I’ve encountered a lot of people lately who deleted their social media accounts and are quite pleased with the result. They were tired of the negativity and the wasted time of getting sucked into the gripe-fest that was their news feeds, and so they made the bold decision to unplug.
Ironically, the message I’m about to deliver is for them, and they’re unlikely to receive it because they aren’t here.
The (Bad) News Feed
When you hop on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc and start scrolling, what do you see? If you’re anything like the people who have unplugged, then the answer isn’t pretty. Politics. Gripes about work. Disaster stories. Discussions about discrimination. Horror stories. Advertisements.
Interspersed with that mess is a collection of carefully-curated posts from your friends and family showing you just how incredible their lives are. You’re sitting shoulder to shoulder on a crowded train in Philadelphia on a murky cold day and they’re living it up on the slopes of Aspen.
It’s no wonder people want to get away from it. Who wants nothing but bad news and reminders that other people are having more fun than you?
Your News Feed is a Reflection of You
I hate to break it to you, but your news feed is your fault. Every second that you have that app open, the artificial intelligence engine on which it runs is watching your actions. It has one goal: show you things that you will want to engage with. The more you engage, the more it shows. It’s the smartest dumbest filter ever created.
There’s an old proverb that says “the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” I think a modern equivalent is “the fingers click what the heart is full of.”
The Downside of Disengagement
Stop and think a minute about what your news feed could be. It could be a completely customized channel that is always showing you the things you want to have in your life. It could be a continuous source of fresh inspiration, entertainment, and connection. In a world full of negativity, it could be the place where you bring positivity to critical discussions that our society needs to have.
Newsfeed Development
Beyond all of that, your news feed could be the tool that you use to build a life for yourself. If you’re trying to adopt a certain lifestyle, you could follow content that teaches and inspires you to do it. If you’re trying to grow your career, your newsfeed could be the place you network and form genuine relationships with potential employers.
Keep in mind that people pay a lot of money to go to conferences for personal development and professional networking. You can do it while you sit on the couch, for free.
Curate. Don’t Delete.
Jim Rohn says “you’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” If your newsfeed isn’t the most exciting place on the planet for you, then it’s time to make changes. It’s time to curate ruthlessly.
Pruning.
If you’re tired of seeing negativity, stop following negative people. If you want to remain connected but avoid their drama, click the “mute” button. More importantly, teach the stupid artificial intelligence algorithm to show you better things by resisting the urge to engage with crap you don’t want in your life anyhow.
Planting.
Change your search criteria. Don’t look for people you already know and want to connect with. If you’re not already connected, you probably don’t need to be. Instead, go find some communities that revolve around things that matter to you. Find people who publish content that adds value to your world.
Slowly, your newsfeed will transform from a drain to a platform: a place for you to stand and make your impact on the world.
Next Steps
If you’re interested in learning how I use social media to grow my career, how I teach people to use it to land their dream jobs, then you’re going to LOVE the online workshop I’m putting together. It’s all about skipping the miserable process of applying to dozens of jobs and never hearing anything back – and having people ASKING you to apply instead. It’ll be available in early 2019.
Type your name and email in the form and I’ll keep you posted on when it will be available. In the meantime, I’ll send you a cheat sheet about the 15 Skills Employers are Really Looking For, among with a weekly dose of inspiration.
