I blew up in Nepal last year
Also, Tesla was kind of a jerk. And 9 more cool things I learned in ‘21.
Over the last 18 months, I’ve written a lot online.
>160 articles and >100,000 words.
I get content from everywhere. When I come across an interesting idea, I add it to a list in the Notes app on my iPhone. Usually with typos.
Screenshot of my running list of ideas on the Notes app of my Iphone.
Some of the ideas on that list just sit there. But sometimes one of the ideas stands out, and I decide to write about it. Then, sometimes, I share it.
And sometimes people actually read my stuff.
As of today, >7,500 readers in >60 countries.
Chloropleth map of 7,592 readers across the globe. Lots of Americans, but some decent shading on other continents too.
If you’re reading this, you’re probably an American. But I also have 53 readers in India, 42 in Germany, and 10 in Romania. And let me give a special shout out to that 1 reader in Nepal.
I’m glad people sometimes read my stuff, but I’m aware that 7,592 readers constitute less than .000001% of the world’s population. For perspective, Kristin Cavallari has >4M followers on Instagram.
I’m not an influencer.
But on the other hand, 7,592 is 7,591 more readers than when I started writing online in the summer of 2020.
Before that, I only had 1.
I wrote for myself.
I’d written privately for years, but the unexpected isolation that came with a global pandemic compelled all of us to find new ways to connect. For me, that meant sharing some of my writing publicly.
Covid nudged me.
Writing publicly helped me strengthen some existing connections* and even make some new ones.
*My favorite teacher of all time (Mrs. Smigelski, 3rd grade, Whitehouse Elementary) found and started reading my online articles. And now we exchange emails regularly, and even a few handwritten letters.
She’s likely reading this too. Hi Mrs. Smigelski. You’re an all-time great.
Another cool thing about writing online is getting immediate feedback from smart people. Sometimes, readers send me emails at ryan@ryanmccostlin.com with their own ideas and stories. Sometimes they forward my writing to friends and family members I’ve never met.
And I get to see real data showing which ideas are viewed and shared.
Some are shared a lot.
Others, meh.
But some are shared a lot.
And for my first article in ‘22, here’s a list of the best stuff from last year.
These are the 10 ideas I shared last year that got the most views, shares, and responses.
A reason for being. The place God calls us to is the place where our deep gladness and the world’s hunger meet. The Japanese call it Ikigai.
The Trust Wager. The best people want to be trusted. Distrust pushes them away. Extending trust is worth the risk.
Gillian is a dancer. Humanity needs both talent and creative genius to thrive. Talent can be molded. But genius and creativity often don’t respond to molding. They require unfolding.
Reaching out toward risk and glory. Where we are now is based on the decisions we made 5-10 years ago. Where we’ll be in 5-10 years is based on the decisions we make now.
More than professional. When leaders are more than professional, we trust them. We’re willing to make sacrifices of our own. Because we know they’d do the same for us.
Disappointment. It’s helpful to consider that maybe our prayers don’t get answered sometimes because God is doing something important in someone else’s life.
Busy how? What is important is seldom urgent, and what is urgent is seldom important.
The real reason Tesla never won a Nobel Prize. Brilliant jerks are capable of greatness. But for high-performing teams, their brilliance usually isn’t worth the drag on culture and creativity.
I love the 1,000. Character is the single most important factor in achievement and personal fulfillment, and “character strength” can be built just like muscle strength is built.
The ultimate status symbol is free time. Our calendars can be as much a measure of wealth as our bank accounts.
Happy New Year.
Or if you happen to speak Nepalese, Nayām̐ barṣakō śubhakāmanā!
And thanks for reading, subscribing and sharing my writing.
I hope ‘22 is your best year yet.
P.S. A handful of you have told me you’re interested in writing online too. If you’re thinking about it, I think you should do it. It’s worth it.
If you start writing online, tell me. I’ll subscribe and read and share your work too.
