How to apply an Instagram filter approach to your work and life.
Remember photos before Instagram? I don’t. Because things are so much better now. Photos are no longer shared in their naked state. Instead, we use filters on our images to make them look their best. And the filtering of photos is fun. Not rollercoaster-riding fun. Or dance party fun. But you know, killing-time-at-the-DMV fun.
How Filters Work
If you haven’t used Instagram or Snapchat filters, here is an oversimplification.
- You take a photograph
- You look at that photograph. Every time you do it makes you laugh.
- You upload it into Insta, or your favorite photo filtering app.
- You apply a filter to the photo.
- The filter applies its unique recipe of contrast, saturation, highlights, focal points, warmth and color to the image.
- You taste test anywhere from 2 to 102 different filters on the photo to decide which one makes the photo look most amazingable.
- You have a hard time deciding between two filters.
- You ask someone nearby which of the two is better.
- They don’t care.
- You just pick one.
- You share the image with the world.
- Everyone thinks you are cooler, better looking and living a more amazing life than you really are.
Filter Love
I love using these filters. It’s fun to look at the same photo through different filters and see very different images. In fact, I love it so much that I have been using the same process in my work and life.
Real World Filters
As Instagram quickly teaches us, there are many ways to look at the world. A seemingly poor image can look great through the right filter. And a great image can look terrible through the wrong filters. The same thing happens with our professional careers, finances, health and relationships.
Business
As an entrepreneur, I use many different filters on my business. I apply the Revenue filter to get a good image of how much money we are bringing into the business. I apply a Profit filter to see how much of that revenue we are actually keeping. I apply a Historical filter to see whether our finances are improving. I apply a Goal filter to see if we are doing what we set out to do.
But those are just the financial filters. I apply a Quality filter to determine whether my advertising and idea agency is producing great creative work. A Customer Service filter tells us whether our service is meeting our expectations and the expectations of our clients. A Happiness filter makes me look at whether me and my teammates at The Weaponry are enjoying the work we are doing. A Culture filter gives me a good look at our company culture and vibe. All of the images are slightly different. And they are all important to look at.
Personal Filters
I am always evaluating my personal life with a full spectrum of filters. Here is a list of the filters that I regularly use:
- Happiness
- Friendship
- Adventurousness
- Quality Time
- Memory Making
- Ideal Weight
- Wedding Vow
- Self Actualization
- Joy
- Commitments
- Personal Strength
- Learning
- Christianity
- Dot Connecting
- New People
- Yard Care
- Cleanliness
- Mentoring
- Dad
- Humor
Application and Feedback
I apply these filters often to get a quick look at how I am doing in various areas of my life. Sometimes the picture is beautiful and I want to show everyone. But I don’t always like what I see. That’s okay. A poor image gives me something worthwhile to work on. The filters help me spot my weak links, my blindspots and areas of concern. Once I see them I can give them the attention they deserve. I like to work on my uglies until they are reach a point where I would share them with the world.
Key Takeaway
There are many ways to look at your work, health, relationships and personal lives. Don’t just focus on the filters that make you look good. Use a wide range of filters to see how you are doing in many areas of your life. Find the areas that need improvement. Give yourself credit for the areas that are focused, sharp and beautiful. Always keep the big picture in mind. It’s the best way to live your life in a way that is worth sharing.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this idea, please share it with them.
Originally published at http://theperfectagencyproject.com on September 8, 2019.