It’s about half a year since I started learning English seriously. And recently I started reading English books. As I’ve written before, you can’t tell others you’re good at English if you rarely speak or write. So I’m trying to write a reading note in English.
Show Your Work is a great book, it writes about how to promote yourself, and the key is process, not product, all you have to do is show your work. And it’s a small book, won’t take you a lot of time, but worth it.
There’re a lot of useful ideas and suggestions in the book. I won’t tell the detail, but I want to share with you some of the parts that inspire me.
The first thing is about share. I think sharing will brings pure pleasure. Just recall when you share a toy with your best friend, or tell your parents what happened in school life. And if you share the things that you’re working on, the pleasure will push you to do it better. Maybe you’ll be afraid of no one interested in it. Just remember, “human beings are interested in other human beings and what other human beings do”.
Once my friend told me, “You’ve listened lots of music, don’t waste it”. That’s right! If you’ve put a lot of effort into something, don’t hoard it. I’ve listened tons of music, so I made a music radio(Pilot Radio), and I’m trying to be a bedroom DJ. I’ve read a lot of books, so I write the reading notes like what I’m doing right now. I’ve learned and thought a lot and I want more, so I write blog and share(postcard.lilpilot.co). Open up your cabinet of curiosities, and “your influences are all worth sharing because they clue people into who you are and what you do”.
The next thing is about storytelling. People love good stories, right? If you want to be more effective when sharing yourself and your work, you need to become a better storyteller. I know it’s not easy for everyone unless you’re a genius. So be patient, learn some trick and use it.
Become an amateur. Look for something new to learn, and when you find it, dedicate yourself to learning it out in the open. Document your progress and share as you go so that others can learn along with you. Show your work, and when the right people show up, pay close attention to them, because they’ll have a lot to show you.
That’s the process of showing your work. Share, and don’t quit, you will be better.