This has been a long time coming, and ironically considering how long I have been blogging probably should have happened YEARS AGO.
I started blogging around 2012/2013 on the United Living Construct blog. The U.L.C. is an organization or hub of innovators I was trying to build. Still probably will eventually, and ideally turn into a smart city capital of the world (quite big plans!). The main topics: self-education and philosophy... not much has changed! haha
In 2017 I decided that I wasn't fully ready to make this dream happen, and I needed to become more than I was. Not only as a person, but as a brand as well. Thus PolyInnovator was born as my sort of alter-ego, but honestly I consider that more of my name than Dustin even.
Taking the Polymathic Approach to Everything
I don't just do one thing, not JUST blogging. I'm a one man shop for everything. From videos, to podcasts, tiktoks, and of course blogs.
I created my content production ecosystem in Notion, sort of moved it to Obsidian, and I might figure out a better place for it soon. However the point remains that having a system like that is a gamechanger. Allowing you to orchestrate so many moving parts, many many series, and a high number of content output.
Since I write first and foremost, it helps me think. However I love making videos and podcasts too, the PolyInContent series was born (formerly Omnicontent). This "Omni"-channel approach to content was originating from Gary Vee's idea of "you should be making 100 pieces of content a day".
Everyone else who heard that basically flat out denied the idea, but instead I ran with it. Thought to myself "How do I make that happen?". It could be a simple Tweet (X-eet?), or a complex PolyPRO piece. From Pillar to Microcontent, it doesn't matter, as long as I reach that number.
It just simply all came down to execution.
I'm so Far Away from Where I THINK I Should be
For years now I have felt a year or two behind on my mental plan. 2020 certainly did a number on that trajectory in a way, but I was already "behind" before all of the events that year. I decided to pursue doing interviews that year, which made me behind on my original plans, but instead gave me new avenues.
I think it was such a great decision because now I have way more content to offer, and the clips alone from the interviews might make me grow a ton more. Even did my first in person interview last week!
I always considered my PolyInContent to be my main series, with the Polymath PolyCast interviews to be second. However they have been the bulk of what I have made video/audio wise. Given that I've only done a few dozen PIC episodes, and over 100 interviews.
This year (2023) was supposed to be the year I caught up on both. I feel like to a degree I have, but after moving to Obsidian the PIC fell off the radar (too hard to plan ahead in that app. I am on the RIGHT path, but I need to juggle more and execute hard to catch up.
I have BIG Plans
Earlier I already mentioned the idea of the U.L.C. being a thing, but that is a decade or two away to be honest. In my content plans I have FEW THOUSAND content ideas, and some of them are far more prudent for me to get out.
The PolyInContent series alone was meant to be a strategy to execute, rather than a particular set of topics. Just if I shared a particular idea out there, then I wanted it to be shared in multiple formats.
Since I am behind on those, then there are pieces that need to get out there, and then I can focus more on the big projects. I wanted a consistency layer that the PIC brought, and eventually the Interviews did too. Them side by side, and with a handful of floating posts (something random like this one), along with a couple of newsletters. They would create a weekly flow.
After that is settled each week, then that leaves me open to create courses, books, and keynotes (for speaking). Which could create even more microcontent to compound.
What is changing?
I've spoken recently about how the PolyCast is going to be a bit different. Simplifying the branding of the series to be just interviews and the Fireside Micropolycast. Even if it is closer to 30 min it is the FMP.
The interviews will come in a couple of ways, such as the Multidisciplinary initial interview, or the Round2 Polycast. However they are just the "interviews".
The blog may take more of a spotlight once I can get my series in order. I don't really want to simplify my AMOUNT of series, but I will try to review the PolyInContent and the PolyPRO.
It is really important that I get each of these out, instead of just focusing on just one or the other. I might put the swimming newsletter on hold once the book is out however. The rest such as the Content Repurposing (PolyInContent Digest) and the Polymathy newsletters will continue. Honestly the only reason lately that they haven't been more consistent is that Obsidian has been rough around the edges when it comes to planning things out.
The Digital Nomad Phase
I'm a content creator around a variety of subjects, but one in particular that I haven't talked about is traveling. It is something I really enjoy, even though I'm still paying for the last trip I took physically at the moment.
Now that I am starting to get remote jobs, and freelancing work; In addition to my own content work. I think now will be a good time to start traveling more. I'll still have to build up for a bit first, but perhaps once I start I can start another series but around traveling itself as a digital nomad.
One might think these are too many series, but honestly I don't think so. If my system wasn't as broken as it is right now (Sort of regretting moving the production database out of notion at this point). I would have a much easier time keeping up with everything.
By keeping things diverse I get to experiment more, and learn more. They all funnel into the main PolyInnovator ecosystem as well.
I've also thought about the traveling for a long while.
The PolyInContent
Honestly, this is the one I'm most stressed about ironically. The reason being that I had a ton of content I wanted to make out of the gate when I started them around 2019. Around 100 episodes was going to be the baseline for my content ecosystem, that I could then expand out into the other phases like swimming.
Yet, since I haven't done that, they all have essentially started from scratch. Which is fine, but just not ideal.
I've moved ideas around from the PIC, and moved them to other series now. I also have separated the ideas list from the PolyInContent Ideas list. Meaning that it is even more simple to get going.
Also with the changes to the PolyCast I mentioned earlier, it also means that the PolyInContent series will no longer be in the main PolyCast feed. I'm going to have to experiment with other tools.
With the two youtube channels, the two podcast feeds, and the who knows how many blogs/newsletters (technically about 7!). I'll have a full schedule from that alone. However I think the PolyInContent can bring it all together.
In the End...
"it doesn't even matter...", but really it does. What you create is how people will remember you by. I do not agree with something a guest said once on my show:
Even if you are great at many things. People will remember you for one thing.
It may be true for some people, but people are going to remember me for MANY things.
