This is a blog series curating each of the micro-polycast episodes.
This season of The Polymath PolyCast (overall name for all series), was truly kicking off all of the Interviews for the PolyCast. Which meant that some of the other series, like the Fireside Micro-Polycast and OmniContent, took a back seat for the time being.
I still released a decent amount of FMP episodes, and what I find really interesting about this season is that it seems that I really sowed the seeds for all of my future topics. You'll see what I mean by the end of this post!
All Things PolyInnovator - May 12th Update
Given that we were right in the midst of the pandemic and the first lockdown, there was a lot of confusion as to what might happen next. At the time I didn't really do vlogs, and the Now Page was still just starting out, so I wanted to do an update to explain to my followers what all is happening with my own content.
The Evolution of the #PolyCast
The PolyInnovator Way of Interviewing Guests on the #PolyCast
Modestly speaking I believe I have a truly unique way of interviewing. Let alone the various guests who have told me how great the interview was, or how deep the research was for them.
It is all because I truly want each guest to feel appreciated, understood, and be able to express their polymathic traits. I believe everyone has some due to our generalist dna in humanity, but others more so. Those are the people I interview.
From the multi-faceted approach to questions, the iceberg of research I do on each and every guest, and the format of how I start/end the show. It all comes together in a unique way each time.
The Anti-Niche
Whether it is a "Mono-Niche or Poly-Niche", or as I now refer to as a "Meta-niche", in any case it is beyond just one topic. Polymathy as an umbrella allows me to share on multiple subjects.
What is PolyInnovator?
The Rise of the Personal PolyInnovation System
Oh man, this one was the start of something big. I have been working on task/project management for my life (let alone PolyInnovator) for longer than I can remember.
Notion.so came about and was like legos to build out your own system. Growing up I would CONSTANTLY try to build the best space ship I could out of the parts that I had. Over and over rebuilding to try to get one percent better each time, and that same philosophy carried over to the PIOS.
PPS became the PIOS, and is just essentially the new way of explaining my old "Self-EduDevMent" philosophy. This FMP episode was the start of me publicly talking about it.
Dustin Miller | PolyInnovator
What is Your #Ikigai?
Another topic I plan to talk a lot more about, and share my Ikigai. There is also the case of trying to help others find their own!
Dustin Miller | PolyInnovator
Consuming Content at a higher Speed
Honestly, this is a great example of a Fireside episode, simply because I was passionate about something. I greatly dislike consuming content at 1x speed, which is why I can't watch LIVE videos. They're too slow, and I wanted others to do the same with my show. The PolyCast interviews are long, for a good reason too, they need to be in order to get everything touched on in conversation.
However that length hinders some people's interets, but when you speed it up then it negates that length.
Quarantine Opportunities
Maybe it is the optimist in me, or even the opportunist. Definitely a part opportunist... but during quarantine it was an amazing opportunity being stuck at home.
I feel for those who were impacted by the virus, and do not think that it should be forgotten. I just wanted to look at the bright side of the situation.
From being able to do interviews, both on my show and going on others, to the fact that video conferencing and "zoom university" both accelerating. Let alone other fields we never even expected, and realizing just how broken our global supply chain is.
The Three Variables of Exercise
This philosophy of mine came about when thinking about how to level up in the fitness realm.
My body pillar has always been my own personal focus to build up my Four Pillars. With all my experience, and reading personal training books. They talked about the three LEVELS of exercise, those being Balance, Strength, and Power. I.e. Yoga, Calisthenics, and Power/Olympic Lifting.
However those don't account for the variables of every day workouts, not fully at least, and so I came up with my 3 variables that occur any workout.
- Speed (slow or fast, or medium)
2. Intensity (how heavy or powerful)
3. Volume (how many reps or length of time)
I touch on it more here:
Dustin Miller | PolyInnovator
Macro and Micro Focus
Not only has this topic come into my own life, but I notice it in others too. This Macro vs Micro focus expanded into the PIOS.
Supra/Yearly
Macro/Quarterly
Meso/Monthly
Micro/Weekly
Nano/Daily
Pico/Hourly
Going Omnichannel
How do people find you online? Well they find your various profiles. The internet hasn't gotten to the point where everything is consolidated for you. Us creators have to make it to where you can find US more easily. Adding our socials to youtube channels/videos, making a home website, making an email list, doing all of that to ease the process of a viewer coming to us.
Going omnichannel is making as many profiles as you can, while still being able to manage them all. My ethos is that you CAN do it, even as a solopreneur.
How it Works: The Polymath PolyCast Interview
Another episode talking about the interviews in a different way. I felt that a lot of people, especially guests didn't quite fully know what to anticipate. I wanted to simplify the process for anyone onboarding for an interview.
I take them very seriously, and also with a lot of empathy. I get that people need to reschedule, or that they may be nervous. I wanted to take that pressure off of them, and have a professional experience too.
Dustin Miller | PolyInnovator
Going a Day without a Phone
My phone died-died, and I wasn't able to replace it yet. Something I used for work, PolyInnovator, entertainment, and connection. It was longer than a day of course, but this was a micro-episode around what the first day was like.
Going a Day without a Phone Part 2 - The Power of Google Fi
It of course was longer than a day, really 1-2 weeks, but I managed because at the time Google Fi allowed you to text via the web browser on PC. They changed it of course since then, but I am sure there is some way still now.
The Continuance of Habits
Something I am facing even now, as habits are continuous process. No matter how good you get at them, they will still somehow slide from your radar. Slip down the drain of life.
I am building it back up now actually, and that seems to be how it is for me every Jan. Dec is always a hard time of year for me, same for Jan/Feb. Just really the winter months. Hopefully once I move away from the cold I won't have these issues as much.
Sowing the Seeds of all of my Topics
It really goes to show how far ahead you can get with content. When you plan ahead too, things cook on the slow burner, and the ideas form ever more greatly.
The Three Innovations:
Even though I figured these topics of: exercise, omnichannel content, Ikigai, PIOS, etc, are more of what I am going for in the next few years. I did start out with three areas in mind, which will still anchor me in a way:
👩💻 Technology Innovation
🎓 Education Innovation
💪Exercise Innovation
I encourage you to check out these playlists. Not only will I make content that innovates these areas, such as unique tech automations, or my polymath exercise series/topic, there are a ton of curated videos as well. If I ever find a unique video for one of these topics I add it to the playlist, so that you can benefit too.
The Meta-Niche
Polymathy has become the umbrella for all of these other topics to fall under. With the Pillars of the three above: exercise, education, and technology being what holds it up. Then beyond that the various other mini-series I make as well.
OmniChannel Content Creation
I really have gone down this rabbit hole myself even more, and now have started becoming a thought leader on the future of content creation, and how to automate content repurposing. At least to some degree, some repurposing still has to be manual.
Ikigai and Focusing of YOUR Life
Aligning yourself with what you are good at, AND what the world needs. Taking into account your occupation and Four Pillars.
and finally: The PolyInnovation Operating System
With all of these in mind, they all contributed to the approach I took with the PIOS. I need some way to organize them all, and I am working on releasing it as a template for others to use as well.
For a mighty Tree of Content
I really do think 10 steps ahead, sometimes to my own detriment. Being too caught up in the future will make you forget about the present. However I do believe in a solid plan, and planning ahead is always a good idea to do to the best of your ability.
A lot of my motivations for content, and PolyInnovator as a whole. Come from the ideas that I want to share with the world. Executing on all of them takes time, and instead of focusing on just one at a time I really need to do them simultaneously.
This isn't just because of the polymathic instinct in me, although that is a factor, but rather that a lot of these actions I want to do take time. They need the seeds planted, and they need watered over a long period of time. It has taken me years to make the MVP of the Modegree, and although I probably could have done it sooner. I think by waiting this time, the quality has improved because I know better now what people need from it.
This goes for all of my areas of content and focus, and so this season is a great example of how far ahead my plans are. Even if I am unsuccessful right now, there will come a time where I am.
