Creating Lots of Garbage Until It’s Not Garbage

Periodically I will check-in publicly on the progress of my content as I see it. These posts are time capsules.

Getting started

Wow, another month has passed. Since the last time we got together, I’ve tried A LOT. I started a podcast with my buddy Robert. I started a solo pod as a creative playground. I started a Youtube channel. And, I’ve started focusing in on what I want to write/create about. With everything I create I want to create more. It is an immense distraction!

I reserve the right to change my mind, but speaking from a place of earned wisdom & interest I’m enjoying writing about:

• A concept I’m calling my Dream Map
• Consulting & Project Management (with a focus on people)
• OCD
• Fortnite
• and things that make me feel human

Writing more and more has helped me find out what I care to talk about.

I haven’t checked a single analytic. I don’t know if a single person has read anything I’ve written. That’s not the point. My “why” continues to be to…create something that becomes my life’s work. Simple enough. Secondarily, it will help me organize my thoughts. Every other reason comes after that.

State of the union

I’ve been trying a lot of things, but my focus is honing in on creating essays related to my Dream Map and then creating vlogs on Youtube documenting my progress. Writing the Dream Map articles is taking some time. The vlogs have been great because they’re holding me accountable to make progress.

The feeling that I’m fighting is that I’m not going fast enough. Rather than pushing my self with unsustainable intensity I’m trying to structure my time around creating content on a schedule. I’m trying to put a ceiling on what is enough progress so I’m not on an infinite treadmill of more, more, more.

What’s changed since the last update?

I started creating videos. The first video was easy to film and terrifying to upload. But after the first video the second video was easier and it was better. The third video was worse, but that’s okay. I’m learning and experimenting, taking chances and having fun.

I worked through an exercise to find out what the critical path activities are for my blog. It’s probably the first time I’ve touched an index card since university. Last we met I was thinking it was about create, create, & create. Now when I look at it it’s about creating, but also about getting readers and then making some place that’s worth staying once people visit. The index card exercise helped me understand the value in putting effort into getting people here. It’s not something that will happen over night once I have compelling content. It’s something that will take time.

Critically, I’m building confidence. Not puffery or a sense that I have it all figured out, but self-belief that I can do this. There’s nothing I can’t figure out.

What have I learned?

Creating something and putting it out there is more important than finding what to create and creating that. I’m focusing on content that’s meaningful to me and with everything I create I’m trying to get 1% better.

I learned that a lot of the best work I can do to make progress here is to move forward. And to move forward, a lot of the best progress I can make is away from the computer. The computer (or phone) is necessary to get these published, but the rest of the time it’s so distracting.

How do I feel about it so far?

I’m having extreme amounts of fun. It’s costing me some sleep. But it feels right. It feels worth it. Writing about the Dream Map is helping me figure out the rest of my life. I can sense the benefits all over.

My current objectives are…

• To publish…
  • An article every Monday
  • An article every Saturday
  • An article every other Thursday
  • A vlog every day except for Friday
  • To keep trying new things
• Everything else is secondary

Metrics

• Views: <not tracking until…?>
• No. Articles: 31 (+10)
• Most recent article: My Health Strategy
• Most recent video: Dream Journal – 2021.11.22 – One is Not Simply Fearful or Fearless
• Most recent podcast: What the Heck are NFTs??? (Also proof of steaks and space boots)

Written while watching 📽 King Richard (2021)