"Redefining Wannabe" by Jackie Morreale

Have you ever felt like you were growing into a new version of yourself, but the people around you didn't quite understand it yet? If so, this is for you.

My name is Jackie Morreale and I'm the host of Wisdom for Wannabes. I'm tuning in today on one of those rare, rare days: A solar eclipse, lunar new year, Ramadan, Mardi Gras, Carnival, Winter Olympics, a 20th anniversary of something very special in my own life, losing a loved one to cancer 20 years ago.

And across cultures, across beliefs, across the world, This moment is all about the same thing. reflection, renewal, and becoming.

And it got me thinking about one word that I don't think we fully understand. A word that's very important to us here at Wisdom for Wannabes.

That word is "wannabe".

Now, if you grew up in the '90s like me, you remember how we used this word.

"He's such a wannabe, she's such a wannabe." They just try too hard.

Someone stepping into an identity that other people didn't think that they had earned yet. People putting another person into a small box when they were way more than that.

That's what we were really doing: Judging the "gap"; the difference between the box that they had been placed in by other people and that they were aspiring to be.

And we made that gap something to be embarrassed about.

But now that we've evolved, what if that gap was actually the most important place to be?

What if that space between who you are right at this moment in time and who you're becoming is where all the growth lives?

Because when I say "I wanna be...", I'm saying I'm not done yet.

I'm saying I see potential in myself that hasn't been realized yet.

I'm saying I'm willing to stretch, evolve and be uncomfortable to become something more.

And that's not fake or trying too hard. That's courage.

That's exactly where the name, Wisdom for Wannabes, came from. That's what's really meaningful to me right now.

​I'm about halfway through my original goal for this podcast, almost 26 interviews out of 52. Halfway! And I've learned more than I had ever expected I would by this point.

When I first started this podcast, I had an idea of what I thought it would be. Now, being right there in the middle of it, I realized it's not just about the conversations. It's about what those conversations do to they shift you, how they humble you, how they make you realize that there is just so much more to learn.

For me, that growth shows up in three core areas:
1. Business, building something meaningful.
2.  Art  (aka Beauty), expressing and creating.
3. Wellness (aka Betterment), taking care of body, mind and spirit.

These are the areas where I feel that gap the most.

And instead of hiding from it, I'm choosing to step into it.

Through this podcast, I've had the opportunity to talk to people that I truly admire. The best moments, they're never the planned ones. They're the unexpected answers, the honest stories, the moments that completely shift your perspective. That is the power of real conversation.

And in those moments, I find myself saying something simple:
"I want to be more like you when I grow up."

I've realized that that's not insecurity. It means I'm open. It means I'm learning. And that means I'm still growing.

Because wisdom is everywhere.

You can learn from someone who's built success.

You can learn from someone who's overcome struggle.

You can learn from someone who simply shows up consistently.

You can even learn from kids, probably most from kids. They trust themselves. They follow what they love.

And somewhere along the way, some of us lose that. (And if you identify with that, drop a thumbs up in the comments.)

So maybe being A "wannabe" isn't something to outgrow. Maybe it's something to return to.

A mindset where you stay curious, where you stay open, and where you stay willing to evolve.

So today, I'm reclaiming the word "wannabe". A wannabe is not someone who doesn't belong. A wannabe is someone who believes that they can be something more.

So yeah, I'm a wannabe.

If you're on that journey too, you're exactly where you're supposed to be.

This is Wisdom for Wannabes. And we're just getting started.

​Thank you so much for being here. Have a beautiful day.

Summary: 
In this episode of Wisdom for Wannabes, Jackie Morreale explores the multifaceted world of social media, discussing its potential for connection and growth, as well as the challenges it presents. She emphasizes the importance of authenticity and community engagement, while also addressing the evolving landscape of influence, including the rise of AI influencers. Jackie encourages listeners to embrace social media as a critical tool for personal and professional growth, urging them to overcome their fears and be visible in their endeavors.
 
Takeaways:

• Social media can expand ideas and foster community.
• Authenticity attracts connection and engagement.
• Fear is the real barrier to using social media.
• Social media is a critical tool for visibility.
• A 1% increase in social media activity can boost revenue.
• Raw, imperfect content often outperforms polished content.
• AI influencers are emerging and changing the landscape.
• Building a community requires consistent and authentic engagement.
• Every platform has its unique audience and energy.
• Embrace the journey of growth and learning through social media.

 
Quotes:

• "I love social media."
• "AI influencers actually already exist."
• "Be visible, be human, be fearless."

 
Chapters:
00:00 The Love for Social Media
02:21 The Shadows of Social Media
04:41 The Power of Authenticity and AI in Social Media

Transcript:

Jackie Morreale (00:00): Hi there and welcome to Wisdom for Wannabes. My name is Jackie Morreale and I am the host.
 
Today I am here to talk about a very important subject.

​You ready for this? Social media.
 
I love social media. I know it's not a fashionable thing to say. We're supposed to talk about burnout and algorithms and doom scrolling. And yes, all of that does exist. But still, I love social media, because Social Media took ideas that once lived only in my head and expanded them into the world. Took thoughts I had that I wasn't sure anyone needed to know and showed me that there is a community, thousands of people, in fact, who want to seek wisdom alongside of me.
 
And thank you so much to my community, the one that we are building together, seeking wise words in business, beauty and betterment. I am eternally grateful for you. Thank you for tuning in.
 
One reel, if it lands right, can even reach thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people. It's crazy and I'm just scratching the surface.

That kind of reach, that kind of exponential growth, I have never experienced anything like it and I am grateful. Thank you.
 
Now let's be honest, social media does have its shadows. Anxiety, comparison, fear of missing out, insecurity, not so nice comments mixed in with the nice ones, and as your message grows, so does the resistance. And with the likes also come the dislikes.
 
But here's the thing that I'm learning in real time.

You have to be willing to get better.
 
And that's just not social media. That's with anything.
 
I'm speaking as someone who has used social media as a professional tool for over a decade for brands, businesses, public figures. But now I'm also speaking about it as an entrepreneur, a creator, as a human with a message to just something to sell, but something to say. Social media is no longer optional. It's a critical tool.
 
And if you're not using it, you're invisible. I recently heard this line and it hit me so hard.

The real barrier is not technology.
 
It's fear.

​Fear of putting yourself out there.

​Fear of putting your face out there.

Fear of putting your thoughts out there.

Fear of being judged for how you look, for how you sound, for how you think. 

Thank you, Wisdom for Wannabes, lovely community, for your support and for helping me get past that fear. I've posted interviews, videos, spoken essays...

Imperfect, evolving, very human work.
 
I still don't know exactly where this is all going, but I do know this:

• It's building thought leadership.
• It's building wisdom. We're learning!
• It's building connection, and possibility.
• I'm excited to see where it goes...

 
Every day is new, every day is interesting.

Thank you, social media. That's why I love you.
 
Each platform is also its own unique world. YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, different audiences, different languages, different energy, and I'm just mentioning a few. Podcasts add another layer entirely.
 
Yes, it is this tangled web that we weave, but it's also a super powerful one. Opportunities appear that simply would not exist otherwise.
 
Here's where my gratitude deepens. In the last six months, I had the opportunity to study social media academically, really study it, research it, question it. Learn from data, not just intuition. And what I learned is something that every business owner needs to know.
 
For every 1 % increase in your social media activity, there is a measurable increase in your revenue. That impact has grown over time.
 
So Social Media doesn't just feel good or look good for your brand. It actually moves your bottom line, which makes it low-hanging fruit. Be creative, be consistent. be moderately frequent. There is a sweet spot where engagement thrives.
 
Research shows (Colliander, & Marder, 2018) that raw, imperfect phone photos on Instagram actually outperform the polished, expensive looking studio shot photos.

Why? Because people see themselves in realness.
 
Authenticity attracts connection. And that's why we're here after all.
 
Then there's a future: AI. Did you know that it's already here on social media?

AI influencers exist and they hold surprising amounts of trust, especially when it comes to investments made in tools and technology (Belanche, Casaló, & Flavián, 2024). Humans still lead the emotional decision making when it comes to influencers, but influence itself is evolving and fast.
 
It's fascinating, it's a little bit scary.
 
So I will end where I began.
 
I love social media. Without it, I wouldn't be connected to people around the world, people like you, people who've been following Wisdom for Wannabes.

Thank you so much for building this community with me. As someone who spent over 20 years in marketing, I am endlessly grateful to witness and test how this amazing medium of social media works. It changes daily, and it's moving at the speed of light.
 
And if you are a business owner, a creator, or someone with a message to share, use it.

• Increase your effort by 1%.
• Be visible.
• Be human.
• Be fearless.
• Be willing to grow.

So now you know. Have a wonderful day.