6 Types of Content That Will Take Your Life to the Next Level
Do you want to grow? Do you want to improve your life? We all do. But you can’t do it on your power. You need resources to help you be the artist and leader you were meant to be. The good news is that we live in a time where we have access to many resources that can help you get there.
Everything in your life grows out of your thoughts. Your actions, attitudes, and relationships are directly affected by your thinking. If you want to grow and reach your goals, the only thing that will get you there are your thoughts.
So what kind of content should you be putting into your mind? Here are the six most important types, along with an example or two of each:
1. Books
Choose books that will help you grow and become a better leader and artist. It’s important to read books from a variety of perspectives and subjects. This will keep you fresh and prevent you from getting into a mental rut. I also believe you should include great fiction books (and some that aren’t necessarily great, but entertaining) because I need to be inspired by great stories.
Great books I’m reading: Screenplay by Syd Field, and Smartcuts by Shane Snow
2. Podcasts
Podcasts are free and don’t necessarily require extra time. You can listen to them while in the car, or during your exercise routine. As with books, I listen to a variety of podcasts, including some just for fun. As a creative person, don’t limit yourself to content focused on business or productivity.
Great podcasts I’m listening to: Starve the Doubts with Jared Easley, and You Leading You with Sean Ackerman
3. Movies
Movies blend storytelling, moving images, and music to transport us into other worlds. Movies can also change your perspective and give you experiences you can’t get any other way. Your mind, heart, and soul are intimately connected. Movies can speak to the whole person while sharpening your creativity.
Great movie I’ve seen recently: Interstellar (It took me two tries to see this one in the theater.
4. Classes
Classes are a great way to increase your skills in a specific area of knowledge. Over the last year I have taken courses on writing for large websites, self-publishing, online teaching, and business. Some of these were free but others required a personal investment. If you want to stay relevant, a class can be a great way to get specialized knowledge from someone more advanced than you.
Great class I’ve taken recently: Self-Publishing Success Academy, taught by Kimanzi Constable and Jimmy Burgess
5. Magazines
I subscribe to a few magazines pertaining to business and creativity, but the danger of periodicals is that the content goes out of date quickly. I have moved almost exclusively to reading content online (rather than print magazines), but the print magazines I still read have a lot of value.
Great magazines I read: Success (print), Relevant (online), Guitar Player (print), Aeon (online)
6. Blogs
There is a huge amount of material available in the form of newsletters from bloggers, leaders, and companies you respect. I subscribe to a few dozen newsletter and use unroll.me to “roll them up” into one daily email digest. That way, I can quickly skim through the content without having dozens of emails clog my inbox.
Great blogs I read: Smart Passive Income, Brain Pickings, The Ranch
The kind of content you put into your mind will in large part determine your thoughts, so make sure you’re reading, watching and listening to great content every day. Over the next few weeks I’ll be digging into each of these areas and offer specific ideas and suggestions.
I love this quote from James Allen’s classic As a Man Thinketh:
All that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his own thoughts. . . . A man’s weakness and strength, purity and impurity, are his own, and not another man’s; they are brought about by himself, and not by another; and they can only be altered by himself, never by another. His condition is also his own, and not another man’s. His suffering and his happiness are evolved from within. As he thinks, so he is; as he continues to think, so he remains.
Note: You may wonder why I didn’t include the Bible in this list. If you a person of faith, I assume it’s already a part of your life.
For a detailed list of resources for artists, download The Ultimate Resource Guide for Artpreneurs, which is one of several guides for artists I’ll send when you subscribe.
What is your favorite way to consume good content?
