I wrote a blog post last year which was titled, “Careers, vocations and passions” …but in retrospect, I should have titled it, “Everything in your life is a glorified side hustle.”
But there are no “shoulds” …only revisions and second chances that reveal themselves if you pay attention…and I got a second chance to retitle it (and more).
The folks at American Writers and Artists (AWAI), the largest community of copywriters in the world, recently approached me to do an interview for their barefootWriter publication…and I jumped at the opportunity.
First, because I always say “yes” to anything they ask me to do…being a self-proclaimed “copywriter wannabe” makes it deliciously ironic for me to talk about copywriting to copywriters.
Of course, I approach copywriting from the marketer’s perspective, always with guns blazing, which the AWAI community seems to find useful.
At least they keep coming back for more. 🙂
And it continues to justify my place among the magicians of the written word…while not being one of them.
I have always considered myself a copywriter’s best friend based on my skills in lists and list segmentation. (More on that in the interview)
Another reason I jumped at their invitation was because of the preparation and advance research from the wonderful and talented editor of batrefootWriter, Mindy McHorse. She came to the interview prepared to do battle and to help me justify my thesis of being a copywriter’s best friend.
After reading many of my blog posts and my two books, listening to interviews I’ve given in the past, and speeches I’ve made (at AWAI events and others), she latched on to the concept I shared in “Careers, vocations and passions” as the starting point for the article …that is, side hustles don’t need to be on the side.
These “side hustles”–often taking shape as hobbies or outside interests–can just as often be front and center, trying together your career, vocation…and passions.
If you’ve been part of my online family for any length of time, there will be some things in the interview/article with barefootWriter that you already know…but there may be some things you do not know.
Bottom line: I believe writing is a necessary skill for all of us to practice…no matter what footwear you choose while writing (i.e., I do not write barefoot)…and any aptitude (including writing) can be developed from obvious and not-so-obvious places—and the side hustles—in your life.
Click on my face below to read the article…and let me know what you think.
Warmly,
Brian
P.S. Today, August 28th 2022, is “Sean Day” …to commemorate the loss of a great friend, philosopher, author and world renown speaker, Sean Stephenson…who passed away tragically three years ago.
If you have subscribed to this blog and been a member of my online family for any length of time, I know he has become a friend of yours too. In fact, he inspired my first Sunday blog post in 2014 and he appears here on an annual basis.
In the words of my buddy Michael Fishman, a close confidant and admirer of Sean:
“It would be impossible to do justice here to the depth of Sean’s impact and wisdom — an entire book would barely contain him — but it’s my belief that he was one of the most important messengers to grace this or any era, and he touched tens of millions of people with his varied messages.”
Every year on Valentine’s Day I write a tribute to Sean…you can read last year’s here to get a feel for who Sean is, what he meant to so many people (including me)…and why he lives on with ongoing impact through his writing, videos, speeches and books.
In addition, today (Sunday August 28th), for one day only, you can be part of a 24-hour livestream sponsored by the folks at Genius Network…and Joe Polish (also one of Sean’s best friends).
They will run “Sean’s greatest hits” throughout the day—priceless content–so we never forget the contributions Sean made during his short, yet very productive life on earth.
Sean’s mission–while he was alive and since his passing–is to rid the world of insecurity.
We have made some major headway. under Sean’s thought leadership…but the mission is far from complete.
Please honor him (and his mission) by going to this page sometime today.
No offer is being made…well, there are “offers” of love…and passion for life…and to never give up your confidence…and to “get off your Butt”…plus a few nifty dance moves…from one of the most loving and genuine humans who has ever lived.