On November 5, 2009, I wrote my first blog. On November 1, 2010, I posted my 100th blog. Today, October 18th 2011, I’m posting my 200th blog.
Here are three very important things I’ve learned from writing twice weekly.
- Writing is a learnable skill. I personally feel my writing keeps getting better all the time. My writing tempo and cadence has naturally evolved. This evolution has occurred largely during the past six months. I didn’t have a clue about tempo and cadence two years ago.
- Ideas (and thinking) take time to develop. Blogs I wrote eighteen months ago led to blogs I wrote twelve months ago that led to blogs I wrote six months ago. And blogs I wrote last month will no doubt lead to new ideas (and blogs) in the next few months. One group of posts becomes a foundation for the next group of posts.
- Write from the heart. My early posts where sterile in retrospect. They were written primarily from the head. I’m learning to write from the heart. I’m learning to let my writing reveal more of my thinking, my feelings, and my inner thoughts. Scary? … Yes. Better writing? … I think so.
Thank you to all who have regularly been reading my posts. Your support and comments are much appreciated.
My regular readership seems to double every six to eight months. I’m blown away!
Thanks to Cory, my new editor since January of this year for the watchful eye and fine editing skills. Working with Cory has forced me to become a better writer. And my continued thanks to Jana who both pushed me and put up with me single-handedly through the early days … and continues to put up with me to this day. Both of you have contributed immensely to my growth as a writer.
I’m including links to eight of my blogs from the last 100 that seem extra relevant in one way or the other … I’ll see you at 300 … and twice weekly in between.
Here in chronological order of their posting are eight of my favorite (or significant) blogs I?ve written this past year and a brief explanation of why they seem important to me.
- Being Gracious – Gump-Style (part 1) (Blog #104):Prior to this post I somehow considered my life as Steve and my life as Forrest as separate. This was a first public acknowledgement that they are really one and the same.
- The Blame Game (Blog #109): I took a stand and said the behavior of blaming is wrong. Previously, I’d suggest or simply play footsie with an idea. Writing is no place for the timid.
- The Swinging Pendulum of Opportunity and Adversity (Blog #113): The realization that opportunity and adversity are not two separate ideas but one idea with two different faces.
- 7 Ways To Be More Coachable (Blog #122): This post showed the confidence I was gaining in my own ability to hang with other speaking pros. I no longer felt like the new guy. I was able to critically evaluate what I was experiencing without the subconscious thought, ?they must know better.?
- Accepting Without Complaint (Blog #145):Somehow this post started the notion that it’s OK for me to write about what I need most in my own life at any given moment in time. I must have caught myself complaining one too many times … this was the antidote.
- Direct Facilitation vs. Indirect Facilitation (Blog #165): A direct launch into the niche market that I previously hadn’t articulated as one of my unique expertises.
- Introducing Gumption 2.0 (Blog #177): The important continuation (and evolution) of my thought leadership platform. It took almost fourteen months from Gumption 1.0 to Gumption 2.0. Once articulated, it was clearly apparent and simplified what was previously way too convoluted.
- The Fine Line Between Persistence and Stubbornness (Blog #196): My most ‘retweeted’ line to date came from this post: “Stubbornness that meets a goal is called persistence. Persistence that falls short of a goal is called stubbornness.”
Thanks again to all my loyal, regular readers. Because of you, I no longer feel like I’m talking to myself … I’m talking to myself and you!
Next Blog Title: Why Coming to a Complete Stop is Sometimes Necessary
Next Blog Date: October 20, 2011