This blog has nothing whatsoever to do with who I am professionally. I never mix business with this blog. Recently, I was asked why. Until the question was posed I honestly had not thought much about it. But I quickly was able to give 3 reasons. There are likely many others, but I’m lazy today and don’t feel like writing much. So, three it is.
- I believe in promotion, but I do not believe in shameless promotion.
I think the world lacks shame in too many areas. I think a certain amount of shame is necessary if we’re going to be good people and live honorably. Must every endeavor have a money motivation? I don’t think so. This blog has never been about making money, or “monetizing” (who came up with that word?). It’s just some rambling that I do solely for my own entertainment. I’m not interested in how many people stop by, how many clicks I get or how many subscribers I get. I have no illusions of becoming the male version of Heather Armstrong. I can’t keep up with her cussing anyway.
- Making every online conversation a sales pitch makes people view you like an insurance salesman (sorry, Mr. Insurance Salesman!).
Imagine you’re at some social gathering trying to have a good time and out of the corner of your eye you see him. He’s the one person everybody dreads talking with. He’s a salesman who refuses to use the soft sell. He’s always pushing his business agenda forward and migrating the conversation to whatever he’s selling. And you hate him for it.
This blog is a conversation of sorts. Sure, it’s mostly one-way because so few people chime in (probably because so few people read it or even know about it). Still, it’s a conversation that sometimes has observations about business, but there’s no agenda here. The only agenda is to seek wisdom. Sometimes the wisdom here isn’t so wise, but it’s still a quest. This conversation isn’t about making connections that will result in revenues or profits.
- Different hats for different occasions.
Wearing the same hat (go to my about page and you’ll see I do wear a hat, especially in the winter) is boring. Like wearing the same shirt day after day. Boring. Uninspiring. Always the same. Sort of like having the same conversation. I suppose there are some one-dimensional people. I know a few. They’re a one-trick pony and some of them don’t even have such a grand trick. I enjoy some different things. I like some different conversations. Mostly, I enjoy conversations that have no agenda or profit motive. I know that’s anathema when it comes to the Internet. It seems if you’re not constantly thinking about, talking about and planning to “monetize” a website then you don’t know Jack Schitt. Well, I don’t know Jack. I suspect I wouldn’t like him much if I did know him so it’s just as well.
I am not opposed to making money. Like most people I want to earn as much as I can. But I do think there’s a time and place for everything. And I tire of people who blog while constantly beating you over the head with an offer. Do that on a professional blog, a business blog – no problem. I’m all for it. I just don’t personally feel like mixing the two in my life. So I don’t. And now you have at least 3 reasons why.
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