THRIVE: Social Media and Ignorance

how to succeed in today's economy

As the saying goes, “Ignorance is bliss.”

But I have to say that ignorance is no longer an excuse…and in today’s world, it’s anything but bliss.

We are living in a knowledge based society where we get paid for what we know, not so much for what we do. So is ignorance still bliss?

Not in my book.

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NOTE: If you haven’t read the beginning of this series or the previous post, do.

Having Knowledge

Simply knowing a little more about something than most other people can quickly make you an authority on a subject.

I have found this to be true with things like social media, web design and even a little marketing. People often come to me asking about these things or ask my opinion on something related to one of the three.

Does it mean I’m a know-it-all? Certainly not. But I often can make a better call just because of the experience I have in those fields.

You have something you’re better at than most other people are as well. Maybe it’s carpentry. I can barely cut a piece of wood straight…much less build anything with more than one side.

Maybe you’re great with listening or an encouragement to people in distress. I don’t know your gift, but you better share it with the world or you’re doing us all a disservice.

Having knowledge about something is A key today. I say A because it doesn’t mean you’re automatically an authority…you still have to act on it, be humble and work hard to prove you are. But it does make it easier when you’re clearly good at something within your close circle of friends.

What does this have to do with ignorance?

We no longer have a choice to be ignorant on a subject. We can still not know everything about it…but we should at least have a working knowledge of it even if it’s just to find out it’s something we aren’t gifted with. Watch a few YouTube videos on building a fort or smoking a brisket. You’ll either find you want to try it or hire a pro to do it awesome.

Either way, equipping yourself with knowledge is A key to succeeding in today’s marketplace.

Career

We discussed career a bit already but we have to understand just how powerful social media is in our career and lives these days.

What happens on Facebook, stays on Twitter, Instagram, Flickr, etc. Things spread. That can be a very good thing if you’re spreading what you want people to know about you…or very bad if you’re not.

Over the past few months, I have really begun to understand just how interested people still are in the subject of social media. I still hear people making jokes about “What’s web 2.0 anyway?” That sort of thing kinda baffles me but at the same time it helps me to understand my place in this world much better.

As we move through the years of this social media stuff, we will see more and more “average Joe’s” becoming authorities on subjects. We will see people emerge from nothing telling their rags to riches stories all the live long day. And we’ll see people landing (or creating) jobs they rightfully earn from a little management of their social networks.

It doesn’t mean we need to be someone we’re not (quite the opposite actually), it just means that we have to understand what we put out there will affect us more and more.

I can tell you right now, there’s plenty of people that would never hire me based on my beliefs. Not necessarily spiritual ones, but the fact that I like to push the status quo.

I like to think big. Dream big. Act big.

That doesn’t fly with some employers. They want people that take direction well and do things because they say to do them. (ahem…like our schools…)

Anyways. The point being that social media WILL affect you. Understand that. Accept it. And make it work for you!

Conclusion and Possibilities

We’re in a great time. A great place in time to make awesome things happen. But only if we’re intentional about what we do with what we’ve been given.

I’ve written about your gift being a gift. I’ve written about our new economy (a few times).

And now I’ve told you how you can’t be ignorant about anything anymore.

The question is, will you listen?

11 thoughts on “THRIVE: Social Media and Ignorance”

  1. I agree Jared, being intentional with everything you do in Social Media will affect you. We don’t have to be ignorant on a subject when all we need to do is open up a browser. Thanks for sharing this.

  2. There is so much to learn in our world and at times it seems overwhelming to say the least. The key to me is that we find the very thing that makes our heart beat and go after it. Get intentional about making a difference in the area we are passionate about. Always inspiring words Jared. I enjoy the blog.

  3. Great post, Jared. I like what you said about sharing your gift with the world. Excuse making and lies about not being good enough or as cool as so-and-so have to end. It’s time to live up to our potential and do amazing things! Thanks for being a voice to help people do that!

    1. Great post. I agree, we don’t have an excuse on being ignorant. Unfortunately people haven’t seemed to grasp this.

      Social media is an excellent tool to be used to enhance our minds. But it’s also a trap for many that simply use it for entertainment. Like you said, you have to be intentional about using it.

    2. I don’t think we have even scratched the surface on what the impact of social media will be on our careers – it is much more than having to be careful of our online presence… It takes away all the barriers to being an expert and creating something that gives an advantage in the marketplace.

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