Like everyone else on the face of this earth (and a few preppers in their subterranean bunkers) I’ve been on lockdown for, what, 900 years. As a long-time ‘from home’ worker and natural introvert, it’s not that big a deal for me. The annoying part? My thankfully healthy family being home is messing with my routine. And that’s my biggest tip for anyone stuck working from home: create, and keep, a disciplined daily routine.
But this post is not about that. It’s about going big when you’re feeling a little small.
Let’s face it, if you’re used to heading into the office to spend the majority of your waking hours at work, a lot of your personal sense of self is wrapped up in all the little things that come with it. Where you park. Your ability to go to lunch anywhere you want. Being able to say ‘sure, let’s grab a drink’ whenever you feel like it.
All of those things are proof of personal power within your life. And if you’re not getting to do those things, you’re probably not feeling great. External authorities are telling you where you can and can’t go, how close to stand to others, and even something as personal as how often to wash your hands. How annoying (and prudent) is that?
My big recommendation in such “I feel small” situations is to go big. I mean really big. Do something you’ve always wanted to do, but never have. Grab that ‘some day’ goal and start chipping away at it however you can. Now this could be something personal, like creating an itinerary for the ‘around the world’ trip you’ve always wanted to take, but for maximum ‘I HAVE THE POWER’ effect, go for something that allows you to level up your career, and (dare I say it) personal brand.
Need an example? Start a podcast about a very specific niche in which you’re truly interested or expert. Having a podcast allows you to contact experts, learn from them, and share all of it with a like-minded audience. And having a podcast of your own is a tremendous ‘level up’ unlock.
Yes, there’s a lot of tech stuff involved, but there’s also a massive amount of help available out there just waiting for you. You could literally learn everything you need to learn about podcasting, from what equipment you may need to how to get and schedule guests, just by tapping into the YouTube. That’s exactly how I got started, and this week saw the premiere of my 91st episode of the NONFICTION BRAND podcast featuring a guy I never met in meatspace who’s the Founder of Bonjoro, a really cool one-to-one video via email service. Oh, and he’s from Sydney, Australia. Talk about leveling up.
Another suggestion? Live-streaming. It’s amazing what you can do for ZERO dollars when it comes to this rapidly exploding communication style. And frankly, that’s my ‘go big’ lockdown level up. Since March 5, I’ve done (to date) 74 consecutive daily livestreams to YouTube Live, Facebook Live, and Twitch—as I write, in real time, a new book entitled NONFICTION BRAND—Discovering, crafting and communicating the ‘completely true / completely you’ brand you already are.. THAT IS INSANE. But we live in INSANE times, so why not go with it, and dance to the COVID-19 music.
Bottom line: Lockdown got you down. Get up, and go BIG.
– DP Knudten
