Twitter is Real Life
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What would happen if some of the greatest minds came together to share their collective knowledge with one another? The world is full of lone wolves, so when people form a tribe, they become a force. That is what happened on the mountain in North Carolina on that brisk, sunny November day…
There’s a common phrase used online. I’m sorry, it’s a meme. We no longer say, “common phrase,” so forgive my boomerspeak. That phrase: “Twitter is not real life.” The idea being that everything done and said online is fake and that people shouldn’t take Twitter seriously. At first glance, this seems like an obvious truth, but it’s the wrong mindset.
Twitter, like life, is what you make of it. Many will say that Twitter is fake because most people online are fake. There are cartoon characters, there are brands and there are people LARPing as something they’re not. I have no argument against any of that, but is everyone in real life living an authentic life? Perhaps these people are more honest with their Id when they’re online. Maybe by wearing the mask, they are able to be who they really are. Maybe the face they were in real life is the true mask.
Taking Twitter Offline
Earlier this month, I was fortunate enough to be invited to a real world meetup of many of the most well know Twitter personalities. Thanks to Garrett Dailey (@Libera_Rex) for orchestrating this amazing writer’s retreat.
Real life interaction completely changes up the relationship. This is true with business as it is with social media. Through this meetup, we were able to see the man behind the mask so to speak. The most amazing and gratifying part of this meetup: That everyone involved is authentic to the image they portray online.
To say you shouldn’t interact with people online is to be a prisoner of your geological prison. The beauty of the internet is you can find people who share a similar mindset as yourself. It’s easy to complain about people in real life being obsessed with trivial matters like politics and sports. There is nothing wrong with these topics, but many of us long for a deeper discussion.
Twitter is a remarkable medium for writers and those who seek that deeper discussion. And most people understand how Twitter can be used for following updates or news, but there is so much more to Twitter. Only a small percentage of it’s 320 million users take the time and effort to network with other people online. This is a total gamechanger. In fact, I spend more time interacting in various DM group chats than I do with the timeline itself.
The Council of Elders
Us “young bucks” were honored by the presence of the grey wave, including Chief Chuck, The Gentleman Mystic and Dennis Michael Hynes. If you’re jealous that you missed out on the great conversations had here, then you’ll be happy to hear that this conversation was captured for Aion Con.
During this discussion, these wise men were able to pass down their wisdom and advice to the younger generation. We were able to ask questions and this brought out a few emotional moments. It was in this brutal honesty that we were all allowed to open up, share our problems and connect on a deeper level.
This was the greatest part of the entire weekend and was thoroughly moving and inspirational. If you seek advice from three of the wisest elders on Twitter, then you’ll enjoy this discussion.
Forging Real Relationships
When you get to know people in person, your relationship will dramatically improve. This is true in business and this is true with social media. And yes, the two are often extrinsically linked.
Its no surprise that all involved have been interacting more online. Not only on the timeline but also in a group chat that we have set up. If you haven’t formed your brotherhood yet, start looking for people that share your current goals, ideas and problems.
How do you do this? Start interacting with these people. Get to know them and over time a relationship can form. The trick here is either to be interesting enough that one of these tribal leaders will notice you, or to become a leader yourself and seek out your own tribe. Both are challenging but rewarding. And what you’ll come to find out is that your brothers are also searching for you.
Finding Inspiration from Your Brotherhood
What few understand is that you aren’t alone in searching for your brotherhood. People who share your ideology and mission are also searching for you. They’ll be just as inspired and motivated from meeting you.
We all get burnt out at work after spending long hours chasing that dollar. And that is why we need to take a vacation once in a while. When you come back, you find yourself refreshed and your boss finds a more productive worker. This is true as a writer as well.
Seeking a weekend retreat with fellow writers is more effective than a vacation though. Why is that? Because you feed off the energy of fellow writers. You gain insight into the brilliant minds of your brothers. And best of all, the amazing conversations that flow with the whiskey plant the seeds for so many new topics to write about. Every single day since returning from this trip, I have written thousands of words.
I have been tirelessly working on my upcoming book, The Warrior’s Mindset, but lately had hit a bit of a wall. Normally I can add about 500 words a day to my current book, but I had been struggling to add 50 for the last couple months. Since this trip, I have found the inspiration and the motivation to write more and better words for this book. Now I know it is on pace to be a worthy successor to Reclaim Your Manhood.
A man alone is like a soldier without support. He can make an impact on the world, but he will always be limited by logistics, by narrow ideas and by lack or support when he is under fire. But when you have a brotherhood working with you, supporting you, and encouraging you, well then you become like a platoon. Now you are a force to be reckoned with. Now you will draw the attention of a much larger audience.
And with that larger audience will come enemies, and they’ll be more formidable. You’ll find there will be those who try and infiltrate your group. There will be weak crabs in the bucket that will try and tear you down. It is essential that your group has a proper vetting process. That the team work together to defend one another. Your brotherhood will need a code to live by. And all of you have an inherent responsibility to live up to the code yourself, and most importantly to ensure the rest of your tribe lives up to the code.
Go out and find your tribe. Go out and save the world.
When I think of the most interesting people I know, it’s not the hyper-specialized experts in one field. It’s the people who find a unique juxtaposition of different walks of life. I’m drawn to those who can be both physically fit and intelligent enough to write. Two skills that are not that common alone but uniquely rare when found in the same person.