I am talking to Tara McMullin about ditching the “Grow or Die” mindset, and creating content that doesn’t adhere to every social media algorithm (spoiler alert: no one knows how to adhere to them anyways).

Does it ever feel like you simply cannot keep up with the demand to make more and more and more content? There’s a reason for that. Social media was made for us to connect with friends, build relationships, and create a community, right? Wrong. Tara breaks down the business model for social media platforms which actually tells us that these platforms are created to learn our online behaviors, turn that into data, which they turn around and sell as ad space based on our audiences and interests.

So, hold the phone… All of my behaviors, business information, and content that I make to try and get the algorithm to like me is just making them money? YUP. It’s not fun to realize that the content we are working so hard on is probably working out a lot better for them than it is for us. Tune in to hear more from Tara about how your content can work for you, and not just for the big-name social media platforms!

Tara and I chat about:

• The myth of ‘Grow or Die’ mentality
• How to survive online, and feel good about what you’re posting
• Practicing digital ecology

Let’s talk about What Works.

If you are looking for a guide to help you navigate the murky waters of productivity (because goal-setting doesn’t mean scheduling yourself a breakdown), then Tara’s book is one that should be added to must-read list! What Works is compiled from Tara’s personal story, her experience of working with small business owners, almost 400 interviews, and some pretty important philosophers, sociologists, and psychologists.

Plus, you can check out Tara’s What Works podcast that follows a very similar theme of breaking us out of the mindset that we have to do more, more, more. Hearing Tara’s perspective on everything from bogus business norms, and skewed societal trends is like getting a gulp of fresh air.

Connect with Tara

Tara McMullin is a writer, podcaster, and producer. She’s investigated the future of work for over 14 years. From personal coaches to influencers, independent educators to marketing professionals, and gig workers to micro-entrepreneurs, Tara probes how today’s independent workers navigate the uncertainty and precarity of the 21st-century economy. She’s the author of What Works: A Comprehensive Framework to Change the Way We Approach Goal-Setting. The book challenges the lessons we’ve learned about goals and productivity through culture and proposes a radical shift: structuring our lives around practice rather than achievement. She’s the host of What Works, a podcast about navigating the 21st-century economy with your humanity intact. Tara is also co-founder of YellowHouse.Media, a boutique podcast production company. Her work has been featured in Fast Company, The Muse, and Quartz.

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More Links:

• Substack
• Your Content Map – Stop feeling lost with your content, let’s map it out together.
• Transcripts for this episode