Stopping my procrastination to write with this article
Here’s the thing — I want to write more, but I keep putting it off. I’ve thought about this deeply, and for the life of me, I cannot come up with a single good explanation as to why I procrastinate on something that matters so much to me. If writing is truly high priority, then why do I continue to neglect it? It’s clear that I’m not giving it the time and attention it deserves.
Why does this matter to me? Why do I want to write? I write to express myself, to process my feelings, and to connect with others. Emotionally, these things are incredibly important to me. So then, why is my passion to write being overpowered by XX reason?
I’ll take you along the journey of my mental model literally as I think of them while I am writing this article. Because why not? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (and I am using this article to end this involuntary hiatus… haha)
Is it fear of judgment? Maybe. Putting my thoughts out into the world means opening myself up to others’ opinions on my approach, ideologies, and content. But when I really think about it, does it matter what people think six months or a year from now? Not really.
Is it laziness? I’ve always considered myself a lazy guy by default. But when I honestly reflect on my actions over the past six weeks, I realize I’m being too harsh on myself. I’m actually proud of how I’ve handled my relationships, work, and health during this time. Clearly, I’m not as lazy as I thought.
Is it writer’s block? Staring at a blank page can feel daunting, and it’s often the reason I don’t write. But I have an endless supply of ideas — the problem is getting those first few words down. While the ideas (aka inputs) are great for me, the problem seem to be putting the first few words (aka the first 10% of the output) on this blank page.
So, what’s my plan? By making writing a habit, a mechanical process. I’m setting a goal for myself: write every day, even if it’s just 50 words. Getting started will help the words flow. For the next seven days, I’m committing to writing seven articles. The drive to write comes from a place of passion — an innate need to connect and create and looks like I am using public accountability as my approach. I will report back after that on how I felt about this mechanism and see if it is actually practical and sustainable.
Cheers to this article and to the conversation with a friend that sparked this action.
