The Great A-Lister Myth

Eh, really just depends on how people perceive you.I'm sure I'm an A-lister to some and Z-lister to others. It's really just a matter of perspective.Execution separates what's real from what's not though.

I think celebrity is a concept that can exist in any industry from entertainment to communications, to the medical and legal professions. Celebrity is the measure of fame one has and the A-list idea ranks the "celebrities." I'm with most people in that a person's drive to help others and working to truly enrich his/her profession with constructive and innovative ideas are the true leaders.

No doubt. What the heck does it mean to have a draw and then fail to do anything with it; success for it's own sake is completely empty. You gotta be on a mission! It's the mission that counts.

That's the sweet spot right there, Sonny. Names drop off tongues and eventually disappear - the real legacy is in the doing. Cheers fella!

Can't recall who said it, but it ties in perfectly with your comment: "Make people better than you." That's A-list right there, empowering others to take up a mantel which you might have started. In that respect, I think egos and A-lists (the faux ones) are very close bedfellows.

I'm wondering now whether this was a subconscious post (if I'm right in what you're referring to). But you're right - stop worrying about others and go with the flow that works for you.And no-one ever went wrong with using intent as a defining point - cheers Teresa!

Would that be celebrity over A-lister, though, Rich, or do the two criss-cross each other? And can't argue with you on your PS ;-)

What I like to say is, 'Do You.' That's all you can expect honestly; to focus on you and do work that you're proud of. The accolades and names that get dropped are all misnomers when you're looking at the heart of the person and who/what they represent for you and the rest of the community.I know who I look up to, who I know does honest and great work, and who I can trust and connect with on more than a 'celebrity status' kind of way. Call it what you want, but those are the people that rank high in my book.

Not sure who used it first, but "micro-celebrity" seems to be the coin of the day. With so many people have so many tools to reach so many people in so many different ways, there's some way for everyone to reach some one and make some difference. That gives every one an opportunity to be on someone's A-list sometime.Trey Pennington

I'm with you on this one: "My A-listers are the people I learn from, or who make a difference in my day with their blogs."The true A-listers are those who share their experiences not to brag about how great they are, but rather to educate and help others. You can be one of the best in your industry, but if you aren't encouraging others to follow suit by sharing best practices (or lessons learned from failures), how are you helping to advance your profession? I commend the pros who have mastered this through blogging, but anyone who does any type of mentoring is also an A-lister in my book!

I think I know where you got the inspiration for this post. This is such an important point to make -- "A-Lister" is so relative. Too many of us get stuck at titles and names, or the fact that other people have titles and names we don't, and we start fixating on what's inevitably unimportant. Your A List is your own to create and change, and you, in turn, have the power to become an A-Lister in your own right.Be good. Stop worrying about whether others are good.What defines my A-List? Intent. You can just tell who the good people are, and to me, goodness is what counts.Nice post, Danny. :)

Thank you, everyone is an "A" lister to someone. And gosh darn it, people like me.

It is absolutely true that big audiences and big traffic are only one of many ways to make a way for yourself online. niche marketers and non-a-listers have been proving this quietly for years. You're always going to hear about the big names; it's just natural, but definitely don't assume it's the only way to succeed :) If you want to be an a-lister, go get it, but certainly take the time to answer the question of why that is your goal. Are you assuming a huge audience is necessary to do well in business? It's not.

Hi Danny,Interesting point about the content being what makes a person an A-lister, however I fall under the belief that it is the level of fame that makes a person an A-lister. Perez Hilton is an A-list blogger to me, not because I enjoy or even care about what he writes, but because he is so well known. That being the case, that does not mean that I believe, enjoy, or praise every thing an A-lister says or does.B through Z-list people are the ones who really create the A, A+ work : )Cheers,RichP.S. I'll take Trainspotting and Slumdog Millionaire any day over those Indian Jones 4 and Star Wars I, II, & III debacles!

People that devote there own personal time to help others ,, thats an A-Lister to me ,, whether it be charitys , or fundraisers or special causes .. Someone that says " I'll help you " thats an A -Lister too me ..

You're an A-lister. Myth over. :)

Eh, really just depends on how people perceive you.

I'm sure I'm an A-lister to some and Z-lister to others. It's really just a matter of perspective.

Execution separates what's real from what's not though.

I think celebrity is a concept that can exist in any industry from entertainment to communications, to the medical and legal professions. Celebrity is the measure of fame one has and the A-list idea ranks the "celebrities."

I'm with most people in that a person's drive to help others and working to truly enrich his/her profession with constructive and innovative ideas are the true leaders.

No doubt. What the heck does it mean to have a draw and then fail to do anything with it; success for it's own sake is completely empty. You gotta be on a mission! It's the mission that counts.

That's the sweet spot right there, Sonny. Names drop off tongues and eventually disappear - the real legacy is in the doing. Cheers fella!

Can't recall who said it, but it ties in perfectly with your comment: "Make people better than you." That's A-list right there, empowering others to take up a mantel which you might have started. In that respect, I think egos and A-lists (the faux ones) are very close bedfellows.

I'm wondering now whether this was a subconscious post (if I'm right in what you're referring to). But you're right - stop worrying about others and go with the flow that works for you.

And no-one ever went wrong with using intent as a defining point - cheers Teresa!

Thing with a lot of online places is that strong SEO can pull in the eyeballs, and have nothing to back it up. Yet the destination can still be seen as an A-list spot, from the amount of traffic arriving through organic search.

Would that be celebrity over A-lister, though, Rich, or do the two criss-cross each other?

And can't argue with you on your PS ;-)

What I like to say is, 'Do You.' That's all you can expect honestly; to focus on you and do work that you're proud of. The accolades and names that get dropped are all misnomers when you're looking at the heart of the person and who/what they represent for you and the rest of the community.

I know who I look up to, who I know does honest and great work, and who I can trust and connect with on more than a 'celebrity status' kind of way. Call it what you want, but those are the people that rank high in my book.

Not sure who used it first, but "micro-celebrity" seems to be the coin of the day. With so many people have so many tools to reach so many people in so many different ways, there's some way for everyone to reach some one and make some difference. That gives every one an opportunity to be on someone's A-list sometime.

Trey Pennington

I'm with you on this one: "My A-listers are the people I learn from, or who make a difference in my day with their blogs."

The true A-listers are those who share their experiences not to brag about how great they are, but rather to educate and help others. You can be one of the best in your industry, but if you aren't encouraging others to follow suit by sharing best practices (or lessons learned from failures), how are you helping to advance your profession? I commend the pros who have mastered this through blogging, but anyone who does any type of mentoring is also an A-lister in my book!

I think I know where you got the inspiration for this post. This is such an important point to make -- "A-Lister" is so relative. Too many of us get stuck at titles and names, or the fact that other people have titles and names we don't, and we start fixating on what's inevitably unimportant. Your A List is your own to create and change, and you, in turn, have the power to become an A-Lister in your own right.

Be good. Stop worrying about whether others are good.

What defines my A-List? Intent. You can just tell who the good people are, and to me, goodness is what counts.

Nice post, Danny. :)

Thank you, everyone is an "A" lister to someone. And gosh darn it, people like me.

It is absolutely true that big audiences and big traffic are only one of many ways to make a way for yourself online. niche marketers and non-a-listers have been proving this quietly for years.

You're always going to hear about the big names; it's just natural, but definitely don't assume it's the only way to succeed :) If you want to be an a-lister, go get it, but certainly take the time to answer the question of why that is your goal. Are you assuming a huge audience is necessary to do well in business? It's not.

Hi Danny,

Interesting point about the content being what makes a person an A-lister, however I fall under the belief that it is the level of fame that makes a person an A-lister. Perez Hilton is an A-list blogger to me, not because I enjoy or even care about what he writes, but because he is so well known. That being the case, that does not mean that I believe, enjoy, or praise every thing an A-lister says or does.

B through Z-list people are the ones who really create the A, A+ work : )

Cheers,

Rich

P.S. I'll take Trainspotting and Slumdog Millionaire any day over those Indian Jones 4 and Star Wars I, II, & III debacles!

People that devote there own personal time to help others ,, thats an A-Lister to me ,, whether it be charitys , or fundraisers or special causes ..
Someone that says " I'll help you " thats an A -Lister too me ..