How To Thrive In The New Normal

Benny Wills

Read time: 7 1/2 minutes

The Digital Age is not coming. It’s here.

Email, websites and social media are the new normal.

There’s no getting around it. The internet is here to stay.

Whether you think this is a good or a bad thing is irrelevant.

You are alive right now—in this era, at this point in history—and this is the situation.

Being mad about it or hating it is a waste of energy.

Last week I discussed the downsides of social media. This week I’m honing in on the upsides.

You have 3 options when it comes to social media.

1. Avoid it altogether.
2. Consume it passively.
3. Embrace it fully.

No disrespect if number one is your choice. More power to you.

If you’re currently choosing number two, I suggest you at least consider upgrading to the third option.

It could even lead to LESS time at your computer or on your phone.

We’re in the midst of a modern-day Renaissance, but most people haven’t gotten the memo yet.

Consider this your invitation to the party.

"Accept the place the divine providence has found for you, the society of your contemporaries, the connection of events. Great men have always done so, and confided themselves childlike to the genius of their age." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Most people have a love / hate relationship with social media and the internet in general.

They criticize various platforms (and their users). Yet they spend hours of their lives every day on those same platforms.

It’s ironic. Don’t you think?

Some boycott certain platforms because of the terms of service and / or the recent assault on free speech. I get it. I see where you’re coming from.

YouTube has taken down several JoyCamp videos. Worse, they’ve deleted many of my friends. Freedom fighters whose only crime was sharing information that challenged official narratives.

(If you'd like to see those banned JoyCamp videos, CLICK HERE.)

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. have all played a role in the massive censorship campaign we’ve seen over the last few years.

But is opting out the solution? Who benefits?

The platforms will continue on with or without your participation.

If that’s your decision, so be it. I’m not here to tell you what you should or shouldn’t do. (As long as you’re aware of what you’re saying no to.)

These platforms, warts and all, might be worth your while.

Here’s why:

1. Youth Movement

The “truther takedown” a few years ago was disheartening.  But there are still plenty of people on mainstream platforms fighting the good fight. They're asking questions, challenging authority, and speaking the truth.

Who am I referring to?

20-somethings. Gen Z. You know, the generation everyone worries about.

A huge faction of them get what’s going on. They’re not buying into the propaganda. They don’t care about Hollywood, “the news,” or going to college. They recognize how ridiculous and tyrannical the government is.

And the best part? They’re enthusiastic about life and the future.

It’s awesome and refreshing. And a nice change of pace from the typical angry doom-and-gloom I experience on Facebook every day. Courtesy of people around my age and older.

Here are a few things trending with the kids today:

• Health & exercise 
• Clean food
• Sobriety
• Self-education
• Homeschooling
• Entrepreneurship
• Productivity
• Books
• Writing

Are there exceptions? Duh. Of course. There are always those who love their chains. But there's a resistance forming. A strong movement toward personal freedom, decentralization, community and outsmarting the system.

I’m settling into a leadership role. As an elder millennial father-figure type. LOL. Whoda thunk?

It’s all very exciting.

2. Service To Others

Embracing social media can improve your life and the lives of others.

“Our rewards in life will and must always be in exact proportion to our service.”

- Earl Nightingale

The key is shifting from consumer to creator. From taking to giving.

Generations Y and Z understand this. We’re tapping into what’s possible with social media. The potential to help ourselves by helping each other. While doing stuff that’s creative and fun.

It’s a new frontier.

A popular term online is “soloprenuer.”

Your social media accounts represent your brand. Your brand is your business. You are the brand. The content your brand produces solves problems and helps people.

Commit to this approach and watch your life transform.

(Key word: commit.) 

I know for a fact that many of you who “hate” YouTube still use it. The same goes for Facebook, Instagram, X, and so on.

So if you’re not online to move the needle, what are you doing?

The term “pay attention” is apt. You pay with your life where you spend your attention.

Content creators / personal brands / solopreneurs, understand that in the 21st century, holding attention is paramount.

Attention spans are at an all-time low. Creating captivating content consistently is how you win the game.

Chasing clicks and views is unsustainable (and self-serving). Providing value is the key to success.

Success is the ability to solve problems successfully. The more problems you solve, the more successful you become. It’s as simple as that.

With clarity, focus, and persistence, you can carve out a corner of the internet that’s all yours. You can talk about what you want to talk about. Connect with who you want to connect with. Produce content that improves people’s lives.

Anyone can do it. Participation is free.

If you’re firmly against mainstream platforms like YouTube and Instagram, I understand. There are lots of censorship-free alternatives. The only trade-off is your potential reach. But you don’t need millions of followers to be a successful solopreneur.

3. Self-Reliance

You know I’m all about this.

Living life on your terms has never been more possible. The tools to achieve whatever you want have never been more available. An audience in need of your services and expertise is “doomscrolling” on their phones right now! They could use your help.

The world is at your fingertips. Literally. 

It’s an exciting time to be alive. I don’t care what anyone says.

Service to others is the most ethical way to make money. Always has been, always will be.

Provide value ➡️ Receive value

Solve problems ➡️ Success is yours

Once you’ve solved a problem for yourself, you can help others solve the same problem. In less time with fewer scars. That’s it. That’s the formula.

Create content with that in mind.

The truth is, no one cares how talented you are, how many skills you have, or what you’ve accomplished. They want to know what you can do for them.

Apply your talents, skills, and experience toward giving people the results they need.

No degree required.

Your authenticity and commitment to self-development are your ticket to greatness.

Social media is an incredible lever. Available to anyone.

4. Free Market

I spoke, performed, or emcee’d at the Anarachlpulco conference in Mexico five times.

It was there that I first heard the term “free market capitalism.”

Social media represents the closest thing we have to a free market.

If the angry anarchists could only see it… 

It’s peer-to-peer, value for value.

You can go online and sell a product. No bells, no whistles, no gatekeepers. Your audience determines its value.

It’s beautiful.

If your content sucks, no one will see it. If your offer sucks, no one will buy.

To sell something, you need something to sell. And people need to be aware of your products. Before social media, you needed to pay to play. Billboards, paid ads, commercials, etc. With social media, you only need you.

You are the brand, the business, and the commodity.

GETTING STARTED

When you consider a shift from consumer to creator, your mind will feed you 1,001 reasons why not. Don’t worry. This is just your survival mechanism kicking in. We are naturally averse to things outside our comfort zones. (Even if we’re miserable.)

You will experience thoughts like:

• “No one is going to take me seriously.”
• “No one will care.”
• “Why would anyone want to listen to me?”
• “What will my family think?”
• “It’s already been done.”
• “Other people are doing it better.”
• “I’m too old.”
• “I’m too young.”
• “I’m too ugly.”
• “I’m bad on camera.”
• "I'm not a good writer."
• “I don’t like the sound of my own voice.”
• “I’m a luddite.”
• “I won’t know what to say.”
• “I don’t have the time.”
• “I can’t ____.”
• “I won’t ____.’
• “I don’t know how to ____.”
• Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera

Remember, experience is the best teacher.

“Skill to do comes of doing.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

You don’t have to be an expert or a master before you’re qualified to help someone. You only have to be a few steps ahead.

And since you’re devoted to improving yourself, you will always be ahead of someone.

If you fear criticism, CHECK OUT THIS PREVIOUS POST.

COMMUNITY

In a polarizing era, creating content online is the best and most efficient way to meet people like you.

Some of my best friends in REAL LIFE started out as fans of my work. My comedy resonated with them because we have similar senses of humor. (And funniness is my number one prerequisite for friendship.)

Not only that, but the people you attract with your content, products, and services find camaraderie with each other.

Bonds were formed in my Parrhesia workshops that blossomed into relationships offline.

Self Reliant Way graduates still meet up every week on Zoom to check in with each other, even though they’re on the other side of the program.

Through the power of social media, you can ensure that you’re always in the driver’s seat of your own life. In spite of the madness (and weirdness) of the times.

Because I’ve embraced social media, I am able to connect with some of the most interesting people in the world. I have the privilege of working with amazing individuals who are determined to live purposeful lives.

If you want to embark on this journey, remember my key word from before. Commit.

The catch with social media is that you have to keep producing to see results. If you’re a perfectionist, you must humble yourself and allow for imperfection.

It’s quantity over quality. In the beginning, anyway. As you persist and find your groove, the quality improves.

IN OTHER NEWS

The official launch of Self Reliant Way is just around the corner. The program filled so quickly last summer that I never had a chance to make a formal announcement.

Don’t miss out on this round!

I’m putting the finishing touches on the new website, but if you want to learn more and save your seat, send me a DM on Telegram.

Starting in March, it will be available to both men and women.

The one-on-one coaching aspect has the smallest cap, so if you're interested in working with me directly, sign up for a call or you can message any questions to @BennyWills

I hope 2024 is treating you well.

Until next time.

Benny