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Make this your year to speak up

13 Comments

Never miss another update.

The world is screwed.

Let’s face it, we Boomers have raped and pillaged until our bellies are full, a clown is about to lead the free world and by the time our children reach 20 they’ve spent more time glued to screens than looking at the sky or walking in the woods.

That wasn’t the plan.

Our utopian vision of the future is off track and we need a new path.

And the myth of technology saving the day is, well, just that – a myth. Believe me, we won’t find happiness once our cars drive themselves or computers are the size of a finger nail.

We won’t find happiness once our cars drive themselves or computers are the size of a finger nail. Click To Tweet

But one thing will make a difference – it always has.

Your voice.

Since the beginning of the human experience (long before the iPhone), ideas and theories, and guesses and even complaining have sparked change. Maybe not right away, but eventually—all our voices matter.

And it doesn’t matter if only 20 people read your blog or 120 watched your latest YouTube video. You have an audience.

It doesn’t matter if only 20 people read your blog. You have an audience. Click To Tweet

You have an audience

You have an audience online,

at work,

in your family,

and in your community.

And that’s why you need to speak up. Take 3 minutes and watch this clip from the ridiculously creative Brad Montague (the mind behind the Kid President series) – I dare you not to feel better after.

I don’t know what’s bugging you or what solutions you’ve already put into words.

But, now’s the time to get it out.

And, you know what?

Maybe nobody hears you. At first.

Just like nobody heard of J.K. Rowling until she shared her first book about a young wizard or Candace Lightner before she started MADD, or Casey Neistat before he committed to a daily vlog (video blog).

But, they did the work anyway—they took a risk.

Walking down the street naked

I know that all too often I play it safe – I catch myself leaving “me” out – churning out sterilized advice anybody could have written.

That’s a mistake.

People really do want to know what you think and feel. Even straightforward “how-to” advice can come alive with a bit of personal reflection or by admitting your failings.

Award-winning author Neil Gaiman, in a commencement speech at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, probably said it best:

“The moment that you feel that, just possibly, you’re walking down the street naked, exposing too much of your heart and your mind and what exists on the inside, showing too much of yourself. That’s the moment you may be starting to get it right.”

What have you got to say? I’m listening.

Never miss another update.

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About Hugh Culver

Speaker, author, athlete and founder of BlogWorks. I speak and write about getting stuff done and the art of growing younger.

Categories: Blog, Expert/Speaker Tagged: speak up, speaking, writing, writing tips, your voice

Comments

  1. Sherry says

    January 15, 2017 at 9:44 am

    Thank you Hugh!
    Sherry xxxx

    Reply
  2. Lauren Sergy says

    January 15, 2017 at 5:37 pm

    This was wonderful, Hugh. Thanks so much.

    Reply
  3. Romy Escarilla says

    January 15, 2017 at 9:22 pm

    Wonderful! Thanks for sharing this, Hugh.

    Reply
  4. Clare Edwards says

    January 16, 2017 at 1:45 am

    Great message Hugh and very timely for the start of the new year – thanks

    Reply
    • Hugh Culver says

      January 16, 2017 at 7:31 am

      Thanks Clare – we all have a voice and I think all too often we think about size not quality.

      Reply
  5. Keivan Khaleghi says

    January 16, 2017 at 9:31 am

    Hi Hugh,

    I always read your posts, enjoy it immensely and find it very useful. It seems, as you admit it yourself, you were going for a more emotionally engaged and opinionated piece here. Good luck with this experiment (I’m about to follow suit) and I am sure you will get it right.

    That being said, calling a person “elected” to – arguably – the most powerful office on the planet, a clown without really expounding it makes you look like a pundit. It may appeal to your readership (some of them of at least!) but it’s definitely not explaining your point of view nor does it create value.

    I’m an immigrant with a master’s degree living in Canada (so the non-educated white male myth doesn’t hold), I see things differently from you and I’d like to hear what you think about this but I don’t like punditry. That I am being bombarded with everyday.

    Looking forward to reading your posts in the new year.

    K.

    Reply
    • Hugh Culver says

      January 16, 2017 at 3:39 pm

      Keivan,
      Thank you for this. My hope was to be provocative. I totally agree that off the cuff comments about a President without backing are, just that, comments.
      I was hoping to get readers to (and maybe just because they disagreed with me) to read on.
      Your feedback means a lot to me – thanks for that.

      Reply
  6. Elaine Froese says

    January 16, 2017 at 12:48 pm

    Hi Hugh,
    Screwed is a pretty strong word. I prefer “skewed”. We all get to choose whose voice we listen to. The voicesof love, gentleness, kindness, patience, peace, and self-control are powerful in my world.
    Thanks for challenging us all to speak up and make a difference.
    Our words and videos will live on long after we have returned to the earth.

    Reply
    • Hugh Culver says

      January 16, 2017 at 3:36 pm

      Elaine. Got to agree with you there. It must have been the mood I was in and, then, because of the theme of the post I decided to leave it in. Uncomfortable, I know, but there it is.
      Always love hearing from you.
      Hugh

      Reply
  7. David Cory says

    January 16, 2017 at 4:24 pm

    Hi Hugh, great post! Mmmm, sounds like you’re suggesting that people share their emotions in an authentic and assertive way? I’m all for that! Happy New Year and Best Regards!

    Reply
    • Hugh Culver says

      January 16, 2017 at 5:22 pm

      Thanks David – let’s get more onboard #speakup

      Reply
  8. Lisa Vanderkwaak says

    January 16, 2017 at 4:49 pm

    HI Hugh,
    I have to agree with Keivan above about the choice of words and particularly the statement – calling the president-elect a clown. While provocative- it is pregnant with unspoken values and judgements that left the reader wondering to the point of distraction, because it wasn’t discussed further. If that was your intent, then you were successful. It left me thinking about the delicateness of “speaking up” on a political bias (we all have bias) , or on values, without furthering the discussion. I guess it illustrated your points of taking risks and being “naked” in your speaking up, Just my thoughts after reading.
    Lisa

    Reply
    • Hugh Culver says

      January 16, 2017 at 5:29 pm

      Good one Lisa – I’m not advocating name calling. And I’m not qualified to write any kind of political review. The point I’m trying to make is just that our voices matter and that we’ve all be gifted a magaphone called the Internet (not to mention: clients, public speaking, friends…). And for some of us (like me) it’s time we shared some opinions. In fact, I’m kind of enjoying this tête-à-têtes.

      Reply

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