Why We Do What We Do

This morning after my wife left for her job and I got up. I knew I wanted to write and record something today. I went through my spreadsheet of all of the topics that I have come up with in the past that I really want to cover and none of them really jumped out at me for today.

When that happens, I think about conversations that I have had with friends and family and think if they may be something that you would find interesting. As I was cooking my breakfast and drinking my morning coffee, I remembered a conversation with a guy at work. I was telling him about the podcast and blog. The first question he asked me was "do you make any money doing it?" I told him a little. He looked straight at me and asked "Why do you do it?" That gave me pause. For most of the bloggers and podcasters out there each post represents hours of research, writing and production. Far more than most realize. Why do we do what we do?

The World is Messed Up

 Consumerism

Our consumer based society tries to tell us that buying things will make us happy. If you don't have the money to buy the things that will make you happy, no problem use credit. No need to save, that is so backwards anyway.

The World is Disconnected

We as a society don't know each other any more. I tried an experiment recently (I'll be honest I am a little sad it was an experiment). I waved at every person I met when I was driving down the street. You know the drivers wave, two fingers up on the steering wheel every time I past. In the more densely populated areas less than 10 percent acknowledged the friendly gesture and no it was not at highway speeds. The farther I got out of town the higher the percentage of people who waved back.

You really don't have to know someone well to be connected, you just have to show kindness and consideration.

We Want to Change the World

That may sound arrogant, but it is true. We really do want to make the world a better place. How do we do that? Every time someone plants a garden for the first time or reads a food label. Their individual world just got a little better. If they plant something and have a bumper crop, they are going to give some of those vegetables away. That helps them and it helps the person to whom they give the veggies. It doesn't matter if they just give them to someone at work or someone across the street. Both lives are made better. If I can show you how to make a worm bin or harvest a plant that grows wild in your yard and it increases your knowledge even a little. I have made an impact on the world. If you share something you have learned, you have as well.

What We Do Matters

 It is really easy to get to the point where you feel like what we do doesn't matter. There are tons of us in jobs where we feel like we are on a giant hamster wheel. Never really going anywhere, but always moving. Most bloggers and podcasters don't do it for profit. Now, I am not saying that making money doing what you enjoy isn't nice or isn't even a goal, but for most of us we don't look at a topic and decide whether or not that topic will make us money. Heck if most of us did that there wouldn't be near as much to read out there.

 We Put Ourselves Out There

When I sit down to work up an outline or write a post. I am wanting to share with you. I want you to understand what I think, how I feel, what I am going through, and how I am dealing with life.If you read very many of my posts or listen to the podcast or watch the YouTube channel, you will after a short period of time begin to know who I am. This is a level of sharing that is difficult, but rewarding. I want you to know that if I can do these things you can to.

Well I have rambled on long enough, but I did want to share a little of what helps me do what I do. I hope you enjoyed it. I didn't cover everything here that is in the podcast.

Thanks

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