(I even say so in the image). ;)

Faith: [feyth] noun. Confidence or trust in a person or thing:

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Guy walks up to me. Shaved head. Neck tattoos. Big smile. “Hey, you were at that Starbucks the other day!”

‘Yeah, I was.’

(He sat at a laptop bar next to me and said hello. We talked about WordPress — because he saw I had it open and he works with it a lot.)

“Nice to see you again. I’m Shane.”

We shake hands.

‘Nice to see you. I’m Zero.’
“What?”
‘Zero. Like the number.’
“Oh, cool! So that’s like your nickname?”
‘Nope. My birthname.’
“Oh, right on, man! That’s awesome!”
‘Thanks!’
“Z. E. R. O.?”
‘Yup!’
“Man, you should be a celebrity or something!”
‘Well, I DO have a facebook page. People follow me. So I sometimes feel like one.’

(Yes, this sounds vaguely like, “I’m kind of a big deal. People know me.” — not intentional!)

I flip my browser tab to my page. Shane sees my cover photo with “Be Awesome” and the cape, “Oh dude, that’s awesome!”

…

Good times.

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For those wondering why I have so many pages or why I post certain things (which I hope you enjoy), or why I sometimes cross-post to different pages you are following, there IS a method to my madness…

It’s called the “trying as many different things as possible in an attempt to find something that works” technique.

Works for what?

Well, I’m always trying to find ways to expand my (active) audience — or find things that provide some kind of VALUE to people.

People STILL ask me, “When are you going to visit [place -- including other countries]?” or “Are you still traveling around the country doing things?”

And the answer is, “When I CAN.” and “Not right now.”

I post cute animal pics — or share my short situational stories, but to be honest, I’d much RATHER be traveling, taking photos, writing about the experience, entertaining and sharing meaningful or funny experiences with people.

I’ve gotten a lot better at that than I was when I started back in May 2010.

But I’m broke. And I have been for a long time now.

I am barely scraping by — if you can call it that.

That’s NOT a complaint. It’s an excellent learning experience. But it isn’t exactly conducive to doing the things I originally set out to do 3 years ago.

So I’m trying to crawl up and out of the hole.

EVERYTHING I do is an attempt to keep pushing forward — without stepping too far back and not giving up.

Thus, I do a lot of things that may seem only slightly related…

I post to different pages and different social networks, I make videos, I try to make my website(s) more accessible, I design t-shirts and stickers, I post my photography for sale, I try to write helpful blog posts, and I tell funny real-life stories.

Basically, I do everything I have the skills and talent I have to do — and it’s all in an effort to simply prolong my ability to find something that will provide me with the means to keep going.

I’ve talked about Kickstarter before (crowd-sourced funding)…

And I’d love to do a Kickstarter campaign — but to be frank, I don’t think I have enough of an active audience to get one successfully funded.

Maybe I’m wrong about that. But every time I’ve posted about that, it’s been acknowledged by only a couple people.

By comparison, I post a picture of a cup of coffee and 64+ people like it and 21+ people share it.

That’s not a complaint. I love posting stuff you appreciate. But I also know that somehow there is a way that I can connect what I truly want to do with something that clicks with my audience, too.

It would be easier to SHOW you, but I simply don’t have the resources to do it anymore. I have to get funded first.

And so, I’m still trying everything I can until I run out of ideas.

Also — I often think of it as the tipping point. That if I can only reach THAT point where I have enough of an active audience tuned in to what I produce, then the audience will help generate itself.

Every time you share something I post, people see my name or something I’ve produced (a story, a photograph, a t-shirt…).

The more people who see those things, the more people who might be curious as to who I am or what I do (or did) or what I’m about.

The more people who follow me because of those things, the more people who will likely support me to do more of those things.

So as much as I post cute animal pics for your enjoyment — that’s only a means to an end — and only slightly related to my own bigger picture.

I always would rather post more of my own original content than always share someone else’s.

Sharing is easy. Picking something that you think people will respond to is easy. And there’s little invested if it doesn’t work.

Producing original content day and after day is hard. Whether it’s a photograph or a pin or writing a story that entertains people.

And that hard stuff is what I truly love.

Now you know.

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Informative exchange via comments:

Michael Amerson: So, i get all that- but what’s the goal here? is it just to be famous?

Most famous celebrities have something really interesting to offer (other than Kim k) and I’m not trying to be mean – just shooting from the hip with straight talk.

Are you aiming to be a pro photographer? or a famous internet personality? or a bit of both? Most famous personalities offer something of value that keeps users engaged. While I appreciate the candidness of your personal experiences. To me- they are just that,-personal experiences. I like your posts, and i like you as an artist, but i read it as a big online diary.

I don’t seek you out as a source of my regular entertainment. Again, not trying to sound harsh – just giving you my perspective. I’d be happy for you if you made it as a tv personality, or get picked up by Nat Geo- trotting the globe taking pictures. But if you’re seeking the fame of Bear Grylls, or Steve-O, you gotta do what they do.

ZERO:

I have no desire to be famous. I’ve written about that before.

But like any artist (writer, musician, photographer, painter…) I do desire an audience — to appreciate what I produce. To hopefully appreciate it enough to help sustain me to produce more of it.

I don’t seek to be like anyone else or copy anyone else. I only seek to be me.

If I wanted to follow someone else’s blueprint, I would’ve.

Also, while your feedback is VERY much appreciated — my goal isn’t to appeal to everyone. So if I’m not your cup of tea (ie you don’t think I have anything very interesting to offer) and you don’t find anything of real value in what I produce, that’s absolutely fine.

But there is an audience out there that will. I DO have something of value to offer those people — but it’s a matter of trying to connect with those people. And thus, I try different things.

Michael Amerson: If it’s not photos- then what is it you are seeking to build an audience off of?

ZERO:

“You have to create what is it that you do best, that layers onto the formal training that may be behind it. I think the greatest of people that have ever been in society, they were never versions of someone else. They were themselves.”

http://blog.zerodean.com/2013/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson-be-yourself/

That is what I’m trying to leverage. If I was just a photographer, then I would put all my energy into being JUST a photographer. And maybe one day, I could do what I really wanted to do. Or maybe one day some opportunity might present itself and I might say “yes” to it, even if it wasn’t something I’d planned for.

But for me, having sacrificed my previous life to take the path I’m on — which is a unique path and not a someone else’s blueprint — I’m doing what *I* can and using the unique set of skills I have to make it work.

Does it work? Not quite yet. But then, it’s a matter of feedback and tuning what you do in a way that connects with the audience that follows you — or at least the attracting an audience that wants to.

It’s not all or nothing. It’s not a “and here’s THE solution” thing. It’s an evolution of things. One thing builds upon another and evolves. You keep building on tiny victories and correcting your course as you go, until you end up in a place that feels right.

I have done a lot of tiny things that HAVE worked wonderfully. I have learned a ton of valuable things in the process.

I can take a pretty picture.
I can tell funny or inspiring story.
I can connect with people on an emotional level.
I am open to new ideas and new ways of thinking.
I inspire [some] people.
I’m pretty good at facing fears.

None of that is a problem. Those are all victories.

The problem is, I’m self-employed.

And until I find a means to turn any of the above into something that actually generates money — be it through sponsorships, advertising, the sale of merchandise, or whatever — it means everything else suffers.

The thing is, people DO:

Make money from their photography
Make money from their writing
Make money from connecting with people on an emotional level
Make money from inspiring people

But they way they got to that point where it worked was a unique combination of things/opportunities — and none of which will necessarily work again if copied anyway.

Michael Amerson: Yes of course. I’m not suggesting you follow anyone’s path. I’m merely curious as to what your goal is. You mentioned a kickstarter campaign, what would it be? Is it to travel and blog? What would you offer back for this type of campaign?

ZERO:

I’m not going to design a kickstarter campaign that doesn’t at least pique the interest of those who follow — and it isn’t going to be successfully funded anyway if it fails to do so.

Thus, I’ve designed different campaigns, but every time I mention them, few people acknowledge them (and if you’re not aware of this, then that’s part of the problem). Thus, I go back to the drawing board.

I do understand that on some level, it simply means making a commitment to an idea and following through — to see if it works.

But ANY campaign I come up with is intended to take advantage of the things I feel I have to offer and where I have the things of the most value to offer.

Photography
Writing
Sharing (interactive) meaningful experiences (2 way street)

“Why should we care?” and “Why should anyone follow you?” are just the types of questions that are difficult to answer in a way that appeals to everyone.

Because most people probably won’t.

I think the key is finding the audience that will and does. And at that point, it’s not a matter of answering those questions for people — because those people already answered those questions for themselves.

WHY does Melissa Shaubach Gieniec think I’m inspiring, my photography is amazing, and looks forward to reading my book — which she thinks publishers will be eager to publish?

I didn’t pitch anything to Melissa. I didn’t have to tell her why to care.

Whereas you just find me semi entertaining and have no real investment. If I disappeared, you wouldn’t really care. To be just as frank you you were, you are probably not my target audience. Melissa is.

That isn’t to say I don’t want to appeal to you — because I do. But if I have to try to convince you to care — after 3 years of this already, I think it’s too long gone for that.

And that’s also why I continue to try new things to connect with that new and (active/invested) audience.

Michael Amerson: Gotcha. Those who are interested will be – those who aren’t won’t be, and in either case it all works out. However, my intent was to question what it is you were seeking, as it was not clear to me. I get it now- you simply want to do what you want to do (blogging, photography, writing, sharing), and have a significant enough audience where it becomes a commercially viable enterprise.

ZERO:

Yeah, pretty much.

I don’t want to be a celebrity — and that association always makes me cringe. I just happen to be online and that’s where my audience resides.

If I owned a photography shop on a street corner, I’d be trying to find ways to connect with more people so they came into my shop and help generate business.

I have become a personality because that’s one of the ways in which I connect with people. I share personal stories and interact with people. And I have a page. So it puts focus on me. And more so when what I offer helps alter people in any way.

People tend to connect much more with someone when it feels personal. That’s also why I’ve started including my photo on things. Not because I want the attention, but because it does create a more personal connection. And that’s all key to marketing, but it’s also true. It’s hard to identify and connect with a logo. It’s easier to read something and identify with its source when you see a face to associate it with.

“Those who work for money alone, and who receive for their pay nothing but money, are always underpaid, no matter how much they receive. Money is necessary, but the big prizes of life cannot be measured in dollars and cents. No amount of money could possibly be made to take the place of the happiness and joy and pride that belong to the person who digs a better ditch, or builds a better chicken coop, or sweeps a cleaner floor, or cooks a better meal.

Every normal person loves to create something that is better than the average. The joy of creating a work of art is a joy that cannot be replaced by money or any other form of material possession.” — Napoleon Hill. The Law of Success.

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Today we’re going to talk about positive feedback folders.

Have you ever hit a rough patch in life (personally or professionally) where you feel like nothing is going your way?

Perhaps you’ve hit a creative block, are dealing with some kind of rejection, or you’re just having a difficult time connecting with some of the things that are important to you.

And to make matters worse, perhaps you get a bit down on yourself and you start focusing on the negative. Maybe even asking yourself why you even bother.

This is where a positive feedback folder can help.

What is a positive feedback folder?

As you might guess, it’s a folder — or more likely, a document — in which you store positive feedback that you’ve received.

You know how some companies have testimonials? Positive feedback folders are a lot like that, except they’re a personal repository of positive feedback for you being you — or a repository for feedback you’ve received at work anytime outside of a standard performance review.

The idea is that anytime you receive meaningful positive feedback, you add it to your document. That way, when you hit a rough patch and are feeling down, you have this collection of comments to remind yourself of the brighter side of life and why you do what you do.

What to track in a positive feedback folder?

Track anything and everything that is meaningful to you in a positive way.

• If someone says something nice in a txt or email, add it to your folder. (If it’s digital, you can copy & paste it to a text file or simply take a screenshot. Whatever works!)
• If you receive an acceptance letter, meaningful greeting card, or handwritten letter, take a photo of it and add it to your folder.
• If someone leaves you a nice comment on a social network — and it makes you smile – add it to your folder.

What about in real life?

If someone provides you with some meaningful positive feedback you on something in real life — remember it as best you can – and write it down as soon as you’re able to (with mobile devices, this is pretty easy).

You don’t have to remember anything verbatim — that’s not the point — but anything that is truly meaningful to you will be easier to remember because of how it affected you.

If you’re not much of a typer, remember that many mobile note taking apps (evernote, catch…) now have voice note recording. So simply speak your note instead of typing it.

When you record real-life feedback, remember to be specific.

• Who said it?
• When/where was it? (context)
• And what did they say?

And then one day in the future, when you look back at your folder — and you see their name next to the feedback, you can complete the circle of kindness by thanking them (again) for it. “Remember that time you said [whatever it was]? Well, it really meant a lot to me.” They will be flattered that you remembered.

It may sound like this is all about you — and it is. But there’s nothing to feel guilty about.

This is not a self-promotion tool (unless you are collecting testimonials related to something you do), it’s not something you share with people. It’s for you.

It’s just a collection of all the little things that help give you a boost when you’re feeling down or defeated. And if you don’t get down, then this feedback can help provide you with the motivation (and reminders) to keep doing more of the things that have worked for you in the past.

It’s like your own anytime-you-need-it positive personal-performance review. And a reminder of the things you did that people noticed and gave you positive feedback for.

Great (and totally free) ways to collect & keep a positive feedback folder:

While keeping a simple text document will do the trick — especially if you use google docs (with mobile apps) – sites with apps that allow you to easily submit and sync feedback to all of your devices with an Internet are ideal:

• Catch.com (with mobile apps)
• Evernote (with mobile apps)
• Google Keep (with mobile apps)

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Now here’s some graffiti I could really get behind.

I mean, I could if there wasn’t a wall there.

What I’m trying to say is that I support it.

Or I would, if I could get underneath it (which I probably can’t) — and if I was strong enough to hold up that wall (which I’m probably not).

Ok, let’s just say, “I identify with what the graffiti ‘artist’ was saying here. It’s inspired.”

Yes, that’ll do.

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Photo is (c) its respective owner (I did not take this)

People will stare. Make it worth their while.

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Another failed pick up line at the gym today.

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The world is a magical place full of people waiting to be offended by something.

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“Until the late Pleistocene, about 10,000 years ago, the lion was the most widespread large land mammal after humans.”

“Lions are the only members of the cat family to display obvious sexual dimorphism – that is, males and females look distinctly different. They also have specialised roles that each gender plays in the pride.”

“Lions live for 10–14 years in the wild, while in captivity they can live longer than 20 years. In the wild, males seldom live longer than 10 years, as injuries sustained from continual fighting with rival males greatly reduce their longevity.”

“Lions have been kept in menageries since the time of the Roman Empire, and have been a key species sought for exhibition in zoos over the world since the late 18th century.”

“The presence, absence, colour, and size of the mane is associated with genetic precondition, sexual maturity, climate, and testosterone production; the rule of thumb is the darker and fuller the mane, the healthier the lion. Sexual selection of mates by lionesses favors males with the densest, darkest mane.”

“Lions spend much of their time resting and are inactive for about 20 hours per day.”

“Lions tend to dominate smaller felines such as cheetahs and leopards where they co-occur, stealing their kills and killing their cubs and even adults when given the chance. The cheetah has a 50% chance of losing its kill to lions or other predators.”

“A lioness may mate with more than one male when she is in heat;during a mating bout, which could last several days, the couple copulates twenty to forty times a day, often forgoing eating. Lions reproduce very well in captivity.”

Daaaayyuuuummmmn!

Read more about lions at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion

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