Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about the title of this newsletter, “Fill your head with good stuff.” The purveyor of those words is author and speaker, Tim Sanders.
I met Tim years ago at a conference in Chicago called “SOBCON” (Successful Online Business). It was a small but mighty conference, lots of business owners and entrepreneurs. It was a place where a guy like me, who was working mostly out of a home office for years, could go and learn, network, and get inspired by people very similar to me, yet different. Many of the friends I made through SOBCON remain trusted advisors and great friends to this day.
When Tim spoke at SOBCON his suggestions were timely then, but even more so today. A few of the high points I will never forget:
1. We all experience “rich” moments.
2. It’s important to digitally disconnect.
3. The importance of filling my head with good stuff.
First, Tim shared part of his story from his book “Today We Are Rich”. I won’t ruin that part. I hope you can experience it yourself and read it. I will say, though, he learned some incredible lessons about life from his grandmother. You will too if you read it.
Second, Tim shared how he left his cell phone off on the weekends so he could focus on what mattered most. Digitally disconnecting is incredibly important today.
In the spirit of digitally disconnecting last October, I decided to take a hiatus from most social media. I had been active on several networks for many years. I would use LinkedIn solely in a professional capacity, and I was planning to stay away until the election was over.
I had anticipated some advantages of my temporary separation, but I had grossly under-estimated the potential results. I was happier. I was calmer. And I was way more productive. I envy the people who knew all along that it was wise to side-step most social media and the 24/7 news cycle. Now more than four months later, I spend a few minutes a day on social media with no plans to change that.
I know a lot of people reading this might think “but I need to know what is going on.” It is probably not a bad idea to stay informed, but does the quality of information you get go up when you spend more time sifting through the hyper-tribalistic content dominating social media today?
Today, I am asking you to feed your brain the good stuff and tune out as much of the noise as you can. Then, see what hidden opportunities might be hiding in plain sight. When you hear other people yelling louder, step away, and find a peaceful way to work on being the best you.
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(This newsletter was originally published on February 16, 2021.)
Image courtesy of Kelly Sikkema
