My Problem With Social Media

Can I ask you a question?

When was the last time you went on social media and left feeling energized and better about your life afterwards?

Believe it or not, I actually have a huge issue with social media (I know that sounds majorly hypocritical...let me explain) because I think it can have a profoundly negative effect on peoples mental health - especially the younger generation who have no reference to a world before social media.

Now I know what you're thinking:

"This guy literally built his business from social media?! What a hypocrite!"

That's true, without social media I wouldn't be talking to you right now. However, since I've noticed this pattern I have made a big shift in the way we do things. The fact is that almost everybody who has a smartphone actively uses one or all of either Facebook, Instagram or YouTube. It's where people hang out.

I know there will be many, many people who completely disagree with what I've just said...and that's absolutely fine. But my personal belief is that the less time you spend on social media, the healthier your mind will be and the more productively you will use your time too.

No longer can some keyboard warriors smart-ass comment ruine your entire day.

No longer do you compare your seemingly boring life to somebody elses highlight reel, where it looks like they're spending every minute of every day in some sort of paradise.

No longer does your happiness depend on how many likes or followers you have.

When it comes to social media, my sole aim is to find you and then get to know you and train you AWAY from social media.

That's why I want you on my email list or my blog.

I just think it's a healthier way to help players, this way I can communicate and deliver content to you away from all the distractions, and you'll make better progress as a result.

Anyway! I came across this brilliant quote today and I think it pretty much sums up what I'm trying to say...

I know it sounds really deep, but it can easily be applied here...

...When you go on social media, you are a slave to what the algorithms put infront of you, which then influences how you feel.

Did you know that platforms like instagram are designed to be addictive? To give you hits of dopamine (the "feel good" hormone) just at the right time to keep you on there and coming back for more?

If instead you decided you were going to take charge of your emotions and "emit your own frequency", your day and mood would likely be very different.

Let's say you have 2 spare hours each day and you have a choice to:

1. Spend 1 hour scrolling through social media, watching and reading what's put infront of you and the other hour sat watching the news on TV.

2. Chose exactly what you wanted to read, watch or do. Perhaps you spend 30 minutes reading your favourite book, 30 minutes sat listening to your favourite music whilst filling out a journal or visualising, 30 minutes playing table tennis or FIFA and 30 minutes reading your emails (only opening the ones that YOU want to open).

Do you agree that your mental health and progress towards your goals could be dramatically different when you take charge of what you consume, rather than simply being a slave to everybody who is FIGHTING for your attention every second of the day?

You'll laugh, but I've even gone to the extent of buying myself an old Nokia 8310!

I find the only way I can do these things is by completely cutting myself off.

I have the Nokia with me just incase of emergencies. I regularly have days where I completely cut myself off from all social media, and let me tell you that not only is it a breathe of fresh air mentally, my productivity goes THROUGH THE ROOF.

Have you ever tried doing something similar? It would be interesting to know what differences you noticed in both your mood and performances at training and in matches.

Take control of what you feed your mind.