The Power I See in Daily Vlogs

[Mike Kavanagh]

The Daily Vee has been a great motivator to watch while I'm doing my coding practice.
I got up to episode 5 and realized "Holy shit, Gary is a freaking hustler"

Not only is he a hustler, he's a genius.
Getting his stuff on camera, he has to force himself to be present. Always doing.

@Andy Black I've watched several of your videos so far.
What do you think about the power of vlogging? Do you seem to be doing more since you've started?

I will be starting to use snapchat as a means of social pressure. Taking photos and short videos of myself doing things.
It's like... self imposed accountability practice via social networking.


I heard of a study done a few years back where people trying to lose weight would have to post a picture of what they were eating every meal and post it to Facebook.
This caused them to make better decisions because of social pressure.

 

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[Andy Black]

The Daily Vee has been a great motivator to watch while I'm doing my coding practice.
I got up to episode 5 and realized "Holy shit, Gary is a freaking hustler"

Not only is he a hustler, he's a genius.
Getting his stuff on camera, he has to force himself to be present. Always doing.

@Andy Black I've watched several of your videos so far.
What do you think about the power of vlogging? Do you seem to be doing more since you've started?

I will be starting to use snapchat as a means of social pressure. Taking photos and short videos of myself doing things.
It's like... self imposed accountability practice via social networking.


I heard of a study done a few years back where people trying to lose weight would have to post a picture of what they were eating every meal and post it to Facebook.
This caused them to make better decisions because of social pressure.

I don't think Gary Vee is doing more because the cameras are present. I think he's found an extremely efficient way of producing highly effective content based on his strengths, AND without taking up much additional time in his day.



I've been trying to find out whether video suits me and helps me communicate better, quicker, and more often.

Can I incorporate daily video taking into my life so that it's frictionless and can become a habit?

Can it slip like sand between the rocks and pebbles of my day, to be done without adding any additional workload to my day?

I go for walks regularly, or walk down to my local for lunch or to meet someone. I would be thinking things over in my head on those walks anyway. Can I record those thoughts while I walk?

Can I publish them simply across multiple platforms easily so that my content can help more people, and help people more?

I don't need accountability to get stuff done.

I don't need external input to be motivated.

I keep chipping away. Relentlessly.

I stop when I observe I don't want to do something anymore. I know that something isn't biting me if i don't get obbsessive about it.

I have to be careful what I start because I can get completely obsessive compulsive about it. I have the handbrake on until I'm sure going headfirst into it is actually what I want to do.


I also know that the way to improve at anything is to practice / do it every. single. day.

I also know (and had this confirmed by personality profiling) that I often don't know what's going to come out of my mouth next.

I often don't know where my conversation will end up. Sometimes I do know the destination I'm aiming for, but don't know how I'll get there.

So I have to just start. I have to "Go on the B of Bang."

And see where it takes me.

It looks like I'm vlogging, but that's not what I'm intending.

I'm finding my feet, my voice, and my cadence.

I'm learning by doing.

It's the only way I learn to be honest - jump off the cliff and make the plane on the way down.


Hope that helps!

I'll be writing something up in my [HASHTAG]#AndyTalks[/HASHTAG] thread about the benefits of creating daily Snapchat stories, and why I'm focusing so heavily on video this year.

 

[Mike Kavanagh]

I don't think Gary Vee is doing more because the cameras are present. I think he's found an extremely efficient way of producing highly effective content based on his strengths, AND without taking up much additional time in his day.

Oh sorry, that's not what I meant by that. In episode 5 he starts talking to people and tells them to start doing a daily vlog or snap chatting every day.

I did some midset Tai Chi and remembered that article I referred to and bam, instant self social accountability.

If you have to hire someone to follow you around, you are probably more motivated than 95% of society(cause you can afford a videographer to follow you around for 12 hours).

And he doesn't think about things either, he just does it.


Also, I meant when you are recording, you need to do like a self edit based on your audience. Like me, every other word out of my mouth can be a curse word and will flow naturally.
That might rub my intended audience the wrong way and alienate them or have the opposite effect and be a rockstar.

As for self accountability, I've struggled with motivation in the past. I'll be moving and moving and not getting results. Then burnout sets in.
Do you think for those that suffer that, having social accountability would make an impact?



Thanks for your input Andy, I'll will still be watching the videos you put out. The one with the kids was a great lesson btw.

 

[Andy Black]

And he doesn't think about things either, he just does it.

I think he thinks a lot tbh, but more about the effect of actions he's taken. And then he does more of it, and observes the result, thinks a lot about it, and adjusts.

But yes, his bias is towards action.

I know for me, I think a lot, but I think best when I move, and after I've done stuff and go back into my bat-cave to mull it over.

Also, I meant when you are recording, you need to do like a self edit based on your audience.

I don't know who my audience is really. I know people are following, and I'm just being me. I get feedback about things they like, and that helps me dial it in.

The totally amazing and surprising thing about using Snapchat to record videos is that you're editing as you go along. You can only do a max 10 second video clip, and you instantly watch it to approve it or redo it. It so lends itself to speaking in bite-sized sentences, and editing on the fly.

For me, it's helped me learn to speak in a distinct sentence, and to be clearer in my thinking and speaking.

It's easy to tidy up written content by going back and editing, or rearranging. It's harder to do with video, but Snapchat encourages you to do it as you go along. It's amazing and I'd highly recommend it.

As for self accountability, I've struggled with motivation in the past. I'll be moving and moving and not getting results. Then burnout sets in.

I don't mind not getting results. I just keep moving.

In my [HASHTAG]#AndyTalks[/HASHTAG] thread the feedback has (inevitably) died off a bit from when I started.

That's not slowed me down in the slightest though. I only need a whiff of positive feedback and I can keep going.

I'm going faster now, and will keep upping my cadence. I know I'm heading in an interesting direction.

Paul Graham mentioned in one of his essays (here) that

Empirically, the way to do really big things seems to be to start with deceptively small things. Want to dominate microcomputer software? Start by writing a Basic interpreter for a machine with a few thousand users. Want to make the universal web site? Start by building a site for Harvard undergrads to stalk one another.​

and

I think the way to use these big ideas is not to try to identify a precise point in the future and then ask yourself how to get from here to there, like the popular image of a visionary. You'll be better off if you operate like Columbus and just head in a general westerly direction. Don't try to construct the future like a building, because your current blueprint is almost certainly mistaken. Start with something you know works, and when you expand, expand westward.​

Echoing that, fellow forum member @RogueInnovation posted something that resonated a while back about business.

He said "Get started. Keep going." in this post here.

He also mentioned that getting started is harder than you think. He didn't say why, but I'd guess it's because we're always getting in our own way and second guessing ourselves.

Unlike kids... as per that video you mentioned (here). (Thanks for watching and the kind words btw.)

Do you think for those that suffer that, having social accountability would make an impact?

I'm sure it does. Like you said, if someone had to post pictures of every meal they had so their personal trainer could see them, then I'm sure they'd start eating better. If they had to post a picture showing them in the gym each day then that would help move them along.

Use whatever tactic makes something a habit, then you shouldn't need those tactics later.


If you're even considering starting vlogging on Snapchat, then just do it already. It won't take up much of your time, and you'll acquire very useful skills that will stand you in good stead later on (speaking, public speaking, being comfortable in front of the camera, etc).

I'll create a separate Snapchat How-To thread soon enough, or just add it into my [HASHTAG]#AndyTalks[/HASHTAG] thread.


(Thanks for following my videos btw Mike.)

 

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[Mike Kavanagh]

If you're even considering starting vlogging on Snapchat, then just do it already

The funny thing is, I've been using it for a little while now. I've been going back and forth with my cousin and a friend. My cousin is so much better at it than I am.

For those of us early adapters, a guide on the various things snap chat has to offer would be cool. I'd say make it apart of your [HASHTAG]#SoonToBeGold[/HASHTAG] thread that way it doesn't get lost in the noise of the forum. Totally up to you though.

Thanks for the input, Andy.


I'd also love to hear what anyone else things about vlogging, social accountability and anything else related to this topic as well.
Don't be afraid to jump in, just do it.

 

[nradam123]

Have you heard of the Dymaxion Chronofile? (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dymaxion_Chronofile)

Thats the daily journal of Buckminster Fuler.
Daily Fuller is basically just like Daily Vee but updated every 15 minutes for 63 years.
When he died it was 80m stack of paper. I am pretty sure he was VERY productive.

 

[Andy Black]

You have me thinking now Mike.

Every day without fail I save my Snapchat story to Dropbox.

I don't post every snippet to YouTube and I don't link every YouTube video in my AndyTalks thread. (I don't want to spam the forum, and a lot might not be directly relevant for this forum anyway.)

I've been building a "bank" of video content that I can go back to and pull our excerpts, or use for b-roll. That was the intention of saving them.

However, I can now see another purpose for the daily videos.

It's not just a way for me to record specific messages I've been meaning to write up for a long time.

It's also my progress thread of me getting into video, as well as juggling being a dad and moving from being a contractor/freelancer to being a business owner.

Maybe people might be interested in following that journey?

Maybe my kids and grand-kids could watch those videos and have me almost speaking to them from the past (like superman's dad in the original film)?

Real long-term legacy stuff.

Mulling it over.

 

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[Mike Kavanagh]

It's not just a way for me to record specific messages I've been meaning to write up for a long time.

It's also my progress thread of me getting into video, as well as juggling being a dad and moving from being a contractor/freelancer to being a business owner.

It's also a way to see if you've missed any of your thoughts or ideas throughout the day. You don't need to story everything, just make a note and save it to your camera roll.
We have so much stuff happening throughout the day, I can barely remember what I ate, much less what I thought of.

Maybe people might be interested in following that journey?

Maybe my kids and grand-kids could watch those videos and have me almost speaking to them from the past (like superman's dad in the original film)?

I'm not sure what the storage limit on data is but I think it's something like 80 or so years.

80 years.

That's at least two generations. Hell, my mother's side of the family has four gens since 1952.

Real long-term legacy stuff.

Mulling it over.

I can only see the benefit in doing it.You're already doing it.
I'll get back to you on Snapchat later on.
Even though I'm in Maryland, I'm on China time trying to support myself and last night just killed me.
I'm not very photogenic right now lol.

Time to get some programming practice out of the way

 

[Mike Kavanagh]

So, I've been going back and forth with @Andy Black over snap chat the past few days since I've made this post.
I can't say I've taken action everyday but I took a whole hell of a lot more action than I have before.

While speaking with Andy, we came up with one person closest to me, my mother, that I could help.
She needed a website built and I'm the only one in the family with a computer background. I've been putting it off for months, if not years.

I started cobbling a website together from scratch using a text editor and HTML learned circa 2008.
He was non-confrontational (read: excellent sales skills) and said, "You're headed in the right direction have you ever thought of using wordpress?"
I said, no I haven't though of that and proceeded, over about a day to set up a website for her.

It looks better than my text edited garbage lol and she's pretty happy with it

I've been awake for 21 hours now, and it's been my most productive day for a while now. I spent the time I've been awake doing for others (website for mom, cut the grass for uncle, cleaned the bathroom for aunt) and I can't seem to sleep.

Not only that but I drove through the neighborhood and seen that multiple homes didn't have their grass cut. Could I help them by cutting their grass? How much is that service worth?
What about helping the guy who has all the broke down cars in the side street next to my house, I have mechanic skills...

Money is everywhere

Sorry if I'm rambling on. My body does weird things after 18+ hours of no sleep.
[HASHTAG]#TeamProducer[/HASHTAG] [HASHTAG]#WhatCanYouDoForSomeoneElse[/HASHTAG]

 

[Andy Black]

So, I've been going back and forth with @Andy Black over snap chat the past few days since I've made this post.
I can't say I've taken action everyday but I took a whole hell of a lot more action than I have before.

While speaking with Andy, we came up with one person closest to me, my mother, that I could help.
She needed a website built and I'm the only one in the family with a computer background. I've been putting it off for months, if not years.

I started cobbling a website together from scratch using a text editor and HTML learned circa 2008.
He was non-confrontational (read: excellent sales skills) and said, "You're headed in the right direction have you ever thought of using wordpress?"
I said, no I haven't though of that and proceeded, over about a day to set up a website for her.

It looks better than my text edited garbage lol and she's pretty happy with it

I've been awake for 21 hours now, and it's been my most productive day for a while now. I spent the time I've been awake doing for others (website for mom, cut the grass for uncle, cleaned the bathroom for aunt) and I can't seem to sleep.

Not only that but I drove through the neighborhood and seen that multiple homes didn't have their grass cut. Could I help them by cutting their grass? How much is that service worth?
What about helping the guy who has all the broke down cars in the side street next to my house, I have mechanic skills...

Money is everywhere

Sorry if I'm rambling on. My body does weird things after 18+ hours of no sleep.
[HASHTAG]#TeamProducer[/HASHTAG] [HASHTAG]#WhatCanYouDoForSomeoneElse[/HASHTAG]

Boom! Love it.

 

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[Yoda]

Maybe people might be interested in following that journey?

This guy has a few followers (2.7M). He vlogs. People are interested.

 

[Andy Black]

This guy has a few followers (2.7M). He vlogs. People are interested.

2.7m ? Blimey.

I'm doing it for 3 people, who aren't old enough to follow them yet.

 

[nradam123]

So, I've been going back and forth with @Andy Black over snap chat the past few days since I've made this post.
I can't say I've taken action everyday but I took a whole hell of a lot more action than I have before.

While speaking with Andy, we came up with one person closest to me, my mother, that I could help.
She needed a website built and I'm the only one in the family with a computer background. I've been putting it off for months, if not years.

I started cobbling a website together from scratch using a text editor and HTML learned circa 2008.
He was non-confrontational (read: excellent sales skills) and said, "You're headed in the right direction have you ever thought of using wordpress?"
I said, no I haven't though of that and proceeded, over about a day to set up a website for her.

It looks better than my text edited garbage lol and she's pretty happy with it

I've been awake for 21 hours now, and it's been my most productive day for a while now. I spent the time I've been awake doing for others (website for mom, cut the grass for uncle, cleaned the bathroom for aunt) and I can't seem to sleep.

Not only that but I drove through the neighborhood and seen that multiple homes didn't have their grass cut. Could I help them by cutting their grass? How much is that service worth?
What about helping the guy who has all the broke down cars in the side street next to my house, I have mechanic skills...

Money is everywhere

Sorry if I'm rambling on. My body does weird things after 18+ hours of no sleep.
[HASHTAG]#TeamProducer[/HASHTAG] [HASHTAG]#WhatCanYouDoForSomeoneElse[/HASHTAG]

This is the mindset which is going to take you forward like crazy. Awesome. Just hold onto it.
Cutting other peoples grass is solving their problem. Which is totally awesome bro.

I read about this paint guy (Eric Barstow - http://www.howigotmyfirst3customers.com/eric-barstow-paint-job-lead-generator/) who started his business by going to 250 houses in 6 hours and asking them ""I'm Eric with Foothills Painting. I noticed some peeling paint up here on your house so I want to give you a free estimate.". 11 people gave him leads, 6 people asked for estimate and 5 people finally converted. Thats $8000 in revenue and $4000 in profit

And I heard Mark Cuban used to drive around trying to find big houses so that he can ask the house owners how they managed to make such a big house. Lol.

Just keep the grind like Eric and you are gonna get there
I know its scary but if its possible you should go ask for getting grass cut today or tomorrow and update it here.

Adam

 

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