Hey friend 👋,

I started tweeting actively in late October of last year. I took an online course (+ spent more money on it than I want to admit) and found a few buddies to help accountability and engagement.

Since then, I’ve posted every single day (I schedule tweets on weekends and vacations) and I never regretted becoming active there.

Not just that, I think getting on Twitter was one of the best decisions ever.

Despite not being followed by any large number of people, I found:

• Friends

• Mentors

• Collaborations

• New perspective

• New business ideas

• Almost non-stop learning, and

Clarity on what really matters.

I won’t exaggerate if I say that Twitter (or, rather, being active on Twitter) changed my life.

But I recently realized a big mistake I made in the process.

I made Twitter a project of its own. A huge to-do on my list every single day. A responsibility to keep up with.

Why is it important?

Because this attitude took my focus and many hours away from my key work (building apps and a calm, profitable business) and to an important, but secondary activity.

I’ve spent days creating content specifically for Twitter, poured over what I should write about and researched those topics.

Not all of this for naught, of course, because I learned a lot and practiced my writing.

BUT

What if those hours and attention went to my main thing?

Well, maybe at least most of those hours?

I think it’s very likely that Brick and my other (actually important) projects would have been much further ahead.

Sure, Twitter can be part of your key craft. As a key marketing engine or a critical way to find leads. But that’s not the case for most people and businesses, and definitely not for me.

So what’s the alternative?

I’ve taken a few more (much cheaper or free) courses and followed a ton of audience growth experts for a while.

They agree on one thing:

Twitter (or any socials) should be an extension of our priorities, not a main course.

So If I were to start my Twitter journey anew, this is the process I would follow:

• Build/creating/report about working on your key thing (e.g. an app, an online course or just your day job)

• Use Twitter to tell about the process, warts and all

• Summarize your mistakes and lessons so followers can avoid them

• Help others with problems you solve now or went through in the past (for free)

• Spice it up with a bit of personal story

• (occasionally and respectfully) Sell

• Rinse and repeat.

The best part?

People seem to enjoy following (and engaging with!) a real-world, down-to-earth journey waaay more than one custom-made for Twitter.

A true story. As raw as it gets, please. The bloodier, the better.

And just like that, the “What do I write about?” question takes care of itself.

I hope this’ll help you sidestep the rake I stepped on.