The American Dream – or Clubhouse Burnout?
Written by: Arna Van Goch, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Growing up, I went to an American School in Taiwan; the hard work ethic was literally hammered into me from all sides. Taiwanese kids study some of the craziest hours in the world, and Americans are well-known for their 8 days of (usually unpaid) holidays a year and unpaid sick days.
How hard you work is almost like a badge of honor, and I hear it in the talk of my American counterparts all the time. It kind of reminds me of this Monty Python sketch… (seriously, it’s hilarious. It’s only 3 minutes, watch it). Of course, you have to work hard if you have to work three jobs just to be able to pay basic necessities. I never experienced that in Europe, not even in England. But then it’s no wonder that this kind of work ethic is not only expected but encouraged in “the Land of the Free.”
There are plenty of entrepreneurs who rally on about this as well: Gary Vee being one of the most prominent ones that come to mind. And can I just say, Clubhouse is exacerbating it. I personally do not like Grant Cardone, and I do not join his clubs, but there are plenty of people who do, and that’s fine.
But why bother with a 3-day Clubhouse-a-thon? Why is this a thing? What value can you gain from it? Apparently, Cardone goes and has 4-hour naps and his moderators jump in to cover for him, leaving a disappointed audience hoping to hear from the man himself. Hello? The dude is HUMAN. He physically can’t stay up 72 hours at a time, and neither should he try, it’s unhealthy, especially dangerous at his age (sorry, not sorry), and a completely ridiculous notion.
We need to start making distinctions, drawing lines in the sand. There is a difference between being the finest and the best. There is a difference between being effective and being loud. We were literally talking about this in a one-hour Clubhouse room yesterday, how it’s about being intentional. Below I want to share three things to keep in mind as more and more of us enter the Clubhouse scene:
Be Intentional:
You can join different rooms for different intentions. For example: gaining followers, being an expert, moderating, or, very importantly, learning. Pick an intention and then pick a room. Let the intention guide you.
This also means setting alarms, planning your week, diarizing the time you want to spend on Clubhouse. It’s also important here to mention the necessity to set your boundaries. Go to bed when you need to, turn your notifications off when you need to. My phone goes into “bedtime” mode at 10 pm and gives me permission to not reply to anyone or take any phone calls.
Know Your Topic:
Like I do with my clients, focus on your niche. We talk about the thing that you want to be known for. What is it? What are the different sections that you can talk about? Where do they maybe overlap with other topics and other experts? Boom. There’s your collab opportunities.
Be of Service:
As much as I’ve bashed Clubhouse, I think it’s fair to say that I do love it too. I love the freshness, I love the authenticity of the moment, and I can see this being an opportunity to expose jerks. You know, the person that you’ve looked up to your whole career turns out to be a bit of a dud? They can’t hide behind cameras, scripts, and social media managers. They are right there, raw. And they are coming up short of the image they have built for themselves. This has already happened a couple of times, and it’s only going to increase.
Heed this warning: be of service, stay humble. That’s how you’re going to succeed on Clubhouse. Hands down.
Arna Van Goch, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Arna van Goch is a business automation coach. She helps 5 figure entrepreneurs hit 6 figures by streamlining their businesses and strategies to work less & earn more. Over her own entrepreneurial journey, she has worked with online businesses to land 6 figure contracts and supported businesses reaching 7 figures. Besides working online, she has an avid passion for travel, energy work, and awesome Netflix series like Next in Fashion.
