I read a lot. Since quitting my TV habit a few months ago, I have primarily used my new found time to read on-line. I read quite a few blogs and some news sites (although I find most “news” less and less helpful these days). I also have a commute of about 40 minutes each way so I have learned to fill that time with podcasts or audio books. The amount of freely available material is amazing. I would estimate that I spend 2-3 hours per day trying to read or listen with the intent of learning something new and another hour reading for pleasure. With my recent Kindle experiment, I think I can find another hour.
When I read or listen for education, I have 2 main categories I look for.
Mastering your craft – I want to be a good writer, so I follow blogs and podcasts that are run by people who write well. I also read about creativity, marketing and general scholarship. I look for people who are passionate about what they do and are sharing the lessons they learn along the way with the rest of us. Sometimes these blogs are about how a skill was acquired or applied; sometimes it is a well-written or well-produced piece that is a good example of the craft itself. In order to become good at something, I need to be a student of those who have gone before me.
Economics, business and investing – I enjoy the topics of business, economics and economic theory. I prefer the shows that focus on smaller innovative enterprise rather than reporting what huge companies like Microsoft or GE are doing. I avoid the get-rich-quick types and focus on people who have been successful at building an online brand and are willing to share some of their successes and failures along the way. I also like the smaller, less polished productions being run by people who are just excited about their subject and want to share it.
Since I spend so much time on blogs and podcasts, I decided to write a post sharing my favorite blogs and podcasts. I also thought it would be an interesting experiment to send an e-mail to the people that run those blogs and ask if they would like to contribute a comment for this post. So I sent a simple question to 10 different people:
“Why did you start your blog (or podcast) and why do you keep it running?”
I received 5 responses. I really appreciate the time these people took to read and answer my note. There is really very little in it for them. A review and a link from my humble little blog are not particularly valuable (yet). I think their willingness to respond shows an interest on their part in being involved in their community of writers, bloggers and business people. For them to take the time to respond also demonstrates valuable skills of mastery – having a peer group, not being selfish with knowledge and being open to learning from un-expected sources should they present themselves.
At this point, I am the beneficiary of their time. I hope to repay the favor one day.
So, here are some of my favorites and the comments from the bloggers.
On creativity and mastering your craft
This is probably my favorite podcast of all. It is hugely popular and probably well known to most of you thus I will not spend much time on it here. I think the dedication to good subjects and good writing is evident. I really like the way the show strives to tell an entire story from the perspective of the subjects rather than the perspective of media. This show demonstrates the quality of writing I am working towards.
I emailed Ira Glass and asked for a comment but did not receive one. It was a reach – maybe next time.
This is a podcast hosted by Will Burns who has a long career in the advertising and creative industry. I love the way the show is totally dedicated to the process of being creative, talking about inspiration, studying what causes and inhibits creativity, discussing the creative process of “ideation” with authors, scholars and other ad folks. My favorite episode is #7 – an entire show dedicated to a discussion of the creative process displayed by the Beatles. A real treat for those of us who want to be students of mastery.
Will’s answer to “Why did you start your podcast and why do you keep it going?”
I started the Ideasicle Podcast because I wanted to share my own obsession with ideas and creativity with whomever would listen. I keep it running because it’s very good for my Ideasicle idea-generation business. Prospective clients are more likely to believe my company can come up with great marketing ideas when they can witness my own personal obsession with ideation, and hear from the connections I’ve made. I also simply find it fun to do.
On the subject of business and entrepreneurship
A weekly published by Dan and Ian. These guys are in some kind of business that they will tell us everything about except what it is they actually sell. The transparency offered recently on the process they have used to build their business, the sacrifices they endured, the failures and successes has been admirable. Often these types of podcasts go on and on about how easy it is to be a success and how all you have to do is follow the recipe. We all know (or should know) that building an enterprise is hard work and success comes only to those who hustle and work hard. It is rare to hear so much honest detail. I love the term “survivor’s bias” Dan threw out a few episodes ago. I am not sure if that is Dan’s original phrase or not, but it is dead on. You will have listen to find out what it means.
Dan’s answer to “Why did you start your podcast and why do you keep it going?”
I started the podcast because I wanted to meet and talk with people who were doing and thinking about similar stuff.
I continue to keep the podcast running because I enjoy that type of work and the skill set it cultivates in me. Also I enjoy interacting with smart people about our new ideas and our lives.
Startups for the rest of us (podcast)
A weekly run by Rob Walling and Mike Taber who talk extensively about the steps required for software developers to convert their development skill into “micropreneur” products. I really like the technical quality of this show. Mike (aka Stevie J.) and Rob will often talk freely about the mechanics of software development which really appeals to my geeky nature. They correctly point out that developing a killer product is less than half the battle, you have to get good at marketing and networking if you want anyone to know about your work. I also appreciate that Mike and Rob are interested in hearing from listeners. I posted a comment on their site about one of the shows and received an email from Rob asking for more detail about my opinion on the podcast and what I would like to hear in the future. These are obviously programmers who know the value of a well running feedback loop.
Mike’s answer to “Why did you start your podcast and why do you keep it going?” was quite long. I appreciate the time he took to provide such a thoughtful response.
To get right to the heart of your question, we started our podcast for one very simple reason. We wanted to help other developers avoid the same mistakes we made.
Whether you’ve listened to the podcast or not, that may sound a bit cheesy, so I’ll explain what it means. The things Rob and I have learned over the years can help a lot of other people who don’t want to be forced to follow the traditional career path that others expect of them. By sharing our knowledge and experiences, we are helping others to save time, save money, and be successful in their own businesses. Most of all, by sharing this information we are helping to eliminate roadblocks for people that would otherwise derail their journey. Our experiences and current career paths are proof that you don’t have to do what everyone else does, yet can still be successful.
The premise of the Micropreneur seems to fly in the face of many of the other podcasts and blogs that people find. Many focus on get rich quick schemes are focus too much on selling the company rather than building a successful business. That is not to say they are wrong about how to make money or how to be successful. Rather it illustrates that there are many paths to follow which can lead to being successful and that success is a measurement that you alone can make.
It’s important to us that other developers hear this message and learn that the path of the Micropreneur is a viable choice. The path we have chosen is certainly not for everyone and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with choosing another path. But Rob and myself are two examples of people who are making it work. The Micropreneur Academy includes a great many other software developers who also believe in following this path and are being successful at it.
We keep our podcast going to help others to be successful, which sounds overly noble. The selfish aspect of it is that hearing from the people we have helped on their journey is extremely gratifying. It’s not about the money, the fame or the notoriety. It’s about the experiences and stories, both shared and individual.
Living life fully and following your passion
Sean Ogle quit his job and moved to Thailand. How awesome is that? Seriously, this is an example of a young guy that recognized that he was not in the right place, in the right job, in the right lifestyle. Sean knew that there should be more to life than 9-5 with Starbucks on the train. A follower of the “location independence” concept, Sean has been successful at finding a way to be involved in activities that interest him and enrich him and quit all the stuff that brings him down. An important thing to note about Sean – even though he quit, he still works hard – on his own products and as an employee doing web work – but he has some freedom to do that work from wherever he chooses.
Sean’s answer to “Why did you start your podcast and why do you keep it going?”
“I started a blog because I needed to make a change in my life and didn’t know how to go about it – so I started writing. Since I’ve started it has allowed me to build a business for myself, travel the world, and meet hundreds of incredible people. It’s for all of those reasons that I continue to maintain it. Essentially the options that it could open up for you if you’re serious about it are unlimited.”
A blog run by Joel Runyon. Joel’s recent post indicates he has only been at this for 6 months. That is not obvious from the quality of his content and the following he has built. Joel has traveled extensively and has posted about some of his adventures. Fun and inspiring reading. Check out his list of Impossible Things he plans to do and check back on his progress.
Joel’s answer to “Why did you start your podcast and why do you keep it going?”
As for me, I started my blog as a way to get me started living a more interesting life. I was bored with waiting for cool things to happen to me, so I actively started seeking them out. The blog is important to me to keep running because it motivates me to keep doing the impossible and encourage others to keep doing “impossible things” in their own lives.
Read on
These are some of my favorites. There is so much quality content being created daily, I could never hope to keep up with all of it. I would love to know what blogs or podcasts you recommend. Leave a comment and let us all know what you like.
Great list, I also follow these folks!
Thanks for including me in this Bill. I appreciate it alot =).
Dan & Sean are great & I know Ira puts out some awesome stuff. Thanks again!
Hi Bill,
I’m looking forward to checking out the blogs and podcasts you mentioned.
It’s interesting to me that there seems to be a common thread among many bloggers and their ‘reasons’. And, I was also interested to know that many of us have an affinity for, THIS AMERICAN LIFE.
Keep up the good work
The “reasons” are interesting. Every one of these people makes money with their blog – some sell products, but most use it as a way to connect with the rest of the world (on-line world anyway). None of them list that as their reason for starting. They all started for the freedom and joy they get from writing and connecting with other people. Every one listed here is passionate about meeting other people and using those connections to be better at living life fully.
Bill
PS. I hope your dog gets better.