Looking Back at 2011

2011 was a major year for me. I know that years from now when I look back it will be one of those years where I can see that so much changed in my life.

Of course the main reason for this was the success of Content Rules. It hit numerous best seller lists on Amazon and in Inc Magazine.

Ann and I traveled around North America (and a quick jump to The Netherlands for me) talking about the book and the rising importance of content for everyone. According to TripIt I traveled a total of 77,833 miles and visited 31 different cities this year.

I met so many amazing people, visited amazing new cities and the opening doors of opportunities are still showing themselves even this morning.

I took a look back at what I've written this year and was surprised by what I found were my most popular posts. It is really too bad that three of them were based around a blunder by a brand that I still don't think believes it did anything wrong. But, here is list in case you missed some of them.

My Top Posts of 2011

1. Ragu Hates Dads
2. I Work Where I Am & When I Want
3. Yes, I Want to Speak at Your Event
4. Social Media Has Made You Lazy 
5. I Share What I Want. Not You.
6. My Final Word on Ragu
7. The Secret Sauce – Free Advice for Ragu
8. The Slow Death of Flickr
9. We ARE All Weird 
10. When Inspiration Whispers
11. I’ll Only Ever Collect Bad Wine
12. Surviving Travel
13. Sidelined By Surgery 
14. The Great Klout Plunge of 2011 
15. Are You One of The Crazies? | C.C. Chapman

What this list does show me though is that the type of writing I love doing is resonating with people and that confirms a big part of what 2012 will hold for me with the writing and release of my next book.

I also looked at my three words from the beginning of the year of Create, Inspire & Teach and I think I did ok with them. I'm still noodling over what my words will be for this year. I keep changing them.

But, as the final grains of sand fall away on this year I know that while I could have done more and done better, I'm content and happy with all that I accomplished. There is plenty of room for improvement and fine tuning. I see a lot of that in my near future.

See you next year!