There doesn't have to be a lesson in everything

Your attention please! I'm passionate about sharing actionable advice and mentoring to help you figure out what you want from your career – whether you're just starting out or not. I now write regularly on all of this over on my blog, which you can subscribe to here.

I share personal experiences and lessons from my career, as well as honest thoughts on unanswered questions.

I'll be using LinkedIn to share a snapshot of these posts, as well as other thoughts... starting with this one. ??

A common post trope on LinkedIn is the need for people to publish something in the name of a lesson.

They can start in a few common ways…

“You won’t believe what I learned from…”

“The time I…”

And share many similarities at the end of their post…

“And that’s what it means to…”

“And here’s how that matters to…”

Marketing LinkedIn is no different.

The illusion of success

It seems the desperation to publish means needing to find a lesson in something – anything and everything… repeatedly.

Especially if it’s from someone who’s set their stall out to be seen as a power-user on LinkedIn or, commonly, is selling some sort of self-improvement/get-rich training course.

It’s not for me.

Usually, the link is tenuous at best; from learnings from a TV show, news event or movie, to walking barefoot in the snow to reach a meeting because that’s what entrepreneurs do…

(Yes, that last one is real…)

I’ve also seen a post that compares losing your virginity to cold calling… give me strength.

Anyway…

The point is, these posts create the illusion of a lesson, wrapped up in a tedious metaphor, which somehow translates as success.

The same can be applied to ‘high performance’ attitudes and related podcasts.

This content intertwines with ‘hustle culture’, and this is where I think it becomes really problematic for anyone first entering a career, in whatever sector.

The big caveat regarding my view on hustle culture, is that it’s simply not for me.

I don’t resonate with it at all.

Fundamentally I think it creates unreasonable expectations and unfair comparisons, therefore creating an unprecedented level of imposter syndrome.

This can lead directly to burnout. It’s not helping anyone.

Hustle vs graft

There is such a thing as hard graft and sacrifice, and the very best entrepreneurs really are built different, but modern-day hustle culture focuses on the relentless grind, overworking on purpose and a fundamentally flawed approach to work-life balance.

And claiming that waking up at 3.30am is “attacking your day”…

(The irony of that last point is you always see their morning routine, you never see their evening routine. Probably because they’re in bed by 8pm and haven’t spent any time with their family).

Where you can take lessons from, are those genuine people sharing genuinely relatable stories:

• Campaign successes and failures.
• How they get to where they are (if it’s honest!)
• Detailing their setbacks.
• A moment of a lack of confidence, or even arrogance, and its impact.
• A training course that really helped.
• A relevant podcast that resonated.
• A recent 1-2-1.
• When you messed up your degree and decide to write about it. Hi again!

Pay attention to those who share an honest truth, who delve into what it’s really like to run a business or lead a team.

If you spot these kinds of posts, they’re the real lessons.

Other people posting their reality, especially if they talk about their failures more than their wins.

That’s life!

You’ll make plenty of your own learnings organically, you don’t have to force it, but don’t let them come at the expense of a false reality or unrealistic expectations.

Give your brain a break for a change.

You’ll just end up knackered and confused!

Comments welcome.

Thanks, Dave

P.S. Fortunately hustle culture might be ending.