It’s so easy to get blinded by vanity, particularly in today’s social media world where we’re constantly online. In fact, there’s a name for all those numbers that don’t really serve a purpose other than pampering our ego - vanity metrics.
Fortunately I stumbled across an Alex Hormozi TikTok the other day that reminded me of the folly of chasing views, follows, and likes above all else. But what exactly is the harm in chasing them?
Selling Feet Pics Isn’t a Sustainable Business Model
In today’s video, I tell the story of a good-looking friend of mine who had grown a large Instagram following (over 100K) and was struggling to raise money for her pageant. When she sent me a DM, I was puzzled. Surely someone with that large of a following could just put up a couple of posts or stories, and get some money rolling in, right?
Well, apparently not, unless she was willing to sell photography related to her feet (yes really). What I had failed to realize was that it’s not just the size of your following that matters, it’s who your following is actually comprised of.
Given that my friend tended to post rather racy photos of herself in lingerie or swimwear, together with fairly suggestive captions, it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that the bulk of her following was men, and that most of the men following her had no interest in her philanthropic work.
Yes she had grown a large following. But it wasn’t particularly useful in helping her achieve any of her goals.
Get Clear On Your Purpose
It’s easy to set goals. Goals simply state WHAT you’re trying to achieve:
Make a million dollars
Get a six-pack
Find the love of your life
But what my friend had failed to take into account was that your WHY or PURPOSE for achieving those goals is probably even more important than the goal itself.
If you tell me that your goal is to get a six-pack, but you don’t have any real purpose for doing so, chances are you’ll be one of the many people who have that as one of their New Year’s resolutions year after year, until you finally decide to get rid of it because seeing it on your list every year just reminds you of how you failed to follow through.
On the other hand, if you tell me that you absolutely need to lose twenty pounds, and that your purpose for doing so is that your doctor said you’re going to die from diabetes and high-blood pressure unless you do so, my guess is you’re going to achieve it.
Most of us don’t want large follower counts just so that we can brag about our numbers. We want them because we think it will somehow help us achieve fame, fortune, impact, or all three. I have no moral judgment on which one you choose to chase, but it is important that you yourself have clarity on it.
As a side note, there are a lot of influencers out there with large follower counts, but very small bank accounts. Followers don’t automatically become money.
How Knowing Your Purpose Will Make Your Life Better (and Easier)
Knowing your purpose will immediately help you do two things:
You’ll become more decisive.
You’ll achieve your goals faster.
Why will it make you more decisive? Because not only will you know what your goal is, but your true purpose for wanting to achieve it in the first place. That sort of purpose gives you clarity, and clarity helps you be decisive.
Why will you achieve faster? Because once you know your purpose, there’s almost always a way to achieve it right now, and that will give you the emotional juice to go after your goals even harder.
(I go into both of these concepts in more detail in today’s video, so make sure to give it a watch. As a bonus, you’ll also get a guided tour of my basement (you’re welcome), and a sneak peek at the fishing boat I was in the whole of last week.)
Your Tasks
If you haven’t done so already, list your goals for 2027.
For each of your goals, write down your purpose for wanting to achieve it. Is it impact? Fulfilment? Excitement? Love?
For each of those purposes, write down a way you could experience them right now, without having to wait until you achieve your goal.
If you have any questions or want to join in the conversation, remember to join our new community (https://www.skool.com/the-pageant-project-1687/).
Best,
Adrian.
