Content Begets More Content

On January 1, 2018 I started writing this blog with a specific goal in mind. The goal is to “write everyday and/or publish 300 posts”.

I phrased the goal in this way because “write everyday” isn’t a well-structured goal. While that is what I’m doing and it’s a habit I’m working to form, it doesn’t set me up for success. If, for whatever reason, I have to miss a day and can’t publish a post — I’ve failed and missed that goal for the year.

By saying “and/or publish 300 posts”, I give myself room to have days where life gets in the way. And should I miss that day, that’s okay. I’m still on pace for the 300 mark and the daily ritual of writing will get me there (and likely above it).

Today is the sixth day of this ritual and I’ve already found an interesting side effect. The more I write and publish, the more I have ideas for other things to write and publish.

I wrote in the initial post (of writing)…

“It allows me to offload the top-of-mind thoughts and make room for the interesting ones hiding below the surface.”

Not only has this proven true, but it feels phenomenal. I’m more energized and stimulated mentally. It’s having the desired effect, which only motivates me to keep it up.

New Year, New Blog

I imagine I’m not the only one starting a blog today. It’s January 1st. A day many kickoff new habits, routines, diets, etc.

I’ve also blogged before. I’ve written a number of posts for different publications over the last few years. So what’s different now? Why am I doing this?

1) To flex the muscle.

My main objective is to write more. I love to write. It’s cathartic for me. It allows me to offload the top-of-mind thoughts and make room for the interesting ones hiding below the surface. It’s also an exercise for me to better understand myself and make sense of all the information I take in on a daily basis.

2) Increasing frequency.

To achieve the above, I need to make this a habit. Something I do everyday. And to do that, I need to change my style.

3) A new style.

In the past I’ve spent way too much time editing and revising posts before publishing them. No more of that. I’m pushing outside my comfort zone and spitting in the face of the need for perfectionism. No individual or blog post is perfect. Accept that and publish.

What this also means is that my posts will vary in length. Some will be a paragraph or two. Others will be 1,000+ words like most of my previous posts. It will depend on the day, the subject, and my schedule. I’m not committing to a certain style — I’m committing to the frequency. Making the exercise a habit and forcing myself to hit ‘Publish’.

So, no, this blog isn’t for you. It’s for me. It’s to get myself in the practice of writing everyday and ridding myself of the debilitating search for perfectionism. And if, along the way, some of the posts prove to be valuable to others… then great. That’s my new definition of perfect.