Sharing our work openly can feel intimidating sometimes, but it can also become a launchpad to new opportunities, impact, and growth. One book that continues to shape how I think about career visibility is Show Your Work by Austin Kleon.
I have read it more than six times, and each time I uncover new lessons that speak to the different seasons of my career. I want to dedicate this brief reflection to the young professionals I spoke to last month about career paths for human rights and legal professionals in healthcare. During our conversation, a question about professional visibility came up and it reminded me immediately of this book.
Show Your Work offers ten practical and insightful chapters for anyone looking to share their work, craft or ideas online. Below is a summary of the key lessons I have taken from each chapter, based on my notes and reflections from the book.
Chapter 1: You Don’t Have to Be a Genius
This chapter reminded us that perfection is not the requirement for sharing your work but rather being curious, committed and embracing the joureny as an ametur is. My key takeaways from Chapter 1 are:
- Sharing your work online is a chance to experiment, try new things, and learn in public.
- You do not need to be an expert to contribute meaningfully to your field or industry.
- Time is short. We owe it to ourselves to create, document, and leave something behind.
- Make a commitment to learn in front of others, even when it feels uncomfortable.
Chapter 2: Think Process, Not Product
This chapter encourages us to shift from sharing only finished work to sharing our process including the behind-the-scenes, the inspiration, the drafts, the lessons learned and even the mistakes.
Chapter 3: Share Something Small Every Day
The biggest lesson here is consistency. Embracing the journey of sharing something small even if it is just a short reflection, a screenshot, or an insight which would accumulate to the picture piece. The author also talked about the importance of building a personal website. Unlike social media platforms, having a personal website present an opportunity to curate a collective of your work.
Chapter 4: Open Up Your Cabinet of Curiosities
This chapter is one of my favourites. Austin Kleon asks questions like:
What inspires you?
What websites do you visit?
Who influences your style?
Whose work do you learn from?
What ideas excite you?
Your inspirations tell people more about who you are than your finished work does. They help people understand your perspective and connect with your creative identity.
Chapter 5: Tell Good Stories
According to the author, the truth is we are already telling a story through emails, your photos, captions, conversations, and content. This chapter pushed me to think beyond creating towards making meaningful connecting because stories build community.
To share your work effectively, you need to communicate well.
What I learned:
- The more you tell your story, the better you get at it.
- If you want people to understand your work, explain it clearly and confidently.
CHIDINMA UMAHI NWANKWO 
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