Two of the greatest communication tools that have changed my life are Twitter and blogging. I would give up just about every other communication tool before I gave up these. I feel really sorry for people who don’t participate actively in Twitter or blog. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard some variation of “I don’t have anything to say.” Or the more popular trend that social media and information overload are ruining our minds.
4 years ago in January I first signed up for Twitter. In those 4 years I’ve posted more that 14,000 updates and gathered just over 10,000 followers. 4 years ago this month I started this blog. I’ve posted more than 800 posts and generated almost 3,000 comments.
But that’s not the point. The numbers have nothing to do with why I do what I do and why I’ve done them relatively consistently that whole time. It’s because of all of you. You guys are awesome.
(There are far too many awesome friends to highlight here but just a small sampling to give you a flavor of the raw unfettered awesomeness I experience everyday.)
- I never would have met and then hired @jasonmoriber. And I wouldn’t have got my current job if @researchgoddess hadn’t been following me.
- The awesomeness duo that is @iizliz and @lizasperling (the way too awesome inventors of the #tacpac).
- The really cool friends I’ve still never actually met like @LenKendall and @ScepticGeek.
- The former colleagues that I sadly no longer work with but still get to “see” everyday like @MiaD, @jeremymeyers and @johnweiss.
- The super amazing friends that still keep things going without me in Boise like @foster208, @jessflynn @mark_solon.
- And the wonderful Seattle people I don’t get to see enough despite living in the same area with like @shaunacausey, @kenji_o, @Weave and @heidimiller.
I could go on and on.
Participating in the broader conversation, even when by asking questions, giving my opinion, sharing links to cool things I find have fundamentally changed me for the better in ways I could have never done on my own.
I’m nothing special. But I’ve been able to accomplish some pretty awesome things because all of you provide the insight and knowledge I need to do the things I do. I’m just a synthesizer of the communities knowledge.
People ask my how can I be as active as I am in social media and still accomplish everything I do? The fact is, I wouldn’t be able to accomplish the things I do if I didn’t participate in social media. Social media isn’t a distraction it’s my source of power.
Here’s to the next 4 years.
Photo credit by Balakov
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