Ahhh it has been a while since I made this post, as a "social blog" if you will, and I wanted to take a more modern take on it. I'm remaking this post after all.
PolyInnovator is me, it is my personal brand, my name online, and it is how I see myself into the future.
Previous Shorter Version if you're curious:
Dustin Miller - PolyInnovator
Reaching a global audience! The world is our playground, and we only get one chance to play. I thought about my future, and what would I regret not doing when I got old. The phases I planned out even from a rather young age, that is what I hope to achieve through the steam engine that is PolyInnovator.
It all started with "Innovation"
I wanted to innovate the world, short and simple, and a bit altruistic I guess. I saw there was a path we needed to lead as a species. I saw that no one else was doing it, and I thought I'd shoot my shot.
While I do think now there are people working towards the same goals, the way they are doing it doesn't seem "efficient enough" to me. Maybe its the systematic thinker in me, or perhaps it is a bit of ego. I'm not sure, maybe both!
There were plenty of things that passed through my mind, but one of the biggest was not being able to share my ideas with the world. I’m not special, and my ideas may have come before me too (maybe after even); However it is more about how the ideas are shared, created, and executed that matters. For example my Four Pillars Philosophy, which is just simply a modern version of old systems. Managing your life for your body, mind, spirit, and emotions.
That idea or system isn't technically new, but the way I approach it is for the modern audience. That in turn is new!
I wanted to innovate this philosophy, SO that it could be used in a modern way. Same thing goes for the Modular Degree, as I wanted to change how we approached learning and education.
When I did my previous endeavor, it lead to: Polymathy
I previously tried to make an organization to change the world. I still will one day, I'm pretty confident about that, even if it doesn't do as much as I hope. It can inspire the next generation to do better at least.
In that endeavor I talked about the people embodying that hub of innovation, the smart city of the future if you will. Those people were Polymaths, even if I didn't necessarily put that into words very well.
This sort of modernization, synergetic linkybrain, and overall polymathic approach to things is what I go for in life/in my content. PolyInnovator came about to be the modality I could use to share all of that with people. It is the foundation of all the careers in my life.
I thought that polymaths were the key to that modernization, and now at the time of this new writing. I feel we are in the middle of a digital renaissance of sorts, and it is the generalists that are thriving!
I struggled with the idea of a personal brand, as my desire to build a company was greater. At the very least more so an organization, the United Living Construct, but I realized that I wasn’t good enough to do it yet. That wasn’t a lack of confidence, but rather a self evaluation.
However this was such a good decision for me to make. I didn't realize it then, not fully, just how important a personal brand was. Whether you're a generalist or a specialist, please go make a personal brand right now. It is your new resume, it is you online, your online presence and reputation, and if you don't have one. Then people are going to make up their own ideas about you.
Reaching a point of needing to change on a fundamental level is heavy, but it was wise for me to do. I pivoted to a more personable approach, and I get to share my charisma now more so too. The polymath ethos is to be divergent in interest, deeply autodidactic, and well knowledgeable in many areas.
The first Phase, then what?
While I started out focusing on this “DIY Degree” concept, now the Modular Degree, there was also this layer of polymathy content as well. That made me think that I “didn’t have a niche”, as it counteracted the concept of being multidisciplinary. Instead I realized that polymathy WAS my niche, and the other topics I talk about were actually sub-niches. Arms to the mighty omnichannel octopus.
The first phase being the DIY Modular Degree, the 2nd being actually my vast amount of interviews on the PolyCast (sort of came out of nowhere thanks to quarantine), and then the second phase has been around exercise (in particular, swimming).
These “Phases” if you will, are meant to be the main focus for that time period. Now the length of time will vary, but I would say that 1–2 years is probably a good measure of how long a phase would last as the main focus. Do keep in mind that just like with any interest, hobby, or skill, they don’t really go away. In fact I think it is more cumulative, and I am eagerly stacking different topics to create series’ that can coincide.
Perhaps some phases might even last a decade or more. I'm starting to see that with the Modegree at least. Either because I didn't work hard enough, or maybe I just needed to wait until AI got better.
Not only to make the Modegree better with an AI coach, but also to perhaps literally MAKE the platform using AI agents. Who knows.
I started focusing on Phase 2 a while back, but what I needed to do is to wrap up Phase 1. That being said it won’t END it, but rather shift the focus!
Where am I now?
And for that matter, what does PolyInnovator do now? What is it about, just like the title said. I think it still represents that innovation ideal.
I just needed to spend a little bit of time innovating what it means to have a personal brand first.
Over time I have spread my wings into other endeavors such as PolyTools, and PolyInnovator Gaming. Down the line I'll add more phases too.
This is who I am, I am polymathic, and I won't stop until I achieve that world change dream.
If you want to keep reading:
Dustin Miller | PolyInnovator
