It is time for a quick update on my 2018. I have been pretty lax about posting here as most of my content is being posted on my Patreon profile. For just $5.00 per month you can get access to all of my content. Content includes articles, podcasts, and videos on business, analytics, productivity, wellness, and creativity. The focus is providing inspiration and knowledge to enhance your own experience. So head over to my profile and sign up. Just don’t watch my horrible intro video. lol
Onward to the good stuff!
Aric’s Q1 2018 Update
Shapr
Are you tired of LinkedIn? Has LinkedIn gotten a bit personal? Tired or recruiters harassing you who have never looked at your profile? Luckily, there is a cure. It is an app called Shapr. Think of it as the Tinder app for professionals and networking. You signup easily and then you tell it up to 10 skills and give it your location. It matches you to professionals with similar skills and interests. You can then chat, meet for coffee/lunch or even just have a video call.
For me, it has been phenomenal in networking with fellow analytics gurus in my area. I have already met with a half dozen and have developed a broader network for clients and employment opportunities. It is great. By comparison, LinkedIn is embarrassingly bloated. lol
The Creative World
Early in my career, I cared a lot about gadgets, tech, and having cool stuff. After a few moves and having to deal with all that stuff, I have decided to significantly downsize. No more stuff for the sake of having stuff. I have reduced my furniture down to the essentials, dumped half the stuff in my kitchen I never used, or used only once, and reduced my wardrobe down to a week worth of clothes.
This leaves the door open for more creativity. Not only do I have tons of room in my small studio apartment, but I have a free mind as well. Not being surrounded by all that stuff has cleared the air. I now look forward to coming home and using this great space for projects and expanding my business.
After seeing technology de-innovate over the past two years (iOS 11 is backwards) with minimalist interfaces and complicated gestures, more and more data collection, and annoying ads everywhere, I have begun reducing my reliance on tech. I am planning on getting rid of my iPhone and replacing it with a dumb flip phone. I will use a small tablet for the sake of convenience at the coffee shop. I will also dust off my S95 camera so I don’t miss anything and can document my adventures at any moment.
Having less technology around me reminds me that Americans truly work too hard. We are given the conveniences so corporations can profit from us, keep us connected. I don’t mean a conspiracy theory, but look at Europe, they are happier and work less than we do. Do we really want driver-less cars so we can start work the moment we leave or houses? Just stop and ask yourself, what is technology really doing for me? If you love it, great. If you wonder if the grass is greener with less tech in your life, give it a shot and cut back.
The creative world comes alive when you limit the technology, the stuff, and clear the air in your home. For me, I have renewed energy for podcasts, creating online courses for SpiralAnalytics, and even painting (I recent took up acrylic). Let creativity shine!
The 3 Words
You might recall, I started off the year with three words to define my 2018. Inspired by Chris Brogan’s concept, I chose active, plan and explore.
Active – Going well in respects to my physical fitness and being more active physically. I do have a bit of work to do with becoming more active in my community. I have not identified a non-profit to volunteer with. Longmont offers a few historical ideas, as does Erie and Louisville. I also need to get out more in the evenings after work. So, active is okay, but needs more focus.
Plan – Daily to do lists and progress charts are just a part of my plan. Plan really refers to knowing what I need to do, learning, and being prepared for the next step. For instance, I am considering leasing a car. I am doing research into what may fit my needs, as well as asking the question, Is this the right time? Plan is about being prepared to make an educated decision and executing that decision efficiently. Overall, Plan is going well.
Explore – Not only explore beautiful Colorado, but also explore what I want to learn, new hobbies, and try new things. I haven’t done many weekend road trips, but I have been exploring N Scale model trains. I have also been researching changes in social media. Exploring cars for a potential a new car lease, and dabbling in painting and sketching. I have also been exploring platforms to host online custom online courses. So, exploring has been busy.
SpiralAnalytics
Ah yes, my analytics consulting business. Things are going well. Busy with clients in Colorado while designing, authoring and recording online courses to share my knowledge and experience with analytics. What was supposed to be launched in December of 2017 with a WordPress blog and a few membership plugins turned out to be a lot of work and is almost ready to launch with Thinkific. SpiralAnalytics wants to educate and share our knowledge so our users can live in a data driven world and help them launch or refine their own career in analytics. Stay tuned… SpiralAnalytics is just getting warmed up.
This update has gotten a bit longer than I thought, so I will stop here. Head over to my Patreon profile and consider a $5/mo subscription. There is plenty of content over there to make your $5 well spent. Keep thinking about those three words and how they define your actions. Finally stay tuned for our first online course, authored by yours truly!
Caio!
Aric Monts-Homkey 