What is it like to embark on a journey to create "showcase" HR content?

If you have ever been hit by a great idea for some new piece of important content, you may understand what it's like to enter an extended period of uncertainty. You have a concept, and are inspired by it. As you feel an inner conviction growing, you begin to envision what it will be like to succeed and hit a "showcase" level.

But, you have some doubts. Unfortunately, the chances of total success are slim. In fact, most people falter and quit at this point, precisely when their inner critic takes over, so they never get started.

My plan is to help you tackle the issue in a series of posts here in the Content Creator and Consulting topic on CaribHRForum Community. The articles will consist of a real-time story: a project I am about to launch. It's a piece of content, usually defined as an article, audio, video, interactive or training. Over the next several weeks, I'll describe the ups and downs of the journey I'll be on, including the results of my efforts.

As you may suspect, this isn't a theoretical exercise.

In my personal productivity work focused on task management, I have detected a gap in a particular area. I think there's an opportunity, or in other words, an unwanted need to meet. In this case, I believe I already have developed most of the solution required...maybe 50-75%, based on prior work.

But my knowledge isn't quite up to date, so I'll have to do some further exploration to see what others have said recently. I also want to be absolutely sure that I have covered all the academic research.

The final result should, hopefully, go past ideas I already introduced in two books, and offer some new, attractive solutions in a format that is fairly easy to digest.

As usual, I have set some commercial (i.e. selfish) objectives. In this particular case, I would like to bring a certain level of traffic to my sites, and also build some interest for the March 2021 Task Management and Time Blocking Summit. These activities will (hopefully) also build my personal brand.

In addition, I want this to be a fun challenge. I have been thinking about this topic for several years and intend to enjoy the task of taking it to the next level.

Finally, the content should make a material and practical contribution. Those who read it should be inspired and informed to take different, informed actions. If it has the impact I want, it will clarify people's confusion and help them see a new pathway that makes sense to follow.

From now until the end of the HR Thought Leaders' Training starting in January, I'll be sharing my journey in this public space for everyone to see. So even if you don't take the training, you'll be able to see what it's like to be a content creator who is struggling to engage in a creative endeavor; an activity that is certainly technical, uses technology and is also somewhat artistic.

If you think I'm encouraging you to take your content creation to the next level, you are right!

And, yes, if this calls to you, I'm inviting you to join the HR Thought Leaders' Training by applying before the due date this Friday Dec 18th...even if you have never created any content and don't consider yourself to be a thought leader. I will take you through the baby steps you need to take, while sharing the ins-and-outs of my project.

But this is real - all participants will be creating content and receiving feedback in some form along the way. You have several advantages: a built-in team of classmates and a platform (CaribHRForum) that has a presence on our community platform, on LinkedIn, on our website, on Facebook, and on Instagram.

Yes...you will be creating content for this audience.

So, if you are wary of this particular "growth" opportunity, I can relate. As I have shared elsewhere, back in the day, I was in the very same boat. Before I (luckily) had a transformation in 2005, I kept putting off everything related to content creation, and could only muster a page here or there under duress...per year.

Don't delay like I did and regret this opportunity to kick off 2021 in a new, motivated space.