2 minute read

I’ve recently built a desire to write more, and wanted to dig into why I am feeling this way. What are my reasons and goals? A big part of this desire is rooted in discovering content from people like David Perell, Dan Shipper, Paul Millerd, and Nat Eliason. Following their journeys — and the journeys of people they talk to, write about, and interact with — has been inspiring to me. It made me realize that maybe I have something interesting to say too.

Here are my key goals and reasons for writing:

  • I want to use writing as a way to find other people with shared interests, working on interesting things.
  • I want to challenge myself to distill and share what I am learning. I read a lot of books, but I don’t have a great process to summarize and distill the bits I find interesting and want to remember.
  • I want to build a source of knowledge for me to refer back to (’more intentional notes’)
  • I want intentional exercise for the brain. I want to use writing as a way to keep my mind sharp.
  • I want to discover new interests, people, ideas, and opportunities through the process itself — and through interactions with people who decide to read what I’m writing
  • I want to improve my writing and communication skills. Interacting with people who are great at communicating what they think succinctly and clearly is magical.
  • I have things to share, that people might want to hear. Everyone has a unique path to where they are now. Everyone has a unique perspective worthy of sharing. I am no different.

I also want to set a few ground rules for myself. Here are a few that seem important given my goals:

  • Don’t overthink it. My writing doesn’t need to be super polished. Half-baked thoughts are fine, if they help to reach the goals stated above.
  • Don’t get down on myself if a good cadence doesn’t emerge. I want it to be fun and rewarding, not a chore.
  • Write primarily for myself. I’m curious to write in public, but the primary audience is me. If others get value, that’s great too.
  • Take time to reflect on the process itself. Am I learning? Am I getting better?
  • Don’t get bogged down by thinking about engagement. It’s cool to see people enjoying what you produce, but if that becomes the goal, it negates a lot of the goals stated above. If people like what I write, fine. If not, that’s fine too.

We will see how this goes.

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