My Volkswagen Beetle ~ Filled with Clowns?

"Slug Bug!" POW!  Just what a boy needs, a valid reason to punch mom in the arm. I don't fully understand why boys need that chest pounding hormone at such a young age, but that's not what I intended on writing about tonight, so I'll get on with it.  The Volkswagen Beetle car concept I started with distracted me a bit.  Maybe that speaks to my state of mind lately. (If you spend time surfing the internet for information and connections you'll want to read on.  If you don't..... well I recommend you leave this post and go hug your child (pet) or do that one thing you've been putting off.  But then again if you read on you could actually apply this to your real "in person" life.)

So anyway.....lately, I've been thinking about the passengers I allow in my Traveling Sanctuary. It is easy to connect with others via online social networking. Your path can intersect with so many amazing people, who share much needed information. Knowledge is power and you are bombarded with choices.  A survey of Forbes bagillionaires reveal that they spend at least 3 hours a day reading, most of it online. To like or not to like.  It's as easy as a click. Should I add this to my RSS feed?  It's as easy as three clicks.

Surely, more is better right?  Size matters. Yet, maybe it's not the size of the boat (actually Volkswagen Beetle for this post), but the motion in the ocean (internet surfing for this post). Ah heck, that's just what people say when they don't have a sizable following on Facebook and Twitter.  I recently watched a TED Talk about choices. I am sharing the video at the end of the post.  Don't get distracted with it now.  Watch if you would like to challenge your ideas about the freedom to choose and whether it's better to have more choices.

Your Traveling Sanctuary is the size of a Volkswagen Beetle

Let's face it, you're only one person, so from that perspective your capacity to spend online time with others, is the size of a VW Beetle.  The question is, "Are you trying to stuff it with too many clowns?"  And when I say clowns I am not implying these passengers aren't wonderful, amazing people. But damn a bus load of clowns in a your VW Beetle is pretty overwhelming, with all them huge red noses and massive feet (he he).

Ask Yourself ....

• What do I hope to accomplish via my online presence and how does that influence how and who I connect with online?
• Is your connecting and knowledge consuming proportionate with your "actions" that actually accomplish your online goals?

I Love all the Clowns but I can't fit a bus load into my VW Traveling Sanctuary

Based on your goals.......

• Take inventory and prioritize.  Sheena is re-organizing her RSS Feeds. Check it out.  I frequent her posts.(Ironically enough the presenter's, on the video below, name is Sheena as well.) Chris Brogan has a few thoughts on this subject. I read his blog every day.
• Balance your "fuel" into categories:  Mind, Body, Spirit, Joy, Fun and Fear Shredding. 
• Is it business or pleasure? There's a time for work and a time for play.  The best is when your work is your play, but sometimes you just need to put that huge red nose to the grind stone.

One final note (OK maybe two or three)

Just because somebody is your friend on Facebook doesn't mean they are allowed to fill your online space with negativity and baggage.  Generally I believe you attract what you're putting out there. If somebody un-follows or un-friends me I figure I'm not delivering what they need.  I'm cool with that.  Most people I follow online that have huge followings have them because they are amazing and they deliver on point information to their targeted followers.  Get it? They concentrated on their online goals and the following followed. Imagine it looking more like a convey of VW Beetles that are not overloaded with clowns and their baggage.

Thanks for clowning around with me.  Convoys can be a pretty powerful force when you have a common interest and desire to make a difference in virtual and real worlds.

Photo credit SlideShow Bruce