5 Things I Learnt From Creating 100 Daily Videos on Linkedin

How many of you have crazy New Year Goals? I surely made one in December of 2018.

I will create 365 daily videos in 2019. The project will help students and professionals become communication rockstars. It will be called Project #annieway.

Surprisingly, I am 100 days in. It has been crazier than crazy. That is why I share something honestly today about following apparently difficult and 'seemingly impossible' dreams/ projects.

"Who you are is defined by what you are willing to struggle for...." - Mark Manson - 'The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A Fuck'

So here goes - I will be honest so it may seem negative but read on till the end.... :)

1. It is incredibly difficult. Video is a visual medium. So it meant I had to have the right clothes, light, hair, make-up, tripod/ desk support, mic, sound controlled surroundings to shoot videos, mostly by myself. Would I rather sit and watch Netflix and stuff my mouth with cake? You bet! I couldn't.

Next, edit each video and create descriptions, titles and research relevant hashtags.

Then, post it every morning by 9 am on multiple channels - Linkedin; Facebok; YouTube; Instagram; WhatsApp. I tried sites that help schedule posts but it botched up the hashtags. So I did it myself. Not easy while bumping along in an auto or cab in Bangalore traffic. :p

Key Learning: Planning early, calendaring To-Do's, using Evernote for ideas and a 'Just Do It On Your Commute' hustle mentality works!

2. The thicker the skin, the better. Oh did you think you would post one video everyday and the world would stop what they were doing and give a f**k about you? Oh you poor deluded thing!!

It just might be a Game of Thrones line - "Nobody cares."

Some days, I got very less engagement for my best videos. There were weird know-it-all comments. Some stalkers for real. Makeup suggestions and criticism of the quality of edits. Yet, I got 800 subscribers to my YouTube channel - 'AskAnnie' and amazing people on Linkedin who shared my videos - suggested topics - encouraged me and made me better with constructive criticism. I have a pretty thick skin now and it has helped me get better without losing hope.

3. Procrastination is real. The hardest part is starting. Can I just do this tomorrow? Sleep in today? Not take out my mic and phone at a mall or a park just because the light is good? Can I stop annoying my friends and family by asking them to just shoot me for a minute?

Let's face it! Creating thumbnails is not sexy. It's not the dream. Yet it is part of the dream.

So I took it one day at a time. One video at a time. Taking a mini - break when I needed. Telling myself every day - "Let's just start. Let's just get the tripod set." It got fun after that. I mean, who doesn't want to be stared at in cafes or cabs like you're crazy for talking to your phone.

As Lilly Singh says,

“Think of discomfort as currency- it's the price you pay to learn some pretty crucial things."

4. The power and beauty of love. I have always loved teaching. Even today when I am a corporate trainer, I still love teaching. I started my YouTube videos in 2016 for my students. This 365 day video series - #annieway is also the same - I wanted to help students and young professionals do better in interviews and at the workplace - speak up with more confidence and create their personal brand.

On days that I wanted to give up on this project, it was the power and beauty of the love shown by my community on Linkedin and my Toastmasters friends - that kept me enthused. Messages of how the videos were the first thing they watched every morning ; suggestions for new videos on areas they were struggling with ; just a thank-you note; sharing how they are reading the books I recommend or how their friends also follow my videos - it makes my day to be able to make an impact.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

5. The impact and reach of video. Linkedin Video has become a powerful medium in just 1.5 years and Linkedin Live is going to be the next big thing. It is the most powerful medium for storytelling and personal branding. The best part of video is the reach; the visibility, optimum use of time and the ease of consumption (eg, in commute). Also, it has not reached saturation point and the content is still quite professional.

I have written blogs and posts but video has helped me exponentially in reaching out to thousands of professionals and become a thought leader. It is going to rule the roost for everyone looking to create a personal or business brand.

What Next?

265 more videos on Linkedin and my YouTube channel AskAnnie. Hope to keep dancing on camera and enlightening my amazing community with one minute hacks. If you have ideas for videos or you want me to speak about my journey, inbox me. Or drop a line at [email protected].

Cheerios! _________________________________________________________________________

About The Author:

Annesha Dutta is a two time Linkedin Top Voice (India) - 2017 amd 2018. She is a Distinguished Toastmaster and a professional public speaker. She has spoken in IIM's, IIT's, NIT's and for corporates like Oracle, CGI, Fidelity, Puma and Microsoft. She loves speaking about building confidence and executive presence; how to use linkedin to get better careers and AMA sessions on communication and interviews.

She consults with startups and companies and conducts corporate trainings on business communication, business storytelling and Linkedin strategies for personal branding and content marketing. She manages to eat a lot of biriyani and drink pots of coffee while debating on Game Of Thrones conspiracies, in between. :)

Creating videos is DTM Annesha's one true love and she has created over 400 videos on Linkedin, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, with more than 50,000 followers.

If you want Annesha to speak at your college or company or you want to associate with her for corporate training or content marketing strategy, reach out - [email protected]. Or inbox her on her virtual home, Linkedin.