I Hit 100, Baby!

Articles, that is.

Photo by Felipe Galvan on Unsplash.

Dear Travelers,

This week I published my 100th article on Medium. That had been my goal this year and I did it. Wow!

My writing has evolved, I’ve learned so much, and I’ve met a ton of cool people. Here’s to the next 100!

I also had to turn down a possible copywriting gig this week. I know, sounds crazy but let me tell you why. It was a really cool opportunity but the more I thought about it, the more it weighed on me.

I was going to start part-time and then possibly shift into full-time next year. The idea of building that partnership while I was still working my 9-5 was A LOT. Then rolling into full-time next year… I felt all this pressure to do all this work and provide excellent writing and I hadn’t even gotten the job yet. (This is a red flag, by the way. If you’re already stressed out and you haven’t even started, maybe wait on it.) So, I declined.

Now, here I am, sitting on my couch writing my newsletter on a Friday night - which is exactly where I want to be. The dog has had a bath this week, the house is clean (enough), and now I get to shut out the world (yes!).

How I got to 100

I hit 100 because I can’t not write. It’s all I want to do. Writing helps me make sense of the world. It helps me connect the dots and see things in a new way. Writing is like seeing the world through the matrix. It brings all this hidden stuff to life.

I also studied a lot. I learned the platform, I took classes, I read a ton. I learned from other writers. I published about three articles a week even if they weren’t perfect. I got rejected a fair amount. I made new connections. I’ve also had just enough encouragement - not an over-the-top amount just like, whenever I think, “what am I doing?” someone tells me how much they like something I wrote and then I grab my computer again.

How to hit your next goal

Whatever it is you want to do, start today. Learn stuff, yes, but don’t let all your classes be an excuse for why you can’t start your thing. Get started!

Get up early (I know) or stay up late, the choice is yours. I do both. There is a finite amount of time that I am not at my retail job and I am home alone so I have to take any chance I can get.

Be okay with failing. Be okay with being new. Everyone starts somewhere. You’re not going to be great at first and that’s okay. Give yourself permission to be mediocre.

Celebrate the small milestones. I am terrible at this, by the way, so bad. So - you can be great at it. Celebrate that you got started! Have your favorite dinner at the next goal or get outside with a friend. Whatever it is that you love - do that! Periodically look back at how far you’ve come, this is important too because we so easily forget. I have a habit of just looking toward the future - I am working on reflection.

Repeat the above and you will see your progress. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you can build a habit and begin to build your latest thing. It will be really cool.

Read my 100th article

If you want to read my article on Medium you totally can! It’s about empathy in leadership. Read it here. It’s a quick read and you’ll see how easy it is to show others empathy.

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I’ll be creating some cool stuff for paid subscribers this month. Another playlist or favorite recipe. Stay tuned for that and hit that paid subscription button if you’d like access.

Have a great weekend, people. Spend some time with your pets and people you like. Get outside if you can. Whatever it is, enjoy it. And if you’re creating something new, take a moment to celebrate it. You got this. Until next time.

Peace,

Kit