“An unreflected experience is a lost experience.”

I began blogging in 2010 on a WordPress site at renando.com. I quickly migrated to Sideways Thoughts with the intent to capture what I felt was a different perspective and create a brand outside of myself.

I have had a crack at a few platforms over the years, using bloggr for personal journals, keeping a running commentary on articles in the Financial Review called a Fin Review Review, and various expressions on Tumblr, LinkedIn, and Medium. I captured some of this journey signing up for over 70 social media sites as part of a three year annual review ending in 2013.

Sideways Thoughts served a purpose, but it has been a year since I posted on the platform. The platform helped me explore a range of topics on social impact, personal development, leadership, and innovation.  I now find I post predominately on LinkedIn with a copy-and-paste into Medium as my writing becomes focused on applying innovation measurement towards social impact and community resilience.

But focus can come at a cost. Creative expression and personal opinion can be lost in 2,500 word dissertations on innovation ecosystems and social impact. Thought processes can become constrained by second guessing and ensuring messages are always on-topic.

There is a balance. One extreme is to remove all filters on a real-time inner monologue. The other end of the spectrum is a sanitised contribution to the echo chamber where personality gets consumed by group think. I take a page from bloggers such as Hunter Walk and Brad Feld on where the middle ground can be positioned.

My intent with renando.com is to find that balance and experiment with a discipline of daily-ish dissertations like a public thought whiteboard. I will continue to post on LinkedIn and Medium for thought leadership in my chosen vocation, whatever that may be at the time.

This is a playground. It is a public experiment.  It is intentionally messy and unpolished.  Feedback and comments are welcome.