I'm a designer who turned into a writer who turned into a startup CEO. My mission is to help creators earn a living. Subscribe for essays on building an audience and earning a living as a creator.
Commit for a season
Hi Reader,
I’m a big advocate for building an audience, and it’s no secret creating new content regularly is the way to do it.
But creating new content consistently is hard. Really hard.
The idea that you need to create new content indefinitely can be scary. So scary it can keep you from even starting.
My good friend James Clear publishes a new issue every week and has done so for years. The man is a machine, and his content is excellent every time.
When we compare ourselves with someone as prolific as James, it’s easy to feel discouraged. How could I possibly sustain a consistent output for so long?
I once set a goal of writing 1,000 words a day and somehow managed to make it to over 650 days in a row. I’m proud of that accomplishment, and sometimes look back on that insanely productive year with envy, but at some point, it had to stop.
I broke my writing habit. And then I restarted it. I reached 70 days the next time and stopped again. After a vacation, I decided I didn’t want to continue the habit. Because I felt stuck. The longer I made my chain, the more pressure I put on myself not to break it.
The mounting pressure not to break the chain was causing stress.
Sometimes, the pressure of knowing you should be consistent can keep you from even starting.
Think in terms of seasons
Have you ever done a 30-day, or 90-day, challenge of some kind? The reason those tend to work well is they have a period of intense focus but also an end date.
Some people work really well with routines and manage to show up consistently without fail for many years.
If this is you, great! But if it’s not, you might find it helpful to try committing for a season.
Set out to write every day for 90 days. See how much progress you can make on your next book. Or even give yourself a deadline. Whatever you’re able to finish in 90 days is your book.
If starting a new podcast feels daunting, because you’re worried about showing up every week for forever, try recording a season of a podcast. Regroup, take a break to plan the next season, and then return.
If you’re a person who likes to show up consistently, and you don’t want to break the chain, that’s fine too. You can still try breaking things up into seasons by changing the project you’re working on every few months.
This idea could apply to your marketing as well. If you’re feeling overwhelmed about all of the platforms you “should” be on, just pick one. Dedicate this next season to one platform. Then move on to the next one.
- A 12-episode podcast season you craft into something truly meaningful.
- A 90-day season focused on writing and launching your book.
- A 5-year season dedicated to building a software company.
Keep creating, keep showing up, but you don’t have to do the same thing the same way forever.
Embrace seasons.
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TWITTER THREAD
8 memorable rhetorical devices
Did you know that repeated use of words with the same root is called a polptoton?
I didn’t.
This is a fun thread with a bunch of different examples that can serve as inspiration for your writing.
PODCAST
How creators are taking over the world
I was interviewed on The FORT podcast with Chris Powers. We talked about why email is still king, leveraging AI technology for content creators, and what the most successful creators are doing now.
It was a good conversation. Check it out:
Watch or listen to the episode »
BLOG POST
Top-to-Bottom System For Running a 7-Figure, Bootstrapped Business
My friend Laura Roder shared her system for running a 7-figure business part time.
It's very detailed with lots of screenshots. She goes into how she does her Monday morning planning, how she works with her team, and the strategies she uses to get a lot done in a short amount of time.
Have a great week!
—Nathan
Nathan Barry
I'm a designer who turned into a writer who turned into a startup CEO. My mission is to help creators earn a living. Subscribe for essays on building an audience and earning a living as a creator.
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