There’s a level of self-reflection needed when you scroll through your social media feed. When you’re looking at Facebook ads, TikTok recommendations, or Instagram suggestions you’re receiving an individualized experience. Technology has come a long way, but it’s not that smart. These algorithms collect data based on your history and use that to curate your experience.
If you like what you see, it’s probably because you’re indulging in bad habits. When I go on Instagram, my Discover Page is filled with business and self-improvement content. They’re doing something right because I am compelled to view these posts, but I also find myself cringing. Much of the advice I receive is overly general and seldom useful.
I’ve come to accept the fact that I have a false sense of productivity. I’m exposed to thousands of “tips,” but many of them are repeated over and over. Surely there must be some truth to these tips, but I can’t find value in them. It seems as if content creators have read interviews from “successful” people, pulled their tips, and claimed all people will find them valuable without researching their effectiveness.
I believe some people benefit from these productivity tips, but not everyone, and certainly not me.
Rise & Grind
Perhaps the most overused and under-researched piece of advice is to wake up early and chase your dreams. Many CEOs and billionaires do this, so you need to do it as well. Of course, the people who give this advice will also use terms like “passive” income and apply rules from the “4-Hour Work Week.”
Is there any truth to this concept? Yes and no. Studies have shown students are more productive in the morning, but they also show they perform better with later start times. Likely, this means people do well when they’re fully rested. Forcing yourself to wake up early probably isn’t an ideal environment for most people.
We should also consider that many people aren’t productive because they’re up early; they’re productive because they’re up before everyone else. Some people face constant interruptions that prevent them from reaching goals. In these cases, waking up early is a solution, but it’s not the only one.
Do This Before You’re 30
Clearly, some accounts on Instagram are geared toward young and impressionable minds. They’ll feed you plenty of goals to achieve and put a timestamp on them. Honestly, a lot of the advice is great, but that’s part of the problem. You’ll get a lot of recommendations, more than you could possibly achieve in a decade- let alone a couple of years.
Having too many goals can actually hurt you and prevent you from making a lot of progress. Algorithms online don’t care about intentions or plans. When you make progress in one area, they’ll find a way to put another objective in front of your face. Suddenly, you’re reminded of the things you haven’t accomplished rather than the things you have.
One thing I’ve realized in recent years: life doesn’t end at 30. If you haven’t ever coded before, it’s not too late to learn.
Leaders Know How to Delegate
Often, I will see the traits of effective leaders accompanied by pictures of businessmen like Steve Jobs or Elon Musk. Apparently, these men did a lot in their life, such as “radiating positive energy.” While I can’t be certain of the type of energy I “radiate,” I can try to be positive. I can try to manage my behaviors, but I can’t guarantee how others will receive them.
When I read about leaders, I often get some “4-Hour Work Week” inspired advice: delegate. When I consider delegating tasks, I’ve learned it can help me and my business accomplish a lot more. Yet delegating doesn’t always make you smarter, productive, or more efficient. Instead, it makes you a manager. If you want to be a manager, that’s totally fine, but delegation isn’t inspiring. Eventually, your time will be consumed with tracking the progress of others.
Hustle, Hustle, Hustle
Self-help channels and faux-entrepreneurs have a weird fascination with Gary Vee and his hustle-hard mentality. There’s no denying that he’s done a lot of work and built an empire, but he’s also an anomaly. Many of the things he says get lost in his buzzwords, but the buzziest word of all is “hustle.” Through many interpretations, this means put in the work now so you can reap the rewards later. Need to work a 9–5 job? That still gives you time in the day.
If Gary Vee’s plan was that simple, there’d be thousands of media empires built using his strategy. But there’s not, because burnout is real, and overworking causes mental exhaustion. If you listen to Gary talk, it’s clear that he has a natural interest in business; it’d be a hobby if he was working 9–5. For most people, this is just work, and spending all of your free time on a side hustle is a recipe for disaster.
Pay Me For the Years, Not the Minutes
There’s a weird notion that people ought to be paid for the time they spent learning a skill rather than the time they spent to complete a task. This is a nice thought, but it’s pure fiction. Many people who have employable skills started to learn while in school. These years are less than valuable; you were paying to go to school.
Of course, we know the real development comes from doing the work, and if you can display your expertise you’ll likely get paid more. Time is money, but saying you deserve more because you’ve been working longer comes with a sense of entitlement. There’s always someone who will do your job for less. If you get too greedy, you can often be replaced by someone from Fiiver.
Like & Comment for Guaranteed Success
I don’t think you should need a reminder, but you can’t become successful by liking or commenting on a post. In fact, over-consumption of social media content can hinder your success. When someone is asking for likes, comments, or shares, they’re just trying to boost their own metrics. Nobody became rich by liking a picture on Instagram. Sorry.
There Is No Substitute for Patience
If you want to build a skill, it takes time. That time doesn’t need to be at 5 in the morning, nor do you need to be perfect before you hit 30. You can take your time as long as you’re habitually putting in effort. Over time, you’ll build skills. Through practice, these skills can become monetized.
This overly simplifies the process, because the real pain is found in the hours spent improving. It’s not always fun, but this is why you don’t need to make tasks harder by working a 14-hour day or delegating responsibilities to others. Over time, you will see your growth. This is better than any “hack” you can find online, and it will motivate you to grow more.
Of course, this isn’t sexy advice. You’ll spend hours hunched over a computer and make tons of mistakes. With persistence, it will be worth it, and you’ll realize you were just procrastinating by consuming all of those social media posts.
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