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Cam Adair: From Video Game Addict To Life Changer (AoL 008)

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For many of us Millennials, tech comes natural. We’ve been around it our entire lives. Being on mobile phones. Checking in with friends on social media. Sharing pictures and links. Watching TV. Playing video games. It’s what we do.

However, in a life that involves all that stuff, sometimes it’s easy to get caught up being a consumer of all those things and relying on it a little too much. We become addicts.

For me, and this sessions guest, gaming addiction is something that is a serious problem. He and I both started playing more and more to escape our realities at school. And that habit lasted well into our twenties. What was our solution to stop the cycle? To do work we love.

Being a serial entrepreneur, Cam now finds himself leading the community over at Game Quitters. A website dedicated to helping those who feel that they’re addicted to gaming. While he doesn’t mind that people play occasionally, he does think it’s necessary that people realize that gaming is entertainment and shouldn’t be thought of as anything more.

If you or someone you know is struggling with a gaming, TV, or other technology related addiction, then you should hear Cam’s story. Even if you don’t see yourself as an video game addict, knowing that people like Cam are out there making a difference is truly inspiring. It might just help you realize what you’re meant to do as well.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN:

  • How Cam initially used gaming to escape the bullying he received daily.
  • How gaming is structured to keep you addicted.
  • When he realized that he could survive by adding value to others.
  • How Cam was introduced to The Foundation.
  • What the major moment was like when realized that he wasn’t suicidal and he wanted to feel life.
  • Where the idea for Game Quitters came from.
  • What his daily routine looks like.
  • …and much more

Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer.

ITEMS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

SHOW NOTE EXTRAS:

StopGaming

Cam’s StopGaming Subreddit on Reddit

It’s ok to fall off the bandwagon. Just get back on!

Resource for Parents of Kid Gamers

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for joining us again this week. Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

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Cheers!

Millennials as Entrepreneurs: Part 4 of 10 – Growing up as Tech Natives

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Have you ever been with family or older friends and someone says they need help with their phone? You’re like “Sure. I’ll look at it.” and you help them figure out whatever their problem was without hardly thinking about it? Not to mention the next thing you know you’re now their personal tech support?

 

This has happened to me plenty of times. Personally, I love helping when I can with tech. I’ve always been a natural at it – even before it was considered normal. Back then I was labeled a geek of sorts, but it’s totally acceptable today.

 

The Rise of Social Media and Texting

 

Back when I was entering college, social media and texting didn’t exist as it does today. We were using AIM and ICQ as our messengers and texting ran up your cell phone bill like no tomorrow.

 

The first Social Media platform that I was aware of, wasn’t really even a social media platform persay. It was collection of member pages based around message boards, personal blogs, and funny videos (which were based on video game characters). You might have heard about it – Rooster Teeth.

 

Today, while it might not be up there with Facebook, they’re doing pretty well in their own way. When I started watching their videos back in 2001-2002, (and when they were known as Cock Bite – there’s a trivia answer for you!) I along with a whole bunch of other Halo players flocked to their site where they hosted their Red Vs Blue series. It was hilarious. But it was also signs of what was to come.

 

Since then, they have added on several side communities and series (Rage Quit is hilarious – if you can take the swearing!).

 

I used RT regularly until Facebook started becoming the behemoth that we know it as today. The longer I stayed at RT, the more I realized that I was being surrounded more and more by fans of the company. They weren’t using it as a tool like I was. No, they were fanatics about it. So much so that they even went to conventions that the company puts together.

 

I don’t think I could ever be that big into something now that I didn’t have ownership in. 🙂

 

 

I think this story kinda holds true for a lot of other Millennials. While I never used them, Xanga, Tumblr, and LiveJournal are a few blog sites that lots of people flocked to early on but now have been replaced by today’s big names.

 

The Current Kings of Social Media

 

In marketing, there’s a handful of social media sites that need to be considered when building a brand. Obviously, you have Facebook. Then there’s Twitter and LinkedIn. Next you’d see sites like YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest.

 

Unlike the previous generation of social media sites, one can see the current top sites as tools that fill an inherent need to socialize. Typically people use them because their friends do.

 

When Facebook added the ability to let anyone into the site in 2006, not to those just in colleges, numbers shot through the roof. As of 2013, the count for Facebook users was considered to be half of all online users.

 

As tech savvy Millennials, we’ve been able to use these sites as they’ve evolved. Due to that fact alone, we’ve been able to keep up with the latest abilities that each site has given us.

 

On Facebook, marketing tools really shot up when apps came online. After apps, we had Pages. Now it’s less Pages and more shareable content. It’s always changing.

 

As millennials, we’re used to technology always changing. So really, we have the upper hand when it comes to these platforms. They’re part of who we are and how we communicate.

 

However, as we’ve seen, this comes at a cost as we depend more and more on the newest of technology.

 

In with the New, Out with the Old

 

In 2014, pretty much half of all internet users were using the web through the use of smart phones or a tablet. Personally, I think it’s by design. Companies know that their potential customers like to be on the go. If they can get themselves in front of their audience as they are on the go, then they’re going to get a higher ROI than if their audience saw their ad at home.

 

The cost of acquiring these new mobile devices has been a constant distraction. Even though people have as much time as ever, they feel that they’re life is faster paced.

 

Why? Because the distractions are constantly giving them a to do list. See this, laugh at that. Poke that button.

 

People are spending less and less time creating.

In this new world, if you have enough will power to create, you can build an audience and therefore a business.

 

Building Will Power

 

In the comments below, let me know about some of your tricks in keeping your technology induced distractions down. If you’re having problems with distractions, let me know too! I’d be glad to help you come up with a plan to keep them from influencing you!

 

Also, stay tuned for next week’s post in which we’ll be exploring the changing economy and why Millennials are in the right spot to make their mark on it.

 

Innovation in Indiana 001: Techpoint Innovation Summit 2010

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In the past year that I’ve been in Indianapolis, one of the groups that I’m glad to be plugging in with is Techpoint. Essentially Techpoint’s goal is to help foster up-and-coming companies from around the state. Also, they act as a podium to bring together speakers from various backgrounds to come and give their two cents on given topics.

On a yearly basis, Techpoint holds two large events that recognize entrepreneurship in Indiana. One, the Mira Awards, features companies from around the state that have done well in their respective field. It is generally sponsored by several schools including Purdue, Indiana, and Ivy Tech as well as several other key names within the state such as Indiana Business Journal, Barnes and Thornburgh, and ExactTarget. While seeing the companies being recognized for their achievements is great, the networking opportunities are awesome. And considering that this is a site dedicated for helping you with your new path(s) in life, if you are in Indiana and specifically Indianapolis, don’t pass up next years Mira Awards!

Secondly, the Innovation Summit is a place where a collection of speakers and business owners can get together and share ideas. In a way, you could think of it as Indiana’s Innovation TED. While I have not attended the Summit, I am looking forward to attending it next week on October 27th. Here’s a video for you to get a glimpse as to why I’m looking forward to it!

Link to the full story via their Blog.

If you’re an Indiana based Entrepreneur/business owner who would like to mix with some of the best minds in the area, I would say it’s in your best interest to make it to a Techpoint meeting in the near future!