A friend was curious why I blog. That made me think as well.
Blogging is public writing. While writing your own personal journal every day is a great habit, I think blogging has additional benefits.
Perhaps some of the following reasons will also resonate with you 🙂
Why write?
- Writing helps me clarify my thinking. I’m less confused about a topic after I’ve written about it.
- Writing on a set schedule helps me build discipline. And self-discipline is a muscle that needs regular exercise. It can never be strong enough.
- It increases self-belief. The best way to train the sub-conscious elephant is to make commitments and keep them. The more regular I am in my writing, the more self-belief I have.
- It’s an adventure to start on a blank page, poke around in my own mind – and discover what comes out of each writing session. Kind of like jumping into a cold water lake..the first few seconds aren’t so much fun, but it gets lovely after that. :).
- Writer’s block: Related to the above. But those first few seconds are always scary. This is why it’s so important to practice doing it even more. The process helps me become a better “starter”. Not just in writing, but in all areas of my life.
- Regular writing helps me become a better communicator. Not just for the ideas on this blog – but with anyone I need to write and share thoughts: Colleagues, business stakeholders, relatives, friends, everyone.
- Stream of consciousness: The blog is a record of my thoughts. It helps me track how I’m progressing in various areas of my life over time.
- Writing forces me to read more. And that’s always a good thing: New ideas, more inspiration and just feeling a bit smarter every day.
Why write publicly?
- Making a difference: If whatever I write makes even one person’s day better, it’s worth it.
- Imposter syndrome: It’s a daily dance with the fear of being judged. But I can’t be a better dancer if I don’t practice 🙂
- Building a personal brand: Everyone has a voice. But we need to find it. And then share it with the world. Again and again and again.
- Am on the hook: The stuff I write here is what I say I believe in. And it’s out there for posterity. If my actions don’t match what I write, I’m a hypocrite. I loathe that.
- Trust: You’ll believe me more if I consistently keep sharing my thoughts with you.
- Inspiration: If it wasn’t for the many generous folks who write and share generously every day, I wouldn’t have felt like sharing my writing either. I hope I can pay that forward to you with this blog.
- Leverage: The internet is the most powerful multiplier we’ve seen yet. I write and publish this post once. But a thousand can read it with little extra investment from me.
- Community: Every time I publish a new post, I’m reaching out to you. And when you respond, we either make a new connection. Or make our current bonds stronger.