Most Breakthroughs Come From Other People

If you’re a writer in New York City, I host weekly writing sessions every Sunday morning. You can sign up here.

Last year, I was catching up with a friend who runs a large creative community on what they would do if they were running the Olive Tree Writing Club. He gave a quick, stern answer, “Start a social media following.”

After more than a year of running OTWC, we didn’t have any social media presence. I recognized the importance of social media, but I felt I lacked the expertise and savviness.

He explained that if we built a social media following, it would make everything else easier. We wouldn’t have to grind to market our events, sponsors would come to us, and we would have leverage. He also walked me through, step-by-step, exactly how to start a social media following: get your handles, make your first post, follow x amount of people, and post every week. Simple, not easy.

Inspired by the conversation, I started our social media accounts in September 2023. We still have room to grow, but I’m happy with the progress we’ve made so far. And what he said was true, it’s the one thing we did that made everything else easier.

When working on a project or problem, I often work on it on my own, journal about it, and read extensively about the topic. However, I’ve found that many of my breakthroughs come from interacting with others. Many of my blog posts stem from social experiences and conversations.

This is a reminder that serendipity and breakthroughs come when you step out of the house.