A Journey to Craft Content that Carries On
Whatever you have to say, you must say it. Even if it's been said enough, your voice might resonate further because of how it sounds. Core work enables you to craft relevant content consistently.
Key Points in This Article
Sharing our stories is the first step to building deep relationships.
Everyone has a story, but just some gets others to relate to theirs - usually because they take time to craft a core narrative that speaks for who they are. It makes it easier to know your story deeply. Write it, hone it in with a close circle, and translate it to multiple audiences though different channels.
It may feel hard to keep up with ongoing storytelling in a fast-paced social media world where content is disposable. Especially if one is committed to creating content that isn’t single use (or cringe).
The outcome of self-awareness is efficiency, as in more time spent creating, building, and doing; subsequently, less overthinking each next step. That is true both at a personal and organizational level.
When we speak from our core (our most authentic selves), words come easily and resonate with the right people. To do it, sometimes we may need to retreat, go silent for a while to look, listen, and recalculate how we tell our story before we go back to a consistent flow of content creation.
This article invites you to embark on a self-exploration journey to enable content creation that truly speaks for who you are and attracts the right people - we can do it together, following each other's light.
The more clarity within an organization regarding its core values, reflected in its brand guidelines and communication policies, the less likely it will find itself needing to avert a social media crisis.
I am passionate about sharing my thoughts and ideas with the world. Most times, I find that words come easy. But at specific times, I feel an undeniable need to stop, reassess, and restart. I turn to The Hermit (reference below) for clarity before going onto another productive stint.
This process feels natural, almost cyclic.
I spend a lot of time doing deep work before diving into long phases of productivity.
During productive seasons, I write effortlessly, led by inner clarity. I know what to say and do as if moved by inexorable streams of my own flow.
But in slow-down seasons, lights dim, and retreating into silence is imperative before I flow back into a wave of creativity.
The 9th card in the Tarot Major Arcana symbolizes these quiet phases well. Depicted as an old man holding a lantern, The Hermit represents the archetypal Wise Man, a part of us that searches for truth within. His guiding light represents his inner knowings. Packed with symbolism from ancient wisdom, it reminds us that collecting laurels from society isn't sustainable. The card demands us to search inward for our most authentic understanding of joy, truth, and fulfillment.
I often find myself facing the Hermit after significant life transitions and boy, I've been through in the past few years! Coinciding with my first child's birth and other pivotal events like getting married, moving to and settling down in New York City.
While facing this Wise Man may sound like a privilege (like bumping into Gandalf), it usually means renunciation and hard work, especially for those expansive souls who enjoy being in community and are accustomed to vulnerably sharing our lives with others as means to create authentic connections. It can also be an ego-crushing experience for someone who usually knows what to say (or enjoys a daily dose of improv). Solitude can feel lonely, especially if we resist it.
Quiet times tend to be tougher amidst a culture that worships an eternal productivity spring and fast content creation, but as Churchill put it: "If you're going through hell, keep going." The only way out is through.
After profound moments of silence, I often burst into an authentic creation phase.
While it has been excruciating at times to be quiet(er) for the past years, retreating hasn’t been an option, but an imperative. It felt like my body shut down, saying: "Stop. Look. Listen. What should you move away from? What should you move towards?"
Much like gardening, these are moments to prune dead ends, as much to identify and cultivate the seeds you'd like to grow.
Once you respect the need to pause and step inwardly, you may find new truths that can propel you beyond your expectations.
A South American saying states: "On a train to the wrong destination, you'll go slower than walking." I found myself on high-speed trains to a destination I had forgotten more than a few times.
If you choose to respect the call, you may find that your inner GPS has a point when you're called to stop and recalculate route.
We often get caught up in an irresistible stream of events driven by unsustainable factors such as societal pressures, financial incentives, or simply inertia. In these times, pausing to reassess can lead to a fresh start on a more effective path, well-lit by inner clarity and groomed from the weeds of comparison.
Authenticity leads to efficiency.
It enables us to move freely, with no room for second-guessing. The less you need to think before you act, the more you flow.
I call this deep knowledge from within our "core," from the Latin word for heart. It relates to our "center of balance" and our "full potential," like a seed that contains our entire DNA and can only grow from it.
As our center of balance, developing our core allows us to be nimble in decision-making, action, and communications.
Picture dancers whose core strength enables grace and fluidity. The stronger their core, the more they seem to perform effortlessly. Effortlessness is an outcome of mastery, defined as years of hard work developing one's core, encompassing one's expertise and self-awareness. Hard work leads to simplicity, which goes a long way.
Developing our core also enables longevity (of our core values, mission, vision, and whatever emerges from it). Like seeds containing a 200-foot tree's full potential, a solid core allows individuals and organizations to spread their DNA (values systems) for generations - if well cultivated.
Developing a strong core enables you to speak and act from your heart consistently.
Core work should be a daily task, routine, and exercise. Consistently done, it enables efficiency, agility, and longevity. It translates into practical decisions that impact our everyday actions, from branding to communication guidelines.
Within organizations, it plays a significant role in preventing crisis by enabling each individual to accurately represent the company's voice. When parting from a solid core, communication guidelines seem simple. But simplicity derives from deep work. Remember the dancers? Effortlessness is an outcome of mastery.
One may argue that content creation "isn't that deep" in today's fast-come, fast-goes social media world. That might be correct if one is okay with creating merely okay content that is borderline cringe - for the sake of sharing whatever with the world.
Prolific creators often engage in more profound self-reflection exercises even without noticing - through daydreaming, journaling, or just vibing with a friend about goals. They might do it more often than we account for.
Since I’ve been going though the Hermit’s realm for the past years (and respected that clear call to stop and recalculate route), as I start to see the light comin in I decided to welcome others in this process of core redesign.
I’m inviting you to join me on a journey toward “core realignment” - which is good every once in a while, especially after fast-paced transitions.
To do so, I have ideated an online retreat exercise to enable consistent content creation (minus the cringe) over a 6-week journey. Note: I’'ll join this as its host and as a participant as I go through that process (and validate it).
Picture it as a curated mastermind of 8-11 founders, fractionals, and creatives, guided by a 3-step (6-week) journey where we'll learn to narrate our stories (to the right people, through the proper channels) in our best voices. The group will likely stay in touch to share, track, and celebrate each other's progress once the journey is done.
Some key milestones and teaser questions for the journey:
The Journey Makes the Character: Branding and Storytelling for Founders. Remember where you came from; know your North Star. What is your story? Who are you? Character development.
Start to Resonate. Who are you building for? What stories will they tell about you? Where are they? Where would you like to guide them? What action needs to be taken (by them)?
Throw Parties with a Purpose. What are you talking about? Honing your key topics. What channels would best represent your content? How can you enable others to spread your word?
Click here if you are interested.
Whichever path you choose, I wish you a worthwhile journey.
Even if you choose a high-speed (fast content) train, it is prone to a couple of cringe posts and irrelevant followers. Eventually, we will get to where you need to be.
No matter how you get there, what matters is that you step into your own journey. Respect that call. Honor this moment. You’ll come out clearer than ever, stronger than before, and ready for what opportunities life brings you next.