Family emergencies can serve as a reminder that there is much more to life than work – these times can offer an amazing opportunity to pause and reflect on our own priorities.

Unfortunately, even during periods of grief or illness, we tend to measure ourselves against others who appear to have achieved superhero status.

As social media has become a part of our daily lives, we see images of superheroes all around us – their plethora of blog posts, never-ending networking and dizzying schedules are on public display. For the rest of us, those who seem to never slow down (and never fail) often are used as the measuring stick of success.

The Real Deal

Most of us know that when you see someone else’s marriage, you don’t really know what goes on “behind closed doors.” The same is true for professional dynamos – those who seem to have superhero stamina and smarts are actually real people with real problems and real failings.

What’s more, sometimes we assign superhero status to those who would readily admit they are far from it, if asked. Fellow Solo PR Pro, Laura Scholz (whose energy has always been a marvel to me), bravely recounted her struggles on her blog recently.

This is not to say the world isn’t filled with heroes – I’m sure we all have many heroes of the human, mortal variety who inspire us daily and keep life interesting. But superheroes only exist in comic books and movies, and constantly trying to be one will only leave us exhausted, unsatisfied and empty.

I loved it when Stuart Smalley, the old self-help-addicted character on Saturday Night Live, said, “I’m should-ing all over myself.” How often do you catch yourself should-ing? What are your tips for avoiding superhero syndrome?

Image credit: Carla216

In fact, there is no freedom without independence, and those of us who’ve chosen to ply our public relations trade independently know this well. Exempt from external control and empowered to manage our futures without restraint, Solo PR Pros know the true meaning of freedom in our own lives.

So, let’s take a moment to enjoy Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness on your own terms! If you aren’t independent yet, let this be an occasion where you develop a plan for your own declaration of independence.

Last year, I shared my favorite perks of freedom – what are yours?

Image credit: Techhie

1)  Looking for ideas/advice when announcing new client relationships. Get permission? Make a big splash? Keep quiet?

2)  How do solos choose which Webinars/conferences to attend, considering the
abundance?

3)  We’re half way through 2010 (hard to believe, I know). Where are you in
relation to your #solopr goals? Any tweaks?

4)  Ever been asked to be a one-off “hired gun” (example – write one press release, do media outreach for existing announcement)? Do you do it?

Download the transcript to read the full discussion and learn helpful insights from the many experienced independent PR pros who participated.

If you weren’t able to join us, what are your thoughts on these questions? Be sure to let us know in the comments!

The #solopr chat – held each Wednesday from 1-2 p.m. Eastern – is a weekly ritual for some of the most savvy Solo PR Pros on Twitter. Anyone with a Twitter account is welcome to participate – see Join Us for the #solopr Chat on Twitter to find out how!

With social media continuing to turn ever more people and organizations into publishers, the question of how far to push the envelope is now a consideration for many of us. Many espouse being divisive and polarizing as a way to break through the clutter and succeed. The fact is, these tactics usually work to deliver a burst of attention and some resulting star power. Why do people love it, and does this approach hold up long-term?

While most of us would like some attention for our work, at what point do these activities negatively affect one’s credibility and reputation? With no Miss Manners for our ever-more interconnected world, let’s analyze some professional situations. What are your thoughts on the circumstances below?

1. As blogs compete for eyeballs, post titles like “PR is Dead” or “Quit Social Media” are de riguer. In the case of this blog, a post called “Sexy Secrets When Doing It Solo” would probably attract a lot of traffic from Google. More targeted traffic, and probably buckets of comments, would be generated from a post on “Why You Should Never Hire a PR Agency” (after all, the content could always include a caveat that yes, sometimes, agencies are the way to go).

Question: As a reader, do you feel cheated when a title doesn’t exactly match the post? Or is it interesting and energizing to see discussions ignited?

2. You’re close friends with someone via social media who, upon achieving some notoriety, becomes only interested in associating with those who are more name-drop worthy than you. Not unlike the high school prom queen candidate, old friends are given the big blow off.

Question: Do you continue to behave online as if you’re friends with this person (after all, their notoriety could benefit you)? Or do you stay cordial, but keep your distance and just speak when you’re spoken to?

3. Sometimes bloggers will dream up an award or create a contest that requires people to tweet a hashtag, post a comment, fan a Facebook page, etc. to enter, nominate, campaign…

Question: Are these transparent link bait, or just good fun? Does the amount of goodwill you feel toward the blogger/brand impact your tolerance?

4. Occasionally in a blog post, but more often on Facebook or Twitter, a popular person will say “why do you follow me?” or “what value do you get from me?”

Question: Do you assume this is a regular person in need of an occasional pep talk, a genuine feedback solicitation, or the work of a chronic complement-fisher?

As a final question, how often do you actually notice the behavior above? I’m curious if many of us have become so accustomed to it, we’re desensitized. What attention-grabbing tactics have you seen that you thought crossed the line? Looking forward to hearing your thoughts in the comments below.

This week’s questions were:

1. @mdbarber recently shared her reasons for going solo at http://bit.ly/cfyYkO – what is important to you?

2. Should surveys be performed in-house (polldaddy) or contracted? Experiences?

3.  Have you ever had to move (your home and/or your office)? How do you maintain uninterrupted service for your clients?

Be sure to check out the transcript in PDF for the excellent insights and advice shared by some of the top pros nationwide. And let us know what you think in the comments!

The #solopr chat – held each Wednesday from 1-2 p.m. Eastern – is a weekly ritual for some of the most savvy Solo PR Pros on Twitter. Anyone with a Twitter account is welcome to participate – see Join Us for the #solopr Chat on Twitter to find out how!