Show Your Work
The world loves amateurs. By showing people what you do, they have a greater appreciation for it. Share something everyday.
The Book in 3 Sentences
The world loves amateurs. By showing people what you do, they have a greater appreciation for it. Share something everyday.
Impressions
While this book is primarily aimed at artists, there is a lot that can be said here for anything you are passionate about.
Austin (not me) talks in great detail about how being an amateur can lead to great success. In the first chapter, "You don't have to be a genius", he explains several key points:
Be part of a scenius. A scenius is like a scene and genius combined. "Great ideas are often birthed by a group of creative individuals". If you are looking for a scenius, I'd start with the easy place, Facebook Groups. There is a wealth of knowledge on that platform, just gotta seek it out.
Be an amateur. He starts by providing it's definition, "The enthusiast who pursues her work in the spirit of love (in French, the word means "lover"), regardless of the potential for fame, money, or career". Today it is the amateur that people connect with the most. They have little to lose and are willing to try anything.
This idea that amateurs can have more to contribute that experts is so incredible to me. I look at the ways that I'm working now, in some areas in my life…I am the expert. I'm the guy people need. In other areas, I am definitely the FNG. This Substack that you are reading now, this is my amateur area. I certainly have no experience writing, and sometimes if feels like I have no experience reading! Interestingly enough, the books I'm reading, these posts I'm making, have been really exciting! Almost embarrassingly so.
Think Process, Not Product - This chapter teaches us how we can begin to share our work. Here, he provides emphasis on "taking people behind the scenes" and "being a documentarian of your work". How can you be a documentarian of your work?
In my life, I have often been referred to as Chandler from Friends. The reasoning? Because no one knows what I actually do for work. It's quite comical, but also really accurate. In all honesty, I would say I'm pretty humble about what I do and what I know. In short, I help small to medium size businesses find success. The definition of success is so different for each business that I find I'm never really doing the same thing over and over.
I don't just build websites, or create shopping carts, or write emails. In fact, I do a little of all of that and much more.
Now, I have been frustrated with this fact. Not so much that people don't understand what I do, but because I can't really show them either. I'd say the majority of my work is behind the scenes and under NDAs (Non-Disclosure Agreement). However, I want to find a way I can show my work while still being what my clients need. More to come on that!
Share Something Small Every Day - There are so many ways to share what you are working on or what excites you. That device you keep in your pocket allows you to capture and share at anytime on a variety of mediums.
Open Up Your Cabinet Of Curiosities - Austin talks about Wunderkammern, or "wonder chamber". This is a cabinet or room in your house where you would store interesting books, jewelry and other trinkets. We all have these items, whether physical or not, that we find interesting and exciting. We should open up our Wunderkammern.
Tell Good Stories - The most important things in life, have a story. That is why they mean so much. My wife wears a pretty unsuspecting ring. It's a simple yet beautiful gold band with a blue flower on it. At first glance, it's nothing more than a ring, but ask Stephanie about it and she'll tell you of her Great Grandmother and Grandfather. She'll take that ring off and show you the incredible story captured on the inside of the band by cursive writing saying "JAC to EEM April 13th, 1900".
My Top Quotes
In the beginner's mind, there are many possibilities, in the expert's mind, there are few" - Shunryu Suzuki
You want hearts, not eyeballs
"I don't believe in guilty pleasures. If you f'ing like something, like it" - Dave Grohl
Identify your fellow knuckleballers
Final Thoughts
Austin packs this book FULL of stories, nuggets of wisdom, and interesting images. If you are the creative type, you need this book. If you aren't the creative type, you need this book even more. Find ways to show people what you do and you'll find more people that connect with what you do.