Blogging is Networking for 2020
Reflections on 2019
“By lowering the cost of creating and distributing ideas, the internet increases the returns to writing.
It’s easier than ever to find obscure ideas that match your interests. Since discovery has improved so much, one outstanding article can help you meet people you’d never be able to meet otherwise. When you engages smart people and curious people, they will reach out to you. Like you, they’re searching for people who improve the quality of their thinking, and once you build a relationship with them, they’ll return the favor and teach you what you know.
The job market is changing along with the internet.”
- David Perell
I awoke today to 10 sales of Reclaim Your Manhood over the last 2 days and a quote tweet from Ed Latimore saying he really liked what I said in a tweet. My life has changed dramatically over the course of the year, but it was no accident. I’m going to reflect on how I used blogging, tweeting and writing to significantly improve my life this year.
Most people overestimate what they can accomplish in a day, and underestimate what they can accomplish in a year. I started Path to Manliness in June of 2018. By the beginning of this year, I was having some doubts as it had only generated a few thousand total hits to the site. My Twitter account was growing steadily though, so I trusted in the process. And at 4,000 followers, it felt as if I was onto something.
Blogging is Networking for 2020
January of 2019, I had my best month ever on the site. And it has only continued to grow since then. I now regularly hit over 10,000 a month to this site. What was the secret to my success? I was persistent in my creation. Rather than obsess over the metrics (too much) I focused on creating more content. I wrote 47 articles this year for PTM. Some were better received than others. The pareto principle rings true here, where about 20% of my articles generate about 80% of my traffic.
When you first start writing publicly, one of the hardest things to do is to hit that publish button. You’ll keep researching, tweaking and refining your work because you feel it’s not good enough. You seek perfection. You fear rejection. This analysis paralysis is holding you back. At some point you have to hit publish and this is especially true when you first start out.
New blogs rarely receive much traffic. It takes time for google to build up trust of your writing. And SEO is somewhat random, so you need to test out multiple ideas before something will catch fire. That means when you first start blogging, you need to pump out as much content as you can, as fast as you can. This will lead to a sizeable catalog of writing for future readers. More importantly, it will be a learning process for you. Here, you’ll learn what titles are the most effective. You’ll refine your writing style. And you’ll begin to hone in on what your niche is going to be.
With over 600 million blogs, you’ll have to find a way to stand out. Don’t fret, only 31 million of them are posting articles once a month or more frequently. Nearly every weekend, I’ll go running at a local nature park. This park has a massive network of branching trails, proving a scenic backdrop to my training. But I gain insights in my observations here. You see, when you run near the parking lot, this can be a busy intersection of runners, cyclists, and walkers. But if you manage to run only a few miles away from the nearest parking lot, the trail is nearly empty. You see blogging as being overly saturated because you’re still too close to the parking lot. If you manage to stick with the practice and go the extra mile, you’ll be amazed at how little real competition there is.
New Connections
A couple months ago, I had the opportunity to attend a writer’s retreat with several other bloggers who you might recognize. Like The Gentleman Mystic, Deeper Thrill, Garrett Dailey, Dennis Hynes and Chief Chuck. This never would have happened had I never been brave enough to begin sharing my ideas and writings on Twitter and my blog. This website has truly changed my life. By sharing my message, I’ve been able to connect with these people who have and continue to inspire me with their writing.
I was merely an outsider looking in 2 years ago. I signed up for AJAC and Ed Latimore’s email lists. I watched Nate Schmidt bring dropshipping to the masses. I started reading multiple blogs that challenged the mainstream narrative. But then I did something fascinating. I stopped consuming everything and began to create like those who came before me. Suddenly their world felt a little less foreign.
I began tumbling down the rabbit hole. And as my account grew, more people began to notice. I learned why the block button is the best button. I got trolled by losers with cartoon avatars. But more importantly, I began getting meaningful messages via email, replies and DMs. To my surprise, these positive messages outnumber the negative by a significant amount. It serves as a constant motivator to keep going. And not just from small accounts, but by celebrities and other content creators.
You see, when you become a creator, people really get to know you. And in a world obsessed with the mindless scroll, cheap processed foods and shallow entertainment, the world of the creator is small. Smaller still when you account for those who share a similar message. So, I began interacting with these creators who have thousands of followers. I’ve even met a few of them and shared ideas over whiskey and medium rare steaks. (They kick you out of the club if you overcook your steak.)
That weekend at the mountain was powerful. It served as a powerful demonstration of what happens when brilliant and creative minds come together to share wisdom, insight and plenty of laughter. It’s also a sober reminder that the majority of the world simply has more shallow desires. And leaving that wooded cabin for a sports bar on the way back home was a sobering reminder of how such people deserve to be treasured for their rare insights.
I know you long for a deeper connection that brings forth more insightful conversation. It’s out there, and the fast track to reaching out to similar minds is by writing and putting your ideas online. If your job or personal life prevents this, consider writing under a pen name or anonymously.
My Life Really Began to Improve When I Started Writing
Writing makes the thoughts and ideas in your mind feel more concrete. And when you begin to write online, you’ll receive feedback and stir up mind-altering conversations. This can lead to immense personal growth and it can be done for free!
If you feel frustrated with your career, writing online is one of the most effective ways to find new opportunities. Start writing today. Write in a journal. Write tweets and pay attention to the feedback you get from your ideas. When you receive popular feedback, go deeper. Turn a tweet into an email or blog post. Twitter is a great tool for gauging popular interest.
Through writing, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of myself and my purpose in life. You probably feel as if you are drifting along aimlessly like a candy wrapper caught in an updraft. Writing removes your aimlessness and provides a path towards your intended goals. It was through writing, that my life began to improve. By taking frustrations, emotions and problems out of my head and onto paper, they made more sense to me. Through this clarity, I learned that many of these problems had solutions. Sometimes, you simply need to write it down, look at your writing and come up with a plan to tackle your problems.
Like you, I have days where I struggle to be productive. I feel off. I struggle to achieve focus and don’t know what specific action leads to being more efficient with my time. This indecision has been a massive timewaster. Then I realized something. Almost every one of my most productive days has a predictable routine. So, I took out a notebook and began writing out my ideal routine. Now, I’ll break from it often, but now when I want to be productive but feel lost, I simply consult my routine and tackle whatever item is in that particular time slot.
I’ve also listed out my repetitive tasks that I do each week. I often don’t feel like doing certain tasks, which is fine. I find one that interests me more and I start with that one. Once you knock out one item, you’ll gain a little momentum and the rest seem less daunting.
And some writing won’t necessarily make you money or make you more productive. I spend a few moments each day, simply journaling my thoughts and ideas. This not only brings a mental clarity, but also leads to many breakthroughs, blog post ideas and significant revelations in my path to self-improvement.
Running Away from Your Problems
They say that people who are long distance runners are running from something. I don’t know if it’s true, but it suits me. What am I running from? A past life. There’s a reason why I consistently warn my readers about the pitfalls of gaming, drinking and other vices. These things kept me in a prison of my own creation
You know you must let go of something in your life that’s holding you back. If you did, you’d be shocked at what you are capable of. I used to spend most of my “free time” with these mindless habits of the average person. I’d play video games, drink beer, watch sports and then come New Years, I’d look back and be rather unimpressed with my progress.
Running is a constant reminder to keep striving for more. It’s not just about staying physically fit. Running keeps my mindset sharp too. And don’t say that “you’re not a runner.” This is your ego talking because you’re afraid of change. Afraid of challenge. In 2018, I ran my first 5K ever. In 2019, I ran my first half marathon. And in 2020, I’m going to run an Ultra Marathon. Don’t be afraid of what you’re capable of. If you push yourself, you will shock yourself with what you’re made of.
Changes for the New Decade
I still have a lot of flaws, but I’m only human. I spend too much time interacting mindlessly on Twitter. I love the banter and interesting content. But I recognize that most of twitter is essentially fast food and books and blogs are the more premium meals that are offer more sustenance. 2020 will be another year where I seek more self-improvement.
Therefore, I have culled my Twitter following quite a bit over the last month or so. Left a couple group chats that were more distraction than anything else. Many of the accounts or people I followed early on no longer seem as interesting as they initially did. Or in some cases, the owner of the account has either sold it or simply changed their message. I’ve also created a few lists to follow more closely than the timeline as the Twitter algorithm doesn’t seem to twist these up for their own agenda.
As I move into 2020, I recognize that certain elements of this decade will not be surviving into the Roaring Twenties. This is a net positive. I’ve left behind a few connections. Unfollowed those who are overly negative or lack authenticity. Throwing out some old clothes and rebuilding a more fitting (in more ways than one) wardrobe.
Change is healthy, and if you’ve never left your hometown, you might find that your old friends prefer you to be static. That’s one of the harshest pills to swallow. Most people don’t want you to change. Especially your friends. They’ll feel as if they’ve been left behind. Everyone supports you in weight loss until you start making them look bad. Lose enough weight to make them envious and they’ll drag you down to their level. “You look too skinny.” Crabs in the bucket mentality.
“We live in a society where mediocrity is often rewarded.”
- David Goggins
You’ll experience the same if you seek any life that doesn’t fit into the narrow dogmatic view that the bourgeois middle class covets. Starting a business is way too risky! They’ll say. You should just spend $200,000 on a college education. This is the “safe” route.
Much of life is insanity upon a closer inspection. Those who take a break from the constant noise of political outrage, sports upsets and drunken weekends will notice this. Bread and circus for Romans. Beer and football for Americans. It takes a great deal of courage to live an authentic life. You’ll face a lot of opposition for simply having an opinion, but no one changes the world by following the flow of the masses.
Closing thoughts
2019 has been my most productive year ever. It’s no accident. I took the principles I learned and showcase in Reclaim Your Manhood, and I’ve expanded upon them. By focusing on consistent content creation, I’ve turned a small little hobby into a business that generates money and forges powerful relationships. This is the outcome of pushing through the initial growing pains at the beginning.
I’ve read more books this year than played video games
I ran a Spartan Trifecta this year
Took PTM traffic from 1,000/month to 10,000/month
Wrote a couple eBooks
Took internet relationships offline
Started a podcast
Developed a system that produces content, growth and wealth
And so much more!
We are about to enter a new decade. This is the perfect time to create a new you. And the best way to do that is to create new, healthier habits. Reclaim Your Manhood is my guide for the young man who feels lost. If you don’t know where to start. This $5 eBook will show you a more productive path to manhood.
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