You have a beneficial voice, and there are people who need to hear from you.

Yes, you specifically.

When you think you have nothing to say, nothing to contribute, no value, and nobody listening – you’re wrong on all accounts.

You’re also completely capable, right now.

You’re also not alone.

We’re More Alike

When I began consistently writing and working a few years back – all of those things I mentioned above were in my head.

Everyone who doesn’t regularly contribute their own creativity and encouragement to others thinks this way.

I’ve seen important audio directors express that they don’t think they know enough to teach. It’s the exact same sentiment I’ve heard from someone who is brand new.

All of those things are excuses, and they’re wrong.

Your Story is of Vast Importance

I believe we live in an odd dichotomy.

On one hand – you personally are not that special. Idolized, “famous” humans have a tremendous amount in common with lowly, defeated humans simply because they’re both human. This is the premise of many stories, even TV. Undercover Boss here in America showcases CEOs meeting with low level daily grind workers to learn about their experience. The show is all about how two completely different social classes learn about and gain respect for each other.

They’re both human.

Neither side is particularly special, and we all have much more in common than we think we do with people we think we’re not like.

But on the other hand, your story is incredibly unique.

It’s also powerful.

While it may share twists and turns, similar character archetypes, or themes as other’s stories – it’s still uniquely yours.

You made the choices in it, and you tell it in a way that nobody else does or can.

And just like music, there are people who will gravitate to and be affected by that. By you.

Someone can have a very similar story, but tell it different, and get a whole different audience.

There are quite literally people out there waiting to hear from you. They will be encouraged by your failures (you’re human, and they’re now free to make mistakes). They will cheer your successes (nobody deserves success more than their new hero). They will support your creativity and ambitions as you influence their own.

What Should I Do?

I’m not going to dwell on combating excuses here. Everyone reading this that isn’t already freely sharing valuable, helpful information on their path has an excuse as to why in their heads right now.

That’s fine – it’s not my job to convince you and I’m not sure that I could anyway. You’re going to gravitate towards your self-shame hole whether I like it or not.

But to all of you who feel encouraged and mildly willing to step out – you’re wondering how to effectively share yourself and your knowledge.

“Should I blog?”

“Should I podcast?”

“Should I make videos?”

It doesn’t matter, and honestly it doesn’t even have to be a broadcast.

You could become a mentor. You could even become a mentor completely outside of games and audio.

You could simply provide encouraging and thought provoking tweets.

Whatever, the medium doesn’t matter – your message does.

The Tech Doesn’t Matter

Last thing.

Your voice doesn’t have to share anything about audio.

A lot of people don’t read what I put out anymore because I don’t write about audio technique and “how to” as much as I used to.

That’s fine. There’s a whole group who loves reading what I write now.

If you know very little about audio – you don’t have to write/talk/whatever about it.

(I know plenty about audio, but I can hear the joke in some of your heads right now. If it’s there, put it away.)

I’ve been most encouraged in the past year by a friend who has spoken at audio events about nothing related to audio.

Megan Frazier has a sales background. A very “normal” corporate sales background, and she’s doing her best to move into audio.

She knows sales, she’s also on her version of the path we travel to do professional audio.

She shares about the intersection between these two things. For a number of people, this is incredibly valuable information.

I don’t know sound design brilliantly – but I know audio, and I’m constantly ingesting more about technology and software engineering. I share about that, and every human-skills valuable thing I’ve learned over 10 years of professional audio.

My friend Akash was, at one point, the most incredibly socially awkward Canadian Indian on the planet. He started off (and STILL does) sharing about how he learned to transition out of that and apply his learnings to games.

These differing perspectives share audio knowledge, but they also share our humanity.

It’s an ocean of difference to “here’s a video review about a plug-in”

Or “here’s a microphone unboxing video”!

There’s certainly a place for those things (otherwise they wouldn’t be hugely popular on the internet), but you don’t have to start there and fake it if you don’t know it, is my point.

You could easily share the insights you’ve gained from working at McDonald’s (or being a parent, a lawyer, even having s completely screwed up life), and how they apply to what you’re doing and learning in audio.

Think about it.

People are waiting to hear from you.

And please, for the love of everything, don’t be perfect.