Listen as social media & tech expert Chip Dizard shares his experience of being himself and getting attention. So many people create personalities for social media instead of being themselves. Christina Faith and Chip have a very candid conversation about the impact of authenticity and return on relationship.
Set List:
Daarinah Feat. Melissa T- In My Heart
Jessica Reedy- Grace
Liz Vice- All Must Be Well
Brain and Katie Torwalt- When You Walk In The Room
Authenticity is a major factor in our world. There has been a stream of fake EVERYWHERE. From fake love to fake faces our world desires an image that isn’t real. We want more people to follow us. We want to know the key ingredient to blowing up.
I listen to a lot of podcast with major influencers as the guest and many people ask the EXACT same questions. Each time the person on the show seems a bit focused on how that person has achieved success. I completely understand the focus of the shows. As I have been reflecting on these interviews & pulling from them what I can I am realizing that there is no formula to success.
Everyone that has succeeded tried the formulas and learned along the way that they have to figure things out for them. There are somethings we can all do that leads to a greater return. But attempting to use someone else’s formula of success step by step and word for word isn’t authentic.
As you are hustling through life be authentic. Be who you are. Don’t look at the images on the screens and think that it’s reality. It’s an picture. It’s an image. Unless we document EVERY part of our lives step by step we don’t really know how we attained success. But what we do know is that we grind regardless of where we were at the time.
Success and hustle can’t be measured. We all measure success and hustle differently. Today focus on how you are going to remain authentic in your life. Show your flaws, show your achievements, be authentic. Authenticity is what people are yearning for not another “how to” formula for success. Remain authentic and consistent.
I was a liar, not your average liar but a BIG liar.
A habitual liar to be exact.
I always knew how to tell stories.
They called me a master manipulator.
I called it getting out of trouble, temporarily that is.
However, I got caught in my lies often.
Instead of telling the truth I would opt to continue lying.
Even when the truth was exchanged for immunity.
I still lied.
I don’t think anyone in my family knew that my lying was an expression of my ability to tell stories.
I often wish someone picked up on it.
My life would have been different.
They may have fostered my writing & storytelling ability.
My ability to write still amazes me. It’s still new to me.
I remember as a child watching movies.
I watched a lot of movies.
I was bred as a direct in some cases.
My lies often put me on punishment and during those times of punishment I could write or read.
I wrote songs and poems.
I read novels and business books.
At the at of 12 I read “Waiting to Exhale” and the movie came out that year.
I was amazed by the directors and actors ability to capture the words of the author.
I never thought I could make films until I was in my late twenties.
I owned video cameras all my life.
I never thought it was possible to write and direct.
I was never a great writer.
I went to 13 different grade schools.
I always lacked the basics of mathematics & grammar.
The lack of proper writing skills discouraged me.
In college I loved writing papers.
College gave me the opportunity to write and read.
As a double major and double minor I figured out a way to take more English classes than my majors allowed.
I loved having the ability to read, dissect and write about classics.
I was a storyteller.
If they would realized my lies were the basics of storytelling I would have majored in English & Film.
I would have been further in my career.
These are the lies that my mind tries to tell me.
Instead, I have a massive arsenal of stories to tell because I was a liar and it wasn’t known that I was a storytelling writer.
Today, I tell stories the proper way. Today, I’ve turned those lies into truth filled stories that tell the greatest story alive.
I now use words and cameras to speak of our relationship in this dirty orbit with the God of all of wonders.
Today, I am a creative communicator.
Today, I remember Pinocchio.
I remember watching him tell lies and his nose grow.
I remember sitting in my aunt’s bedroom while it played for the first time on HBO.
I remember how amazed I was that everyone knew he was lying.
I am a former liar turned storyteller.
What has shaped you? Feel free to comment.
Today I looked at my storage on my computer.
It was running low and that concerned me.
When I got the computer I knew it would be limited due because it was a solid state hard drive.
I couldn’t really understand where all my space went.
It was nerve wrecking.
I began digging deeper. Not the normal dig.
I knew some of the short cuts already.
This kind of digging required going into the back doors places I’ve never been.
I went through all files, applications, photos etc.
I found the culprits.
I deleted some files from the past.
Ideas that I started.
Successes that weren’t valid anymore.
Now I sit here wondering how deep are we digging to live authentically.
Are we alright with the surface? Are we still living off of former accomplishment? Are we afraid to delete old ideas, moments, & thoughts.
Are we willing to start over?
What are your thoughts when no one is around? When you look in the mirror is that the authentic you or the imitation version you left in the back doors of your hard drive of your heart.
I’ve lived enough of my life as the imitation version. Daily I am afforded the opportunity to uncover more about me through Him.
In order to move forward in life we have to know what to delete.
When’s the last time you dug deep and removed the old files of your emotions that keep you bound?
Today I overcame fear. I went back to a place I felt outcasted and hated. Instead of running I dug deep and walked in the confident authority of Christ.
Let us not be bound by fear. Remember he didn’t give us that. The deeper we dig the greater the reward. Who knows you might receive more than storage space in your heart (peace). You may find oil or gold.
Recently, I have been challenged by social media. When I look at my timeline its full of advertising -(hence why I unfollow when needed)-. Now I don’t mind advertisement however; there is very little actual social engagement going on. We have made social media a place to launch our ventures more than a place to connect with people for the people. We connect with people because we want something from them. We want there like, we want there retweet, we want them to know our names and brands. I have never been that type of person. I have met many people throughout my life but I never use those meeting times to present my product or personal brand -(many times to a fault)-. I believe in organic relationships. If I tweet you and you follow back that is awesome in my eyes.
Social media shouldn’t be used as a platform of gimme, gimme, gimme. Ben Arment holds seminars, online trainings and has written a book all under the brand _Dream Year_. While at a Dream Year weekend in 2011 he spoke about “The Ask”. The Ask is when you have built a genuine relationship people are prone to support your venture because they know you. If you are interested in working with someone try and build a relationship with them. Don’t just put yourself out there. People are more prone to comfortably listen when they have a relationship with you. Our current model of social media is WRONG. We have created this gimme look at me mentality instead of building authentic, loyal relationships.
Don’t be offended if people don’t friend, follow or respond back to you. Everyone isn’t going to be your best friend and the time is not always right to befriend someone. Social media should be social. It shouldn’t be a platform for you to build your brand. The first brand people see is you. So prior to reposting and spamming everyone that follows you on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter etc get to know them first. You will be surprised at the reaction you receive.
I’ve had the privilege of building dynamic social media relationships simply by asking people how they are doing from time to time. I don’t do it so they will remember me. I reach out because I genuinely care for them as people. Do you care about the person behind the profile or building your brand? Is your social media life authentic? I’d love to hear from you!