67: You’re professional when you get paid for it

You're professional when you get paid for it

As a kid when you were selling juices, slices of bread, sports cards or traded your undesired birthday present against something cooler with more value you were acting as a merchant and a very clever person.

When I was kid I didn’t think of selling things. I had soccer in my mind all the time: from primary school on. Homework was important but getting out of the house was more important. On the weekends, I spent the whole day (7am-7pm) on the soccer field, only paused by a Döner Kebap break at noon.

Selling your workforce

Later on in high school, around 16, I started distributing newspapers and other kinds of papers — every Saturday morning. It was tough work but it was my first self-made money. Obviously, pocket money from my parents didn’t count. I don’t remember how much I made on this day but for those 6-8 hours it probably was less than 100 Deutsche Mark (the former currency in Germany). Read More

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66: You accomplished nothing

You accomplished nothing

Your past achievements are worth nothing because what drives you today is what you’re doing now and after. Today and what will come is the only thing that counts. Use today to prepare for change so you’re well equipped for tomorrow’s world. This is what you do every day: change and prepare for change. This change will make you become an amateur again where you start from scratch.

Accordingly, you have not achieved a single thing (even if you did in other fields). It doesn’t count. Your past version, the one from yesterday or 10 years ago, has become irrelevant. Read More

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65: Lessons learnt in week 13

Lessons learnt in week 13

It’s the end of the week, and time to sum up the #weekdaykickoff. This is what you learnt.

No rockstar, no audience

You want to please everyone, you’re not pleasing a single human soul. Potentially you are able to engage people with your content. You have what it takes to build momentum and have their attention — potentially. This is are only quick and dirty affairs. You’re not engaging for the long run.

If you consider your content curation like a TV program where the audience is used to particular times and dates for the publications, think of becoming that channel with a new episode every Wednesday at 5pm CET. However, you engage with your audience around the clock, of course. New content is only the means (or excuse) to continue the conversation. Nourish the conversation so it doesn’t dry it or starve.

The editorial calendar I shared as an example with you should be your best start to conquer your audience.

Read More

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