This is not a clickbait title. It really is a confirmed ticket. Although, this might be a slightly different 1% in comparison to the headline grabbing richest 1% we read about all the time. Those don’t interest me at all.
On offer here are riches of a different kind. You will soon discover and be part of a rare variety in the world. So, brace yourself! Are you ready to stand out?
I have found myself to be different since I was a child, physically and emotionally. I was awkward and not sure how to feel about things. It would have been simpler to just blend in. What I didn’t know then was, I should feel proud. If some of you find yourself nodding in agreement and share my thoughts, I hope you’ll find some answers here.
I made this great discovery while researching my next piece. It all started with this tutorial I took a from a prolific writer and a blogging phenomenon, Cristian Mihai from the Art of Blogging this week. It was an exhilarating experience. I found myself excited to learn and improve my blogging skills since I started writing just on a whim with no knowledge or experience.
He gave me a ton of valuable feedback, some of which I will share with you.
Better titles:
He advised that I should have better titles. Ones that entice and promise to enrich the reader. It is a way to increase readership and visibility. Even though my writing style, topics and motivations are different from the average blogger, I still offer value and my titles should reflect that. (I was the first Captain whose blog he had ever read!)
Discovery: I want to find readers who want to find me. Money and fame is not my game. I just want my words to be heard.
Read more blogs:
He advised that I should read other blogs, especially those in my category. See what people are writing about and form connections with other bloggers. Now, that is where I got a bit thrown off. I am an airline pilot writing about feelings! I soon found out that it is a very small pool or no pool at all. I did find great reads on emotional intelligence, though. An underrated but essential ingredient for every kind of person and profession.
Discovery: The most amazing articles I read were by Amarvani. Highly recommended!
Figure out the Why? What? Who?:
Why do I write? The short answer is to spread the importance of self-awareness. Life without self-awareness is like a lightbulb without power. You can go through your whole life without serving any purpose. The idea is to find the means to bring kindness and joy to everyday life, to add meaning to everything.
Discovery: I want to give back to my community, personal and professional, and this is my way.
What I write? The assumption is that I will write about Aviation and Pilots. I found myself more interested in talking about the innards than outers. Planes are machines, we are not. My focus is on the human side of flying, the one that everyone ignores. I want to share my experiences in a meaningful way and connect with people on a deeper level.
Discovery: I have natural empathy and warmth. (his words) along with the will to share and the power to empower.
Who I write for? This is the most important one. The one that I have been waiting to tell you since the beginning. I have already found out that my readers are seasoned, experienced individuals seeking hope, solace and emotional resonance. We learn and grow together.
Discovery: You and I are alike. We are looking to be the best version of ourselves and it is called self-actualization.
In the words of Abraham Maslow, we might 1% of the people in the whole world.
Self-actualization..rarely happens..certainly in less than 1% of the adult population!
Abraham Maslow- Towards a Psychology of Being. 1968
It was true when that Maslow said that fifty years ago. Studies indicate that the current estimate might be 10%. I must admit that this information made me both happy and sad. I have understood the importance of self-awareness in my life. To share and spread it far and wide is my goal.
As I read through my discoveries in this piece, I find that I am different. I don’t try to hide or ignore it, like before. I now embrace it and proudly stand out. I acknowledge that I am part of a rare variety in the world and want you to know that you are too!
Until next time…@thethinkingcaptain
I took a test to find out my levels of self-awareness. (I told you before that I was obsessed with quantification). If you are curious to know yours, take the test here.
Article by Amarvani. Worth a read. https://amarvani.blog/2020/12/15/be-you/
The Thinking Captain! 
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