30 days behind me…335 more days to go…
When I took this crazy challenge to write every day for the next 365 days, I did not know how I was going to make it happen.
After 30 days, I’ve learned quite a lot.
Here are my key lessons.
1. I’ve discovered I can sustain a good habit for 30 days
I don’t recall ever sustaining a good habit like this for 30 days non-stop. And I have tried so many things. You name it…
Registering for online courses that I never complete.
Signing up for a 30-day challenge and giving up halfway.
My new year resolution to hit the gym every day that only lasted for one week.
Commitment to wake up each day at 5:00 AM that soon became 5:30 AM, then 6:00 AM and later 7:00 AM.
And on and on and on.
Now I have confidence that this is doable. So, I’m looking forward to the 60-day mark!
2. I do enjoy writing
Without a doubt, writing can be challenging some days. But, it is generally interesting to pour out your mind on a piece of paper or on a white computer screen.
There is power in expressing yourself this way.
I’ve discovered that there is a remarkable difference between typing on the computer and writing in a notebook.
Ideas seem to flow much faster as I write in a notebook. My notebook I’ve had for months is now almost full as I journal and write daily.
3. I’ve improved my writing
Writing is a craft that you must learn. There is no better way to learn than to practice. And there is no better way to practice than to write every day.
I can tell the difference in my writing progression as I compare my articles this week to my articles in my first week on the platform.
I’ve learned to use lots of white spaces. To shorten my sentences and to use a more active voice.
I’ve learned to write at a Grade 4 to 8 level to make it easier for readers to read and digest my stories.
4. I’ve learned to read every day
I read a couple of articles on Medium every day. Medium is a fantastic resource.
So many great writers to learn from and so many interesting articles to read that I can hardly keep up. It is addictive.
I wish I had discovered Medium much earlier. Until I started this challenge 30 days ago, I’ve never heard of Medium.
Besides reading on Medium, I also read books more than I’ve done in the past.
As I read every day, I’m inspired by new ideas. I learn and improve my writing craft as I model what the great writers on the platform are doing.
5. Ideas are everywhere
One of the major concerns I had starting this challenge was how to come up with what to write daily.
I’ve now discovered that ideas are everywhere. As I go for a walk or run, as I listen to the news and world events, I get ideas on what to write.
As I’m in discussions with friends and colleagues, I get ideas on topics to write.
I now have as many draft articles as I have published articles.
6.I’ve learned to write to express, not to impress
I’m so thankful for Medium for giving me a platform to express myself. Writing to express makes it so easy to wake up each day to write.
I’m passionate about what I share and I’m on a mission to change lives with what I’m writing about.
7. It is passion first, reward last
It is tempting to start writing with the goal to make a killing. If this is your primary goal you will soon discover it takes a lot of work. And you will likely give up after a few days or weeks.
I’ve learned to believe that reward will be certain as I focus on getting better on my craft and building my tribe.
I now know that writing is its own reward so this is enough reason for me to continue writing.
8. I’ve connected with some awesome writers
If you’re serious about writing, Medium is a great platform as it provides opportunities to connect with other great writers.
I’ve been following and learning from writers like Benjamin Hardy, Tom Kuegler, and Niklas Göke. I’ve joined their mailing list and have taken both their free and paid writing courses.
I continue to learn from these and other awesome writers on this platform daily.
9. I’ve gained momentum to finish writing my first eBook
My first eBook is now finished. I expect to publish it in the coming weeks as soon as the designer completes the work on the book design.
The momentum gained from writing on Medium daily provided a strong drive to finish the eBook.
While it is not a perfect book, I know that my next book will be much better with the experience I’ve gained writing on this platform.
10. Perfection in writing is desirable, but I write in spite of it
I’ve learned to hit the “Publish” button even when I know my story still needs work. Many times, I spend hours trying to fix a sentence, rewrite an idea, and to make other structural changes.
It is great to have a perfect piece. But, I’ve learned to be more and more comfortable hitting the “Publish” button even when I know there is still room for improvement in my story.
Now, my motto is imperfect action.
11. I’ve developed a good morning routine
I now protect my morning to work on my big goals. And writing fits in here.
Each day, I wake up and read my bible, journal, and pray.
I read a few Medium articles, read other books, write and work on my other important goals.
Sometimes, I squeeze in an exercise…I’m working on this as this is not as consistent yet.
My routine requires me to write down my goals each day — my 90-day and my 30-day goals as well as my top 3 daily tasks.
I find that if I don’t do these before noon each day, I may struggle the rest of the day to complete important things that drive me towards my long-term goals.
12. People are noticing
More and more people are checking me out on LinkedIn as I post these articles on the platform.
I’m getting calls from people I’ve not heard from in years. I’m even getting new clients for my business.
As small and insignificant as this may seem, people are noticing and it appears they are taking interest in my stories.
13. I’m slowly building brand awareness
Writing helps with brand awareness. Slowly, I’m now known for what I write about.
To help speed up this brand awareness, I’ve now started a publication — Plan To Retire Well on the Medium platform.
At the moment, it is an idea worth exploring.
As I get more experience and build more connections on the platform, I will know if this is a venture that is worth building.
14. I’m learning to show up every day, no matter the cost
I can resist quitting.
Several times, I’ve attempted to talk myself out of this challenge. But I still show up each day.
There are good days and there are tough days.
I’m learning to come up with strategies to handle each day and I’m now playing with a few ideas as I learn from others.
On the good days, it’s easy to keep writing.
On the bad days, I dig into my old articles for something I can repurpose. And if I can’t find an inspiration to do this, I write articles like this.
The goal is to show up every day.
15. Views, claps, and stats are cool but they mean less
When I started writing, I did not know what views, and claps meant.
But as I started reading articles on Medium and started learning more about the platform, I began to obsess about these stats.
While these are nice to have, they mean less. Improving my writing and building a tribe means a lot more to me.
16. I made my first $1 writing on medium
There is something special about making your first $1 on anything.
It gives you confidence.
It gives you momentum.
I never considered writing as a career or a side hustle in the past. At the moment, I still don’t.
In 30 days of writing, I’m now approaching the $4 mark.
Obviously, this pales in comparison to the amount of time invested in writing for 30 days.
But I know that it’s a big mistake to look at writing using a “Return on Investment” lens.
As I noted earlier, it’s passion first, and reward much later.
In Closing
I hope you find encouragement in my story to keep writing and to keep stretching yourself.
Invest in your passion.
Invest in your writing.
Invest in your self-development.
And reap the rewards much later.
