You are the differentiator. You are the answer. You are the thing that's going to create the true connection with the right people, that's gonna lead to the business growth. But we're so focused on doing what everyone else is doing, following these frameworks so we get more likes, views, et cetera, fluff our ego, that we literally never tap into the thing that makes us unique.
Welcome to the Legacy Creator podcast, a show dedicated to giving you the tools you need to build a profitable, purposeful, and powerful business that lasts. I'm your host, Ashton Smith, a sixth-generation entrepreneur who is passionate about helping you think bigger so that you can actualize your goals and build your legacy.
Let's dive in.
Man, this is another heavy hitter. Woo! We get excited, though, about a heavy hitter conversation. We have heady-heady. We have heavy hitter conversations, like, all the time, though. Like, that's how we are, you know? I literally don't think people understand, like, our normal Saturday or Sunday mornings. Like, when we're all together at Mom and Dad's, we sit in the living room with our espresso or our tea and we just talk about all the things, about life and—you know, when we get together as well, we'll talk about business stuff, 'cause, like, we work together. And so, we're just having all these big conversations all the time. You know, we're just—so we're like, "Let's do our own podcast." "Let's just make a podcast out of this." "That sounds fun."
Before we dive in, Jordan's here with me again.
Aww. I'm back. I'm, like, in every episode now. "I'm back." If you guys don't know me, though, my name is Jordan. I'm the creative director at The Awakening. Ashton and I are also sisters, so bam, you know?
Bam, boom. We're here. We get it done. We're also best friends, so...
Yes.
Yeah. The layers, the layers are there, you know?
Exactly, so many layers. Layers to this. And we're also, like, extremely opposite. Mm-hmm. Extremely. But, like, there's overlap. But yeah. We're like—she's like the sunshine, and I'm the moon. Like, y—the sun and the moon, you know? We're just—we com—we're compatible.
Yeah, like, they have to coordinate—yeah—to work together. Mm-hmm. And so we do that, but—yeah.
But we're also extremely different with—yeah—our personalities. But anyways, that's a little recap on Jordan, uh, as well as, you know, who she is to me. But today is gonna be so, so good. I'm so excited to chat with you guys.
Before we dive in, if you could share two Instagram stories, share and tag us @myawakeningco. Let us know that you're tuning in today. We would so appreciate it. And let's dive in.
So, I think that, you know, this entire conversation was kind of birthed from a post that I wrote for our social platform, and it said, "It's not your job to go viral, it's your job to bring value." And I think that there is, of course, a lot of pressure all the time for those of us who are building our platforms on social media. There is a desire for your content to be seen, to be shared, to get in front of the right people, and there's a lot of education out there on how to go viral and how to create content according to certain frameworks or leveraging certain trends in order to go viral. And by no means am I saying that going viral is, like, horrible and you should never ever do it. But I also feel like it isn't really the end goal, and there are actually some major disadvantages to trying to go viral. And that's kind of what we want to talk about today and really encourage our community to shift away from this pressure to go viral, to be seen by all the people, to get all of the views, to actually marketing in a very meaningful way, because that's going to take you so much further than going viral.
So, you know, the first thing that I really wanted to mention out of the gate, like, one of the biggest problems with going viral is that it often comes from a place that's very self-seeking. And listen, we've all been there, right? I remember when, you know, I first started my blog, or I was running my print publication. Like, I was very hyper-fixated on, "How can I go viral?" or, "How can I get as many views, likes, comments as possible?" And I would open up my Instagram each and every day and I would look at, like, follower count, I would look at these numbers. And not to say that you shouldn't measure your efforts and document your analytics, we do that, but at the end of the day, what do those numbers really mean? A lot of times, we are seeking to go viral because we want more followers, we want more likes. And there's something about that that literally gives us a hit of dopamine—Mm-hmm.—and we feel good about ourselves, we feel good about what we're creating. But then, if that's the motivation, then you kinda get into this cycle where, like, you're just creating for views, likes, comments, and that kind of moves away from integrity and authenticity, right?
Mm-hmm, it takes the meaning out of it. And then the f—the sole focus is just, like, creating for the masses in order to reach the masses and you're not actually talking to, like, the people in your community and, like, creating real connections with people. And when you take the meaning out of it, it's just—I feel like that, that content as well is kinda just, like, uh, lifeless, for a lack of better words, and, like, dry. Like, if you're just trying to create viral content, like, you don't really get any of your own uniqueness in that, you know? You lose kind of—you kinda lose yourself in it if you're, if you're, if that's just your sole focus. Mm-hmm.
Yeah, and I was even thinking as we were preparing for this episode, like, some of the, like, biggest forces or, like, creatives in history, you, like, study—quite a few creatives, especially poets. Mm-hmm. So you might have, like, some examples for this. But, I feel like they created from a deeper place, right? Like, they didn't have like social media. They didn't have the same dynamics or pressures—Mm-hmm.—um, that they could give into. Like, they created, a lot of times, from a place of maybe it was, like, conviction. Like, they felt so convicted about something that they, they had to create around it. They had to share about it. They had to give a speech on it, right? Or they shared from a place of, like, pure passion and, like, you know, like, the true artist and the true creative that, like, they can't breathe and not create. Mm-hmm. Like, it was just, like, such a part of them, but they took the time to like hone that skillset and to actually sit with their thoughts and create from that place. But a lot of times—yeah—like the most meaningful work, especially when we look back on history and we look back at different poets, writers, speakers, whatever, they created from a deeper place. It wasn't self-seeking necessarily. It was for a true, deep purpose, and that is what creates meaningful impact on people. Mm-hmm.
Yeah, and I feel like as well with, like, writers, poets, uh, even some songwriters as well, like, um, 'cause I've s—I've, like, read about a lot of poets and people—uh, they'll, they'll say that they, they wrote for the trashcan. Like, you write and you create this stuff, um, with no real intent of maybe sharing it, but some things do get shared and some things go so viral, uh, that everyone knows about it. Like Frankenstein, you know? Mm-hmm. Mary Shelley, we talked about that in our creativity episode. But, um, you know, she created that story on, uh, kind of on a dare and it has gone so viral, for lack of better words, that, like, we all know the story and we all kind of know of it at least. Mm-hmm. Um, but yeah, if you can create from that, it's, like, it's more of a personal thing. Mm-hmm. Um, it starts, like, with you and then—'cause I feel like nowadays, especially in the sphere that we're in, we're creating so much content and we're sharing all of it, you know? A lot of us, you, you might need to start creating some maybe behind the scenes that's just for you to kind of like connect with yourself instead of just trying to create, create, create, and create more content and create content just for the masses and for p—like, other people. Mm-hmm. Sometimes it's just about getting connected with yourself first and then creating from that place, and that allows your unique voice to, like, shine through—Mm-hmm.—in your content.
Hmm. That's such a layered conversation, because, you know, we're speaking to people that are promoting and marketing themselves online, such as ourselves, but then you have this element of creativity requires, like, space, silence, privacy, and that actually infuses a lot of power into the work. And I love what you just shared about, you know, things being created for the trashcan. Like, creatives, like true creatives, when we look back in time, like, they didn't create for other people. Like, a lot of times it was from boredom or it was from, like—Mm-hmm.—again, just, like, self-expression, but it wasn't necessarily the same level of pressure to create for other people. And there is a balance there for us because, right? We talk about, like, get the work done, create the thing, do the thing, put the thing out there. Mm-hmm. You need that. But also, if you're creating everything from a place of, "I want people to like this. I want people to see me." Uh, or, "These numbers make me feel good about myself and makes me feel like I'm productive, successful, happy, connected," whatever it is, there's no meaning there. And truly when I look at even create—like modern creatives, um, that put on really cool campaigns, the things that stand out to me are things that they've cultivated and created over time behind the scenes. They took the time to do it in private before anything—Mm-hmm.—was shared in the public, and you can sense, you can feel the difference in the work. There's nothing surface level about it. It truly brings depth and it's inspiring. Like, it evokes something within you. It stirs something inside of you. Mm-hmm. And you don't get that by creating to go viral.
So I think the initial question we have for you today is, like, what's your motivation behind your creation? Is it, "I wanna go viral. I want everyone to see me. I want to please people. I want to X, Y, and Z." Or is it, "I wanna bring value. I wanna be of service. I wanna meet the people in front of me right where they're at." You know? Um, so that's kind of the first question to ask yourself today. Dig deep into what is your motivation.
So, I think one of the other problems with trying to go viral is that we think that virality solves all our problems, and I have seen this time and time again, people that have this perception that more followers equals more success, more views somehow equals more financial abundance and growth, and that's not always true. Like, we have worked with clients, we have worked with people, we've had clarity calls with people that have large followings, that have a lot of views, that regularly go viral, and they can't turn a continuous profit for their business. And so, I just want to kind of relieve some pressure right now, around this concept of going viral. Like, virality doesn't, like, somehow make you more of an expert, right? Mm-hmm. Or, you know, qualify, uh, you or prove your worth, value, expertise, et cetera. Like, those two things are not the same, right? And I really think that virality is a fake Band-Aid solution that people are selling to you, selling to, like, the general public, because I think it's easy to sell that on a social media platform, right? Like, it's easy to create an Instagram Reel on five ways to go viral or, you know, five ways to optimize X, Y, Z to, you know, grow your followers, to, uh, get more engagement. Like, that's easy content to create, and some of it is helpful, but I think a lot of it is, like, recycled.
But I really, really wanna hit home on that. Like, virality is a fake Band-Aid solution. It's not a solution to the true gaps, problems, goals that you have for your business. It—going viral doesn't necessarily equal profit. Going viral doesn't necessarily equal customers, right? Sometimes it proposes more problems than actually bringing solutions. And it's also a really good point 'cause, like, I feel like sometimes y—like, I can get caught up in this, and I'm sure, like, some of you out there as well can get caught up in, like, looking to other people and seeing, like, from the outside, you see this level of "success," quote unquote, um, you know, the number of followers, the number of views or likes or, you know, the—the amount of engagement people are getting, and you can see that, and you're like, "Well, like, they seem like they have it all together, and they have it all figured out. Like, they are so successful," but you actually don't know what's going on behind closed doors. Like, you don't know what's going on behind the scenes. So, like, if you're out there and you're struggling with that and you feel like you keep getting caught up in that loop of, like, looking to other people and feeling like you're further behind, like, than they are, that might not be the case. It probably isn't the case. Like—Mm-hmm.—you g—that's another, you know, side tangent, like, staying focused on your vision and—and what you're doing instead of trying to, like, recreate that, because you really don't know how much success they're actually experiencing. Mm-hmm.
Yeah. Like, you can go viral to the wrong audience. Mm-hmm. That's another downside to going viral. It's like you—I was watching this, uh, podcast on YouTube. It was, like, an interview with this guy. I don't even know or remember who it was 'cause it was the most random guest, but he has a very successful, like, Pokemon channel on YouTube. And, um, for instance, he was trying to use YouTube Shorts as part of his strategy to, you know, promote, uh, his—his channel, et cetera, his business, and it was reaching all the wrong people. There were g—uh, a—and it might have been on TikTok actually. It was either TikTok or YouTube Shorts, but it was reaching all the wrong people, and there were so many people commenting like hate. It was just like, "This is so dumb." Like, "Who cares about this?" But there is a unique audience who cares about these things. Like, he—he just was getting in front of all the wrong people, and he was like, "All right, well, I'm removing that from my strategy 'cause clearly we're not getting in front of the right people here—Mm-hmm.—uh, like on this platform and whatever." So, sometimes you might just be attracting all the wrong people. You might be attracting, uh, y—not your ideal client. Mm-hmm.
Yeah, and that does nothing for your business. That's kind of like, you know, as valuable as purchasing followers. Like, it's just a vanity metric at the end of the day. Like, we've worked with clients that have gone viral, uh, with specific Reels. Like, we're talking millions of people being reached by, uh, one Reel, and they actually realize like, "Oh, there's a lot of, like, unideal people that we've attracted and now that are following us," and so they literally take the time to go through their follower list and to remove people that, you know, are bots or people that clearly are, you know, there for hate, or people—Mm-hmm.—that clearly aren't ideal clients, because if you have a large number of followers but a large number of those people are not ideal clients, it directly affects your engagement. Mm-hmm. You may have hundreds of thousands of views, followers, whatever it is, but your engagement is tanking because you're not in front of the right people—Mm-hmm.—and you're creating for people that don't wanna buy from you, so then at the end of the day, what's the point? Like, it's just fluffing your ego, right? Like that—I feel like at the center of virality, so many people just feel like that's going to make them feel significant, but you're already significant. The message, the education, the inspiration, the products, the services that you bring, it's already significant. Going viral, hitting these high numbers, like, that doesn't prove anything. It doesn't make you any more significant than you already are. It changes nothing. T. Snaps for that. Oh, my God. Literally, it changes nothing.
And so, like Jordan said, you know, look at people less and know that you're only getting one slice of the pie. You're only getting one piece of the story. And, you know, even with some of the things that I share on social, like, things just look so much more glamorous than they actually are, and on my personal account, I try to show, like, the context. Like, right now, we're renovating our house, and what you guys see in this frame is like—on YouTube—you guys are seeing, like, a beautiful frame of our house. This railing is not complete back here. Like, we still have missing spindles. Uh, we have pillows, like, dispersed all throughout this room right now. We have a rug that's like half out, half rolled up to try and help with the sound. These are the things that you don't see behind the s—the scenes, right? Mm-hmm. And it's the same thing with people that have large followings, that go viral, that, you know, X, Y, Z. You are only seeing one thing. That does not equal success. That does not equal monetary growth, not always, right? And so, sometimes you can be looking at people, and you can be aspiring to things and people, I was gonna say that are fake, but that's kind of intense. But, like, truly, you can be aspiring for things that, like, don't really matter at the end of the day. And that's what we're trying to hit on here.
Going viral also rarely brings value. And I feel like that's so true, because a lot of content that goes viral is not the most valuable. It's a bit on the surface. It's maybe, you know, like a really funny meme that's like—that's, I mean, it can—I guess that is some sort of value. It's like entertainment, I suppose. But a lot of viral content is just scratching the surface, because I think you can reach everyone at the surface, but you can't reach everyone deep down, like—Mm-hmm. And that's, that's harder. And so, viral content is more so, more than likely on the surface, and you have to decide for yourself and your brand, like, what do you—what value do you want to bring? Like—Mm-hmm.—do you want to go deep? We're all about going deep. Mm-hmm. Like, with The Awakening and just us in general, like, we're, we're not the most surface-level people. Like, we go deep with people. And I also think we, we try to go deep with our content, because we're trying to really bring value, like, that's—Mm-hmm.—that's a number one goal for us. So like, you have to ask yourself, like, you know—I mean, it, I feel like you can, you can maybe sprinkle in some viral content here and there, but like, if the majority of your content is just like surface-level, viral sort of content, like, your brand can lose a bit of integrity that way. And, uh, it also, again, like you lose your uniqueness and your voice. Mm-hmm. I feel like if you're just creating all that viral content, it's just, it's like adding to the noise that is on the internet. It's adding to that, like—it's just all this, like, surface-level viral content, and like what's the point? What's the point of that? Mm.
Yeah, what's the point? Does that really create impact? Like, that is such a good point. You know, we were talking about the podcast yesterday, and realistically, Jordan and I, out of the gate, like we could have lined up a ton of guests, and, you know, guests that have large followings, communities, programs, you know. They have created success in their own right. We could have really gotten in front of more people immediately. We could have created more viral content: 10 ways to do X, Y, Z. 5 steps to take to do this. Uh, you know, how to go viral. How to land more sales. Like, we can do that. We could do that. But we just decided early on that we feel a conviction to create this podcast from a place that is so true inside of us, that plays inside of us that wants to go deep. We are so willing to just go beyond the surface and go deep—Mm-hmm.—and some people aren't willing to go there, and that's okay. We're not going to be for everyone. We could have gotten in front of so many more people leveraging so many different tactics, but that was not our goal. We wanted to cater to the people that are already here right now, and we wanted to have conversations that we truly feel are urgent, are important, really, really, really matter, and really create a true impact and change on people, and that's also our goal with social. Mm-hmm.
Yes, we try to think about, okay, what aesthetically looks beautiful that may attract more people? It's not that you can't focus on that at all, but if that is the entire motivation behind everything you're creating, or 80% of what you're creating, then there's not going to be that depth. There's not going to be that flare. There's not going to be that unique thing that you bring to the table. And, like, that's the, this is the big question. Like, what is it all for? What's your goal? And we are personally so passionate about, like, impacting people, changing people, transforming people, creating leaders. Like, that is why we are here, and you do not change people by telling them 10 ways to go viral or 5 ways to land a sale. There is a place for some of that content, and i—if that's your jam, this is not, like, n—us trying to hate on you or come at you, but it is a call for you to be willing to go deeper and be brave enough to create something that's maybe a little bit deeper or maybe even more of an extension of who you are as a person. I think that you can have a balance of both, but you really need to think about the core motivation behind, uh, your marketing and your content. What is the focus? What do you want out of it?
I can't remember the exact quote, but again, John Maxwell, like, I will quote him forever and ever. He is, like, just a leader through and through, and he's passionate about raising up other leaders in our generation. But he said something along the lines of, like, "Any time I'm walking through a crowd, I go slow, and I talk to people." Like, I take the time to walk slow and to look into people's eyes and talk to the people that I'm walking by instead of just zooming through, you know, that group of people, saying hey to everyone. Yeah, he'd be able to say hello to more people, but if you actually stop and you talk to the one, you actually ask what their name is, you tell them, "Thank you for coming to this event," whatever it is, like, that, like, impacts people, right? Like, that changes people. Even when you're, like, leading a team, the more in depth that you go with the people around you, like, you create more of an impact. So all of that to say, the more depth to your content, the more true impact that you will create. You will transform more people that way at a deep level, right? Like, you could reach the masses. You could reach 100,000 people, but if that only, you know, if that's just a piece of content that passes them by—Mm-hmm.—what was that for? What's the point? What if you create something that's truly valuable that reaches 10,000 people or 100 people, something that actually changes someone or, like, changes their perception of something? Like, isn't that what we're all here for? I mean, it's what I'm here for. That's what I'm here for.
So much of the online space is filled with recycled ideas and content, and that is such a good point because, man, y—you know, you just go on Instagram. You go on, like, the Explore page, and man, you see a lot of content that looks like the same kind of thing, like over and over and over again. And sometimes that can kind of work for people, maybe for a time, but, like, I think that at the end of the day, over time, you're gonna realize that, like, you don't really know those people. Like, I think of, I can think of a few, like, brands off the top of my head that I've just discovered from, like, the Explore page. They're pretty, like, big accounts, and I'm like, "Their stuff is really cool," but I'm like, when I, sometime—some of them, I've really thought to myself, I'm like, "I don't feel like I really know these people, like, behind the brand." Like, I, I feel like I don't really know them. Their, 'cause their content is ver—it's, like, viral sort of content. It's, like, very, like, that's, that's kind of the focus. It's like, "Three ways to do this. 5 ways to, you know, grow your Instagram account." Like, things like that. And some of the stuff is helpful. I've read some of, some of their posts, and I'm like, you know, "This is pretty good information," but at the same time, I'm like, don't feel like I really know you. Like, I'm not really connecting with you. And like, I feel like that's a really big thing for us is, like, we wanna really make connections. Like the John Maxwell quote, like, you want to actually form a connection, not just say, "Hi. See ya," you know? Mm-hmm. It's, like, about, uh, being there and being present and, and connecting with people, and I feel like you really connect with people when you can show more of you through the content, and I feel like you can only do that when you've really, like, connected with yourself first. And, like, that's why I, I feel like I'm such a big, uh, like, what's the word? Proponent? Mm-hmm. That's not a word. Advocate? Advocate. I'm a big advocate for journaling because the way I journal is, like, processing. And, I mean, you gotta find your thing, but I feel like journaling could be really helpful to, like, really get connected with who you are, like your voice. Like, what do you really wanna do? Like, get off the phone. Get off social media for, like, a minute just to, like, connect with yourself and then, like, create your content from that place. And man, people will start to feel like they can connect with you, like they know you. I mean, they don't have to know every detail about you or your life, but—Mm-hmm.—like, they can start to really form a connection, and that's how I feel like you can really create meaningful growth in your business is, like—making the true connections with people. Mm. There were, like, 50 very profound things that Jordan just shared just then. Like, that was so good. And for some of you, maybe your content isn't going deep. It's not meaningful because you don't have a meaningful relationship with yourself. You don't cultivate, create the space and time for your creative process, for your own thoughts to surface, for you to actually notice, what do you actually think? You know? There have been so many times, like, especially over the last one to two years, where I have, like, sat back and I've realized, like, I've been doing something or creating a piece of content, or kind of had, like, this perception about something, nothing major, just, just something small, and, and I've sat down, I've been like, "Hmm, what do I, what do I think about that? I, I actually don't agree with that. I actually don't like that." Mm-hmm. It's crazy to have those moments because it's like, it creeps up on you, and all of a sudden you're like, "Wait, what do I actually think or feel about this situation?" Like, I feel like this goes back to our episode on creativity that we did, it's, like, earlier in the podcast, maybe episode 4, um, but it's like, you can be, like, listening to the noise so much, like, taking in all the noise on, on social media from, uh, even just, like, from connecting with people on there, from, you know, being mentored by someone, you can listen to that. It's just noise. You listen to it so much and then all of a sudden you're like, "Wait a minute, like, what do I think about this?" And you have to go through this whole process of unraveling, like—Mm-hmm.—"How do I actually feel about this?" Mm-hmm. Like, "Am I just feeling this way because of s—of so-and-so or because they did this or they said this? Like, how do I actually feel?" And, like, taking, taking an account of that is crazy.
Yeah, it's like noticing your convictions and your beliefs, and it's not about, like, pointing the finger of like, "They're wrong and I'm right," or vice versa, but it is really taking the time to tap into what you think, you know? This is a really small thing and this is actually a newer thing, but you guys know that we've been really working on our messaging and how we're positioned online, but specifically really catering to our community and talking less about ourselves and talking more to the person that's reading, because that's why we're here, and that's something I felt very convicted about this year. And one little thing that, that I've changed is I, I don't have that line in my bio now, or we don't have the line in our Awakening bio now where it's like, "X amount of people served in X amount of places." Now, there's a lot of people that have that. It's an a credibility or a credibility, like, stamp of approval, right? It kind of showcases your authority, but we actually were talking about it and we're like, "Do we really need that?" Yeah, I was like, when people see that, I'm like, "What is actually the purpose behind putting that up?" Like, is it a way for the two of us to be like, "Hey, like, we're, we're profesh. We have served this many people around the world." Like, you know, like, is it, is it just about us or is this, like—I—if someone goes to our page, like, is this going to help them in some way? And for me personally, this is a personal thing, when I see that I'm just kind of like, "Okay." Like, it doesn't do that much for me. It doesn't, it honestly doesn't tell me that much about you or, or what you do or—it's like there's no real purpose behind that for me, so I'm just kind of like, "We don't really need to have, like, X amount of people served all over the world." Like, we don't need it. It's not a need.
Yeah, and like, it's all about, you know, again, what do you think? What do you think for you? What do you think for your brand? Like, that's not a correct stance. That is our current stance. Mm-hmm. And like, you're also allowed to change your mind. Like, I haven't always thought that or felt that way personally, but I was like, "You know what? Yeah, you're right. We're gonna remove that for now and we're gonna, like, take up that space with something that could show the reader when they find our account, like, how we can help them." The other thing to think about too is you're gonna have people that purchase differently in your community. So Jordan is going to be a buyer that's very tapped into like, feelings, transformation. I'm also the same. I'm like, "Okay, but how is this going to change me? How is this going to transform me?" "Like, give me that big picture deets." You may have some people that wanna know those numbers and details, so it's not say, again, that that's a right stance, but it's something we currently have a conviction for—Mm-hmm.—in the way that we position ourselves online. And the only way we got there was by taking the time to say, "Hmm, what do I think? How does this make me feel," right? "How may this make our community feel?" Right? So again, make that space to actually figure out, like, what do you think and how do you wanna bring value? How do you wanna show up?
Yeah, like, we're here to have these conversations to, like, encourage, empower, like, help you maybe think outside the box, think a little bit bigger, give you guys our perspective on things, but at the end of the day, like, when you stop listening to this podcast episode, like, you're left with you and you have to decide for yourself. You have to think for yourself. You have to make decisions for yourself. So journaling is a good friend to me. Mm-hmm. And it might be a good friend to you. You might need to start journaling some more and really getting in tune with, like, yourself because we're here, we're here to have some conversations with you, but hey, you gotta make, make the decisions at the end of the day. Mm-hmm. That's, like, so much so how we lead through our business and how we work with our clients. Like, we're never gonna be those people that say, "Okay, here's your 10 steps." Like, I'll create a roadmap for you if we're mapping on a project, but, like, in terms of, like, things that require critical thinking, like, we're not gonna make those decisions for you because a part of developing people and leaders is helping you think for yourself, right? Mm-hmm. Like, so that I don't help you catch one fish, but I teach you how to fish for a lifetime so you can then fish for yourself and then you can teach your, your kids and your grandkids how to fish, you know what I mean? Like, we're gonna pass this down generationally. Yes. Legacy Creator Podcast, but—Mm-hmm.—you know, take some time and, and see what d—what do you think 'cause you may disagree with us and that's okay. Like, that's fine, it's more than okay. Um, but I don't wanna just give that example and I think, again, like, just really the next time that you look at content that's going viral, I want you to, to see, like, "Oh, is this bringing me value or did this just change my perception about something? Did this lead me to wanna buy from this person?" Whatever, or does it feel a little bit surface level? A—and just see because I actually have seen some viral content from, like, true artists and creatives that have, like, they're on the opposite end of the spectrum and they've, like, taken the time to cultivate and pour into a project before bringing it to the public and, I mean, it went viral. Like, there were a ton of people that saw it, shared it, whatever. But I think a lot of what we see is viral content that doesn't go deep and at the end of the day, what's the point of that? It all looks recycled. There was a day recently where I looked through my explore page and I saw graphics, I was like, "Is this the same account? Oh my gosh, no, this is 5 different accounts." I don't know who's looking at who, but they all literally look the same. Mm-hmm. I'm like, "I can't even tell you apart." And hey, like, everyone on the planet ha—you all have, like, unique qualities. We're all unique in our own ways and, like, that's what we're talking about here is, like, tap into you and your uniqueness and let it shine through in your brand because that happens all the time. I look at my, on—on my explore page and I'm just like, "Who i—who started this, uh, style? And then who else is copying who?" 'Cause I can just see it, it's like a ripple effect and ev—you know, you see, you look at another account, you look at another brand and you're like, "Oh, this is working for them," and some people they just kinda, like, pick up that same sort of framework and—and the same sort of visuals and they tweak it, and i—it just looks like the same kinda stuff and I'm like, "I don't know you at all," and, like, that—that doesn't help me. I'm not gonna connect with you and, like, eventually I might just, like, not even wanna look at your stuff anymore 'cause I'm like, "I'm not getting that much from it." Mm. You know? I don't know you. I don't know you.
Accounts that create graphics but never show their face, but then the graphics look like what so many other people are creating, I'm like, "But wait, who are you?" "What do you look like? What do you like?" Yeah. I need to know the person. Mm-hmm. I need to know what you think. Yeah. Like, what are your convictions? How do you feel? Like this is—how do you feel? Yeah, like, that's how we—I mean, that's—I feel like that's the point of social media is the social aspect and growing your business through social media is, like, we're trying to actually connect with real human beings. Like, you're a human being on the other side of this podcast. You're a human being, like, there's human beings on the other side of, like, a—a DM and, like, a comment on Instagram and, like, these are real people and, like, you wanna make real connections. People wanna know you—yeah—before they buy from you too, and that's if you're a product, if you're service based. Like, people really, like, they value knowing who they're buying from and, like, what you believe and what you stand for and what your convictions are, um, people like to have that context, like, it actually is a part of the purchase process—Mm-hmm.—like, that can motivate people to buy from you. Like, that's not the point of today's conversation, but, you know, again, it's like we need to rewire the way that we're viewing social and our marketing. Like, you want to share things that are meaningful, not surface level. And sure, if you want like 10 or 20% of your content to have that viral feel to be strategic and get more eyes on your page, the right eyes, b—by all means go for it. Like, sometimes we share things that are a little bit more standard and stereotypical, you can only go so deep in—in a carousel or a caption or a Reel. So, you know, think for yourself here, but I would say don't make it the main focus and motivation because you're not gonna bring value and you're not going to form, like, real connections that way. Mm-hmm.
Amen. Amen, sister.
Alright, and that kinda leads to this other point we wanted to make. We've kind of already touched on this, but, you know, trying to go viral, it really suppresses your own unique creative voice because a lot of times what you're doing is you're following frameworks that promote virality or you're looking at what other people are doing that look successful from the outside looking in. You're looking at your explore page and you're recreating content. I—I know some people that literally have said verbatim, "I saw this. I'm gonna recreate it," and that's like a part of their social strategy. And listen, I've—I've done this. Th—this is no shade—yes—and no shame. Please. Because I've done this before. Like, I've, you know, found audios and I've done the whole, like, face to cam dancing and, like, had fun with it for a minute and, like, that's what I thought was cool then. Mm-hmm. Now I don't really prefer that for our brand, right? And we like to do some different things. Um, so we've all done this, so just, like, we're not coming at you, but also again, we just wanna call you higher and encourage you and just really point you back to the truth that, like, you are the differentiator. You are the significant piece of the puzzle here. Not the viral trend. Yeah. Not the strategy, not the tactic. Like, you are the differentiator, you are the answer, you are the thing that's going to create the true connection with the right people that's gonna lead to the business growth, but we're so focused on doing what everyone else is doing, following these frameworks so we get more likes, views, etc., fluff our ego, that we literally never tap into the thing that makes us unique. We never go there. Woo! She's on fire over here, people. She's on fire. I'm just fanning the flame.
Dude, that was so good. I'm like—you know, I was—while you were talking, I was thinking about how we as human beings, we actually learn through imitation. And I will just plug this book really quickly for, like, writers and poets out there. Mary Oliver's A Poetry Handbook is so good if you're into poetry. Um, but in the start of the book, she talks about imitation and how so many artists, you stray away from imitation because you don't really want to sound like other people, you know? Um, but it's actually, like, a crucial part of—of learning. Like, children, literally they learn how to speak through imitation, you know? They're—they don't understand what "mama" and "dada" actually means, but they're imitating you. They—they are just repeating exactly what you said. So hey, some of that, you know—some imitation might be a part of your process on the way to, like, really finding yourself. Um, like I—like you said, like, we've both been there and I think, you know, I think about myself with, like, my graphic design kind of journey that I've been on, like, in the beginning and even, you know, last year I felt like I was having a lot of, uh—I was spending a lot of time kind of imitating what other people were kind of doing 'cause I saw what worked and I—I didn't know that much. And so I feel like that was a big learning phase for me, but then I started to really, like, hone in on like, "Oh, okay. So, like, this is our vision. Like, this is"—I—I—I just started to—it started to come together for me of, like, our brand and, like, the visuals for the brand, and I was like, "Okay." Like, I finally have kind of reached a place where, like, you know, I found our own unique sort of presence with—with the graphic design and whatever. But sometimes you might have to go through a little bit of that imitation phase and, like, it's okay. We—we've all kind of been there, but we're just kinda encouraging you to, like, break out of that and really start to think for yourself and, like, think about your brand at large. Like, what do you want your brand to really stand for? Mm.
That's so good and I think it does, like, remove some pressure for people that are in that stage where they are being inspired. They're taking inspiration from other people that are further along and I think there's something really healthy about that. I mean, Jordan and I are both inspired by my dad. I can think of a few people that I follow closely on social, literally between one and three that I'm really inspired by, but I think I've reached a point too in my own journey where i—it's true inspiration that calls me to action in my own unique way. It's not out of a place of recreating or imitating. Mm-hmm. Um, but if you're still in that part of your journey where you are imitating some things 'cause you are still learning and—and, you know, listen to this too. We're not talking about, like, stealing legally binding—Mm-hmm.—you know, trademarks, copyright, whatever. Mm-hmm. We're talking about imitating, you know, a pose in a photo or, you know, a trend with your graphics, right? Like, if you're in that stage of imitation because you're learning, like, please just have grace for yourself. But also, like, start cultivating this skill set of creating some white space for you, where you aren't pulling up Instagram to get inspired to create your content, but maybe you actually really like an era of time. Mm-hmm. Maybe you're like, "I love the '70s." Go look at some, like, photography and some imagery, um, or some color palettes and things that, um, were central in the '70s, and, like, take your inspiration from other places. Or go out on, like, a hike or a walk, and, like, go out in nature. Like, my current inspiration right now are my deer. I watch them every day, and probably, like, for way too long. I think this morning I sat out there for, like, 45 minutes—and, like, watched them eat corn. And I fed them, like, three or four different times. So, they've, at this point they've had, like, nine cups of corn, and it's, like, noon. So, anyways, but, like, I'm so in awe and, like, wonder over these deer right now in my yard. And they, there's just, like, these different things that I can take away from, like, a creative perspective that I can fuse into my work. And, um, these are the things that I'm talking about. Like, taking inspiration from different places, so that you don't have to rely on the imitation to create, but you actually cultivate this, like, practice and skill set and ability to create from within. Mm-hmm. That sounds cheesy, but that is truly where meaningful work comes from.
Yeah. Yeah, and if you're looking for a little bit more maybe guidance or more of this conversation on, on this exact—exactly what we were just talking about, listen to episode 4, uh, about creativity. Because I feel like we did a, a pretty good deep dive into creativity, and how to connect with your voice. Like, how to really find your voice in this noisy world, 'cause man, there's a lot of noise. Mm-hmm. There is so much noise in today's world. Mm-hmm. Like, social media, the news, the internet. I mean, the internet allows us to connect with every corner of the planet. Mm-hmm. Every corner of the world, you know? It's a lot. So, I, I would recommend checking out that episode, 'cause we definitely dive into it a lot more. But—yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
At the end of the day, like, we want you to create from a deep place that is true to you. Like, we wanna know who you are. We wanna know what you think and what you believe. And, like, you're not gonna be for everyone. And that's the problem with viral content a lot of times, it is meant for everyone. Mm-hmm. Um, or it's like, so polarizing—Mm-hmm.—uh, and that it takes off. But, you know, we wanna know who you are. Like, your community wants to know who you are. What you think, what you believe, like, you know, they also wanna, uh, receive value, but like, with your own unique spin and flavor, right? So, like, be willing to go to that place. And like, as you do, you're able to operate out of integrity—Mm-hmm.—versus just that place of imitation, right? Mm-hmm.
So, a few prompts for you guys, because again, we wanna call you to action. We don't just want you to listen today.
Amen. Amen, sister. Woo! And so, we hope you feel so encouraged. And we hope this was tough love, but it was really empowering. And, as always, we would love it if you have not yet, please leave us a review. Tell us what you think, tell us what you wanna see more of, so that we can share that and get the word out to more people. Thanks for hanging out with us today, and we'll catch you in the next one. Bye! Bye.
