no one loves me and no one wants to hear about my projects. I saw myself as humble, "I'm so simple that no else is interested because all the things I do are so simple" and overly specialized, "I'm probably the only person on earth working on this problem." I also told myself that no one wants to watch an old man move randomly between disconnected sections of various industries. And there's my favorite I'm not pretty and I sound funny excuse.
Like any design problem, I let these initial thoughts percolate a few days. My second take on the situation is totally different. I am actually a vain, egotistical snob that waits for perfection because I'm afraid the project might be too simple and people might laugh at me because I get excited about such a simple project. Of course the project never achieves perfection so I never post about it.
Both those thought patterns are legitimate, if unhealthy, so how could I overcome them both and be a more productive member of my community.
My current solution is to: "Treat it like a freakin job." I will move mountains to make things happen for my clients and coworkers. I will share and teach and learn and question and build teams and communication channels between traditionally conflicted departments. My coworkers seem to appreciate it, some even like me, and our resulting products are well received.
So if I think about those faceless, anonymous people out there in internet land as real people, much like my coworkers, maybe I can apply the same principles to my interactions (posts, videos, tutorials etc.) as I do when I worked with people in real life. And if they already know or think it's simple or ugly, they can leave the boardroom (page) any time they choose - they don't have to endure the entire meeting.
While I was working on this deeply complex emotional issue that was so negatively affecting my production levels, two IRL people asked for my help. These are two of the smartest people I know, both experts in their fields. I can't even begin to do what they do, but the problems that were stumping them were simple for me to solve.
That made me realize some more stuff: I'm not smart but I'm not stupid, I'm not gifted but I have genuine skills, I helped people who have helped me, I didn't feel smart or stupid while doing it - just normal. That's kind of what normal people do for each other. I'm much like all those other people that post their work and share their skills and knowledge. They are not all brilliant or super gifted, they are just normal people who are so engaged with their current interest that they share freely with the rest of the world. And they are so helpful that I search them out, I soak up their knowledge and a few days later claim it as my own.
So if I continuously take from these people, and my life is better because of their work, it is really kind of selfish of me not to share something in return. I watch slick videos of finished projects with high production values, then watch jittery videos of awkward first attempts by people who are just learning a skill. And I think well of both types of people. They share and they help me. Why am I hesitant to do the same for them.
Maybe if I just post some stuff, frequently post stuff, any kind of stuff, about any of my seemingly unconnected interests - and explain it in my own quirky way, maybe I can help some people who are smarter than me, or less knowledgeable than me, different than me but exactly the same as me.
It seems simple enough, and now is a good time to start.
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