Tag: writing

Got Consistency? I don’t…

My bandwidth to focus on personal development has been lacking lately, to say the least. I see lots of people write on this topic on a regular basis, and I know that I too have the power to make big changes in my life.

Trouble is though, at the end of the day I don’t feel like doing anything. Let alone learning something challenging like JavaScript.

I’ve been giving myself a lot of shit for not following through on my plans. I feel like I’m failing if any free time is spent on something other than being productive. Sometimes the stress I’ve placed on myself outweighs external stress received from work or other areas of life.

Granted the goals I’ve set are high, however, they are completely doable if I would consistently spend time working on them. Whether they be habits, rituals, or whatever productivity gurus would call it, I need to establish and maintain momentum.

Stop, take a breath, and start again…

I’m going to hit the reset button. Just focus on doing a bit of a coding tutorial here, working on a project there, and writing an article no less than once a week. Easy, right?

Dedicating even thirty minutes a day will translate into progress. Just need to get back into actually doing something again to feel a little accomplishment, and let it compound.

So, to all my fellow side hustlers and after work learners, let’s raise a glass to keep on keep’n on!

New year and so much to do…

rawpixel-com-192251 courtesy of Unsplash.com

It’s a new year, so time to get to work…

I’ve never been good at sticking to new year resolutions, but I’m going to make a good go of it in 2018. There is so much I want to accomplish that I haven’t decided where I want to start.

Most people would tell you to set small attainable goals in order to not be overwhelmed and actually reach some tangible results. I don’t want to aim too small though, so rather I plan to break down large projects into parts spread out through the year. I’m also trying a new productivity system this year as well, so this will be one big experiment.

Let’s start with a general list, and make a plan from there. Here we go…

Writing what I want…

I’ve been struggling to find topics to write about. This has come about with too much research about how to get people to follow your work. I’m sure many people are in the same boat. You need to this, that, and all this other stuff.

I plan to get past this by not really having a writing strategy this year. Write more to see what I like to write about. Commit to the act of writing more regularly and build a habit. No niche, no standard format or branding. Just words.

My writing in 2018 is going to consist of blog posts and short stories as they come to mind. Putting pen to paper, or fingers to keys on a regular basis.

Learn some real tech stuff…

I’ve been dipping my toes into the world of coding, and am really attracted to web design. So, I’m making a commitment to learning the fundamentals of HTML, CSS, and Javascript this year. I have this website I can play with, so stick around to see where this goes.

I also plan to tackle SQL, and hope to work this into my day job as well.

Product management and UX design…

Another area I have really become interested in is all facets of product management and UX design. A pretty wide scope of topics here so got to narrow this one down.

Content marketing…

Marketing is towards the bottom of my list, however, will be beneficial to the overall writing experience. I would like people to actually read some of my stuff…

Now what?

Now that I know what I want to do, the next step is to formulate a plan to work on all of this stuff. That should be easy with a full-time job and family responsibilities. Many have said that if you really want to accomplish something, you will make the time for it. More to come!

Too much research, not enough work…

glen noble - www.unsplash.com

I have spent way too much time researching the right way to blog. You know, so I can generate all that awesome side hustle money.

Not sure if you have heard, but some people make a ton of money blogging. I’ve been hoping to join the crowd in an effort to enjoy the extra cash!

Turns out that creates a lot of pressure to make your blog look a certain way, posts that bring great value to your readers, and tons of analytics. So, that just lead me down the rabbit hole of “how to” and “this is exactly how I got 10k views my first-month blogging” type posts.

These people post some really good stuff, but a lot lead to selling a class or their book. This is really good for the business side, and I give them kudos for making it happen! Not sure that is what I’m looking for though.

There are a few that really do post some great content on life, and how to get the most out of it. That’s what I have really been looking for!

Too much business, not enough real. I get enough of business at work. What I really want is the real!

Thus, my change in focus. No longer am I going to focus so much on making the perfect site, or even the best content.

I’m happy with the way the site is looking, so done with that. I feel like I know just enough that if I want to monetize the site I could.

Now, it’s time to actually focus on writing. That was what I wanted to do all along. Rather than regurgitating the trendiest topic, I’m going to write about what’s really going through my head and life.

Also, going to start turning my daydreams into short stories. That should make for an interesting project.

I’m hoping readers appreciate this approach, and eventually, I think they will.