Before we begin, a word on my definition of myth.

A myth is NOT

• a lie

It is a good story by which a culture lives.

So when I speak of the myths of Gary Vaynerchuk, it's a good thing.

Also: if you don't know who Gary Vaynerchuk is, and you're any type of creative person at all, get familiar with him. He's good education.

And now, on to the regularly scheduled blog post.

Since January 20, we are in a new reality, and I mean that in a nearly literal sense.

For eight years we lived in a fog of spin and denial, in which our president and the men and women around him attempted to make us believe that actions do not have consequences.

While we were in the fog, the president's buddies got rich(er), and the nation went in the crapper.

Now a lot of people are out of work, and we're all hung over from the eight-year bender of spin and denial.

What to do?

A lot of us are re-evaluating: our careers, our relationships, what we've always done versus what we could do. It's an ideal time to ask oneself: what is money for? What is work for? What are love and friendship for? What do we believe? How do we act on our beliefs?

Time for some new stories.

While we were in the spin and denial zone, Gary Vaynerchuk  (more on him here and here) was living this good story:

• I was the son of a liquor store owner
• I built the family business into an upmarket wine and spirits emporium
• I was one percent unhappy
• I started a video blog about wine tasting
• I worked very hard to gain an audience using social networking
• I loved my work
• My vblog went viral
• I became an in-demand motivational speaker
• I eventually want to be rich enough to own the New York Jets football team

Gary reminds his audience that

• We are not in a depression
• There is plenty of money to be made for those who love their work and work hard at it
• The Internet is in an advertising dollars gold rush
• If you are creative and love it, monetize your creativity

As newspapers and television lose ground to the Internet, someone has to scoop up the millions that are being withdrawn from ads previously given to old media. Why not the creative class (e.g. writers)?

At this point, the discerning consumer of myths has to figure out whether he or she is going to stay on the train. It is easy to decide that Gary was lucky and that a million have failed where he succeeded.

But here is the myth of Gary Vaynerchuk that matters the most:

• My family were immigrants from Russia
• We loved each other and stuck together
• My parents raised me right (including not letting him drink until he was 21)
• I have strong integrity and a strong identity as a result
• I'm happy with myself
• I don't apologize for doing what I love

This is the American story in a nutshell. And when it is an honest story, the purveyor of the story has capital to use to make his or her audience believe what he is saying.

Gary Vaynerchuk's body language tells this story better than he could with words. He is an affectionate guy, especially with men. He'll chuck you on the shoulder, hug you, put his arm around your neck. His father kisses him hello on his video blog. He waves and winks at wine story workers who pass by off camera.

Gary's eyes are warm, but they warm even more when his eyes light on friends and family. He can be a profane public speaker, but underneath the cursing-- so it seems to me-- lies a deeply tender soul.

So, yes, he can get you to believe.

And his is a set of stories with messages that are wholesome, and winsome, and toothsome, regardless of the true nature of the messenger:

• Love yourself
• Love your family
• Own your story and be honest with it to others
• Work hard
• Love your work
• Make a ton of money

It's true that not all of us will end up making that last message a reality. But the rest of it is a pretty darn good start.

St. Francis of Assisi is one of my favorite buds. He never got rich doing what he did, and in fact his goal was just the opposite. But I have a feeling he was something like Gary Vaynerchuk: a charismatic person who was following his passion, unapologetically.

That's my ambition, too.