Learn in Public, It’s Great: The Power of Sharing Your Process and Progress

Learn in Public, It’s Great: The Power of Sharing Your Process and Progress

In the world of learning, hustling, and creating, there is a constant debate about whether to keep your work and progress private or to share it with the public. Some argue that it is better to do in silence and only show the end product, while others believe in showing the process and progress publicly. However, I firmly believe that learning in public is a great strategy that comes with numerous benefits.

One of the main advantages of learning in public is that it creates accountability. When you share your goals and progress publicly, you are more likely to stay committed to them. You have an audience that is watching and expecting updates, which motivates you to keep going. This accountability factor can be incredibly powerful in pushing you to achieve your goals and make consistent progress.

Another benefit of learning in public is that it allows you to build a feedback loop. By sharing your work with others, you open yourself up to receiving feedback and constructive criticism. This feedback can be invaluable in helping you improve your skills and refine your work. It gives you a fresh perspective and allows you to see areas where you may have overlooked or could do better. Embracing feedback and using it to iterate and grow is a key aspect of the learning process.

Additionally, learning in public enables you to see your progress over time. When you document and share your journey, you can look back and reflect on how far you've come. It serves as a reminder of your growth and can be incredibly motivating during moments of self-doubt. Moreover, reviewing your past work can also provide insights and inspiration for future projects. It becomes a valuable resource not only for yourself but also for others who may be on a similar journey.

Furthermore, learning in public helps you establish a community and a following. By sharing your process, progress, and insights, you attract like-minded individuals who are interested in what you're doing. This community can provide support, collaboration opportunities, and even potential partnerships. It creates a network of people who share your passion and can contribute to your growth and success.

In Austin Kleon's book, "Show Your Work!", he emphasizes the importance of letting go of our egos and sharing our process. By doing so, we allow for the possibility of people having an ongoing connection with us and our work, which ultimately helps us move forward. Rather than hiding our work until it's perfect, we should embrace the idea of sharing it along the way.

Another perspective on subculture evolution comes from the concept of scenes and subcultures described in the article "Geeks, MOPs, and Sociopaths in Subculture Evolution." Before a subculture emerges, there is often a scene, a small group of creators who invent something new and exciting. This scene attracts fans, known as mops, who show up to have a good time but contribute minimally. The creators generate cultural capital, while the fanatics generate social capital by forming relationships with both the geeks and the mops.

As the subculture gains popularity, sociopaths may enter the scene. These individuals mimic the creators, dressing and talking like them, and may even produce their own work. Sociopaths quickly become the center of attention, demoting the creators. They take advantage of the cultural capital generated by the creators and often exploit the mops for personal gain.

To maintain the integrity of the subculture, geeks need to establish barriers to entry to keep out the uncommitted. This ensures that the energy provided by the mops outweighs any negative impact they may have. Additionally, geeks can learn from the sociopaths and adopt some of their strategies to capture more value from the subculture they created.

It's important for geeks to be slightly "evil" in the sense of being realistic and letting go of eternalist hope. This means acknowledging that the subculture may not always thrive and that there are no guarantees of success. By embracing a realistic mindset, geeks can protect the subculture from exploitation and focus on its long-term growth and sustainability.

In combining these two concepts, we can see that learning in public and subculture evolution share common points. Both emphasize the importance of sharing your work with others and building a community. Learning in public allows for accountability, feedback, and progress tracking, while subculture evolution involves creating a scene, attracting fans, and dealing with the potential intrusion of sociopaths.

To conclude, here are three actionable pieces of advice based on these insights:

1. Embrace the power of learning in public. Share your process, progress, and insights with others. It creates accountability, builds a feedback loop, and helps you see your growth over time.

2. Establish barriers to entry to protect your subculture from exploitation. Make sure the energy provided by fans outweighs any negative impact they may have. Learn from the strategies of sociopaths while maintaining the integrity of your community.

3. Be slightly "evil" by adopting a realistic mindset. Let go of eternalist hope and acknowledge the uncertainties of success. Focus on long-term growth and sustainability.

By incorporating these strategies into your learning journey and subculture evolution, you can maximize your progress, build a strong community, and protect the integrity of your work.