We Love To See A Journey Unfold: Here's How To Share Yours
I had only one goal this year...
to finish writing my book.
The idea for my book came to me in the middle of the night. I was staying at a hostel in Portland, Maine (more on that story here), woke up the next morning and started writing, feverishly. Conviction pulsing through my fingertips. The storyline was there, all I had to do was type.
But then, life got busy. I had recently moved to Boston, and my focus had shifted to settling into my new home, making new friends, and working on my business.
At times, I regretted starting the project to begin with. I made the “mistake” of announcing my intention to write a book on social media, and instantly regretted it. I had inadvertently backed myself into a corner, with people now expecting something from me.
The project felt overwhelming and so far from completion that I began to doubt if it would ever come to fruition.
Every now and then, I would make myself write. Thirty minutes here, thirty minutes there. Gradually, I began to make progress.
One year passed, and there was progress.
Another year passed, and there was further progress.
Finally, after two and a half years into the project, I made the decision to join a writing group.
That’s when everything changed.
I set realistic deadlines and met them. I communicated with my group about the challenges I was facing, and they helped me. I sought their advice and they shared valuable wisdom.
Now, three years later, I have finished the manuscript and am in the process of querying my book, speaking with literary agents and publishers. My goal for 2024, is to hold this book in my hands. That’s it! That’s all I want to do.
I used to believe that sharing my intention to write a book on social media was a mistake, but now I realize it wasn't. In the end, talking about my goals openly, joining the writing group, and hitting realistic deadlines gave me the motivation to follow through and complete my goal for 2023.
Personal Branding Tip
Tell people about your goals. Shout them from the rooftops! Especially if you feel a conviction to to finish them. Then, ask people to hold you accountable.
This can also work another way, too.
Think about something that you’ve been procrastinating on. It can be personal! Maybe you want to launch a business, train for a marathon, or even, get out of debt. You can actually use social media to share that journey. It may feel vulnerable, but it can be highly effective (and rewarding).
Two things will happen when you do this:
you’ll have social accountability to help you achieve your goal
and you’ll create compelling content in the process
@brit_reynolds is a great example of this. She’s being open and candid about how she got into debt, why it happened, and what she’s doing to fix it. She’s grown her account to 43k followers in a short time span, and I predict she will gain hundreds of thousands more by the time she has completed her goal.
People love to follow a journey. We love to see a process unfold. So share yours! It makes for great content AND you’ll also get the benefit of completing your goals in the process.
Personal Question
What’s a goal you want to hit in 2024? What would it look like to document that journey on social media?
Some ideas:
Running a marathon
Getting out of debt
Writing a book
Starting a business
Moving to a new city
Taking the trip of a lifetime
Learning a new hobby
Learning how to rest
Getting out of a rut
Waking up early
Going to bed early
Becoming a tourist in your own city
When you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you build your Personal Brand:
Storytelling 101: A mini course to help you create cinematic videos for Instagram and TikTok. Learn which apps to use, how to film yourself in public, and how to create beautiful content in less time.
Personal Brand Accelerator: A 3-month program to help you build your personal brand. Open for enrollment!
Full Service Personal Brand Development: Work directly with my team and I to build your personal brand. Walk away with a stunning personal website, brand photos, social media strategy, and a powerful, consistent brand message that accurately conveys who you are and what you do. Now booking for Winter 2024.
See you next week!
Anna Vatuone
