You’re right on with this, Clay. Here’s my own mini-rant: I think that’s why this current recession is so scary to people (at least where I live) because everyone’s been living on ego currency for the past decade or so, and people are so afraid that they’re going to lose the objects that represent their status. Letting go of false ego and going for freedom (authentic self) is an instantly empowering experience. You’ll suddenly find money that you thought you needed, your life will become instantly more focused, and you’ll like yourself better.

Just a quick thank you note to you. As a newbie blogger, your advice probably arrives right in time.

This is precisely why you need to have measurable, relevant goals for how you’re spending your time. You spend an hour a day on social media to get “attention” and get $50/month in return? A waste.

But if you spend that same amount of time on social media building mailing lists, increasing your reach, etc. … and you have a way to monetize that … bingo.

I spend plenty of time building my blog … but it’s allowed me to triple my freelancing rates & generate passive income through my products.

You’ve got to have more than ego in the mix – you’ve got to be working for a return on your time investment.

clay you are so freakin right about this. blogging simply doesn’t lead to more freedom, nor does twitter or facebook or zaadz/gaaim or any of it. and i just figured out last week that what it actually does is lead to more chains. chained to bloggers who demand posts if you don’t put one up quick enough. twitter “friends” who are nothing but a tick mark labeled followers.

there are exceptions, sure. i’ve made friends, gotten support thru rough times, learned cool stuff. and thru having my blog these past five years, i’ve found my writing voice, was able to finish my novel, have a built in group of folks who were eager to read it and give feedback.

but your rant is spot on. it doesn’t contribute to freedom in any direct way. it’s just another distraction and life-force sucker. and really, red wine, dvds, and existential chat does just fine for that :)

Having spent maybe 15 or 16 years in the corporate world, it continues to amaze me that the ego economy trumps the monetary one every time. I don’t know how most companies make any money at all under the weight of ego-based decision making.

Killer post, great food for thought. I’m consistently surprised that the blogs & sites that get the most attention are not remotely the most profitable.

Clay:

The problem is that people are not leading their own paths. They see someone else making money doing someting, think it sounds great and start doing it.

I think you are getting closer to defining “freedom,” Clay. At a minimum, people should understand that money should not be the pursuit.

The phrase may be completely warn out but it really is true that life is about “the journey” and not the destination.

Personally, I do not write in a blog to be “a blogger.” I write to help myself make sense of the world and to test my ideas on people smarter than me. I don’t care about the money but if my blogging turns into an income stream then so be it…

“What is important in life is life, and not the result of life.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“I write to keep from going mad from the contradictions I find among mankind – and to work some of those contradictions out for myself.” ~ Michel de Montaigne

“I tell you that virtue does not come from money but that from virtue comes money and every other good of man.” ~ Socrates

..long time reader, first time commenter… I love your blog. I especially loved this entry. Doing things only for the reason of money will turn you into an addict because you will never feel like you have enough money to be satisifed.

Nice shift there from TGL to FYF. Looks like you found your passion and strength in writing on topics more towards financing our freedom.

Surely your not addicted into blogging too right? :)

Rant on, brotha!

Of course the whole issue of “Ego economy” comes down to an individual’s motivation for blogging (or whatever). While, I blog to make some money, I’m blogging because I think it will bring me freedom (I have other plans for that!:). I also don’t think I blog to fill my ego – although I’m sure there is some of that within me, I’m not immune. I really blog to build influence, and for personal growth.

Thanks for your “rant”ing reflection.

This is powerful, accurate, and extremely relevant stuff, Clay. I hope your readers will take it to heart.

I guess there’s a silently implied message here–that maybe you got sucked in a little in the beginning. I know I did.

I don’t mention this in a negative light, I mean it in that the most sincere rants come from the heart, from learning something the hard way, from seeing whether there is a light at the end of the tunnel…and realizing whether there’s another way out.

Social media is an incredibly valuable tool for amplifying one’s voice, for helping one to get paid attention to when they’re seeking out certain ends…but there’s a plateau we all reach where the gains are mere incremental…and they’re purely about influence or vanity rather than success (however we define that…).

We want to make an impact–we want to be important–and that’s often a more deeply rooted desire than making money. But what we forget sometimes is that there’s a minimum amount of financial success we need for us to have enough freedom to really define our lives in the light we’d like. There’s a certain level of comfort that can really empower us to make better decisions.

We have to try to draw the line between vanity and real outcomes. Social media levels the playing field…but it also removes all constraints on how much time we spend there.

Thanks, Clay.

I don’t see anything wrong with ego, in the sense of self-esteem. I’m not a big fan of the social media, but that’s because it’s so geared towards teenagers. That’s changing, but slowly.

A lot of people blog to express themselves, and their focus on readership involves their desire to be heard and understood by others. Some people can make money that way, some don’t. I don’t see a need to criticize them for it.

I remember when I was in grad school, my life was simple and I could afford to focus on something single-mindedly. But many years later, there is a lot to consider, and the concept of “freedom” in the abstract is not particularly a goal of mine. (I suppose I should stop reading, then.) I’ve learned that nothing is really an “all-or-nothing” situation. Entrepreneurship comes with as many drawbacks as being employed by others — it’s all a question of what’s the best fit.

I’m free in many ways while still working for others. I’m free to be myself, to say no to some unpleasant things, and required to do some other unpleasant things. It’s exactly the same for the self-employed. Self-employment can bring just as much worry and stress. I don’t lie awake at night wondering how I can make the payroll, as one example. What’s the difference between having an awful boss and having an awful client?

I don’t really understand why you’re ranting just because we’re not all the same. Even people who thought they’d make money but didn’t might still be happy with what they’re doing.

Hey AI,

with your freedom I’d recommend this…
http://www.appalachiantrail.org

or something similar… :)

I love your blog. I especially loved this entry. I agree with the Financial Philosopher, in that when you are blogging purely to make money, then you are blogging for the wrong reasons.

Loved your positive way of ranting. for me, its not ranting anyway. Its your way of expressing your supposed “freedom”. (lol) I am not good at ranting too that's why I often advised ranting people to refrain or possibly “eradicate this word” for them to move forward and not the other way around.