Influence, Fame, Overwhelm, and Boundaries

My thoughts and struggles lately with growing an online audience.

Just a bit of an intro before you dive into today’s newsletter:

This is one of my more personal writings I have done and I understand not all of you will agree with my thinking or how I am going about processing the things mentioned. I am a Christian first and foremost and it influences everything I do. 

Whether you agree with my beliefs or not is totally okay and I always welcome input and feedback on anything I put out into the world.

I appreciate your thoughts and opinions and I appreciate you for being here, as always.

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Overwhelm

Lately I think I have gotten myself into an unhealthy amount of work. 

It’s not like the work is bad, it has just been all-consuming.

My passion lately has really been my YouTube channel and the personal brand I have been trying to develop and build for years and years.

Since my Apple Watch video blew up a few weeks ago, I have been trying to capitalize on it as much as possible and ride the wave as long as it will take me. It has been all I have been thinking about.

My full time job isn’t suffering because of it but I think my family life definitely is. More than anything I think I am both really enjoying it and gaining a lot of insightful information from the experience, but I am also personally suffering from it.

I feel this bit of anxiousness growing and a sense of overwhelm and uncertainty creeping in.

I’m not sure what to do about all this, but I have started praying about it. I know that at the end of the day, all this is for God and he will be glorified one way or another. I always want to be checking myself to make sure what I am doing is aligning with His will, as best as I can understand it.

For the family side of things, I have started sticking my phone on my charger in my room the past couple of days when my wife and daughter get home from school.

From the time they arrive to the time we put my daughter down at 7pm, I leave it there. I do keep my watch on in case there are any important calls or messages that come through.

However, even yesterday I was receiving texts I wanted to respond to but could have been answered after bed time.

I think it might be time to really dive into Focus modes on my apple devices. Really block out anything that is not an emergency while on family time so I can be fully present.

I only get about 2-3 hours a day with my kid so I want to make sure it is as quality as possible. At least, that is what I wish. I am always distracted either physically or mentally by something. This new semi-success on the personal brand side is definitely always floating around in my mind.

Fame and Influence

I am constantly wondering if being “famous” or amassing any sort of audience is a good thing. It is definitely a great responsibility at any level.

Influence is a tricky thing and can quickly become a slippery slope.

Biblically, there is an idea of teaching that is modeled where you pour your knowledge and influence into a few people. They then go and pour into a few people, and so on and so forth.

I wonder if this model is the True model and if amassing large audiences around one person is detrimental if one is not absolutely careful.  We’ve all seen great influencers fall because of one misstep or mistake.

This is a concept I am struggling with and have more thoughts on I won’t go into here.

There are good parts of being an influencer or growing an audience. For one, I am making extra money for my family which helps with bills, daycare, gas, food, etc. 

Further, I have the ability to talk about the Lord publicly and openly and have ears to hear it. I am not a pastor by any stretch of the word, but as believers, we are ALL called into a priesthood of spreading the good news.

But again, what does it profit a man to gain the world but lose his soul? What does amassing followers and helping advertisers sell products do for my soul? It’s not bad work. But it can become bad.

Being careful is important.

I come back to my hierarchy of priorities:

1. Faith

2. Family

3. Social

4. Work

5. Personal

Where does “Social Influencer” fit in this list?

I would argue it fits somewhere between Social and Work (and as always, if we are not careful can fully fall into Personal).

Making money for the family is important and so, at times, work gets nudged up to number 2. But at what cost? I’m not sure.

Social Influencer could also fit into number one - Faith - as that does involve a faith family, my relationship with Christ, and how I live outwardly because of His great Love. 

But again, I must be careful that my influence and content don’t become so much of this world that any sight of Christ in me is lost. This is the case no matter how well known I am or am not, and how well my content performs.

Boundaries

I think more than anything I need to set up some better boundaries and realize that if I don’t get to something right this second, there are more hours in the day. And if at the end of the day, the most I have done is glorify God, then that is in fact the MOST I could possibly wish to do. It is my daily wish and prayer. But I do need to try and live that out more actively.

To Him be all glory.

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Thanks for reading. Feedback is always welcome.

Oh! Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter. Each Wednesday, I go live in a Twitter Space at 12:30pm EST to talk about the topics brought forth in these newsletters a little more in depth. You are able to join in on the discussion and offer up your voice and your opinions and thoughts on each topic. Hear you there?

Thanks for reading. I’ll see you next week!