Experimentation is better than inaction — How this journey all started
What starting my newsletter, a new writing journey taught me
Some words from me…
I will be sharing my creative journey over here with you via our email conversations from now on.
To be entirely honest with you, I’m still figuring things out. I know a niche is required, but I’ve got a list of content ideas that I’ll be including in my newsletters. But just know that I’m beyond grateful that you’re here with me during such an early stage, even as I’m still figuring things out. I promise you, it will get better.
The reason why I started this without having it all figured out is to gain experience. Sometimes, we don’t know everything, and we won’t until we actually do it hands-on. I personally strongly believe in experiential learning, since that is one of the best ways we learn.
It definitely beats inaction. You gain experience and results, whether good or bad along the way. Inaction, like the way it sounds, gets nothing done even as more time passes.
How all of these started
Initially, I procrastinated my newsletter despite wanting one, ever since I took writing more seriously. When I saw that I too, could provide value to readers who enjoy my work. I even created an account with another email provider but I've never sent out my first issue till today as I had my niche undecided.
I wanted to wait till I had more content, to know what I tend to gravitate to, wait till I’m more experienced, more ready...
Which makes sense.
Well you see, I’m interested in a wide range of things, and I can’t stick to one. I’m a jack of all, well, some trades, and I have trouble sticking to just one thing. I can’t stick to just one, I always have a few interests to keep me occupied at any point in time.
But when I first started writing on Medium, the niche was never an issue or concern to me. I just wrote whatever I felt like. I know writing emails tailors towards a specific audience, but without any form of feedback from your readers, how else would you get enough information to know what works?
I choose to write not just as a form of self-expression, but it serves as a way for me to help other people and give back to the world. Newsletter feels like you’re texting a friend, sharing details of your thoughts and your life but with people who enjoy your work. I really like how personal that is that I get to communicate and have conversations. I love when people respond.
But on the second day of January 2022, I was approached for a really awesome writing opportunity. However, one of the criteria was that I had to have a Substack account. I still agreed because it was a great opportunity that I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but have been waiting for the 'right' time. Right time meant when I have my niche, my own newsletter, and when I actually put my Substack account to use.
I had to get everything ready ASAP. After agreeing and ending the conversation, I got to work. I set up an account. But when I had to name my newsletter, I was stuck. When I didn't even know what it contained, how was I supposed to give it a name? I went back to my list of content ideas that I could write about for my newsletter, and I was still struggling.
I settled for 5 ideas a month with easy implementation. I felt that I could share any 5 ideas as long as I broke them down for my readers, and that would work. So I set up the rest of it, and I slept on it for the day. The next day, that idea didn’t entirely sit right with me. It just doesn’t feel...me. I wanted more.
So I’ve decided. I’ll be sharing my experience through email, along with the 5 ideas and other content ideas that I currently have. It might not be the best idea, but it’ll be the one I’m be going to start with. I will see where this takes us.
5 takeaways (ideas for you) from this experience:
Lesson #1: Rushing into things aren’t always bad — there’s a sense of urgency that pushes you to do things and pick things up quickly.
When that happens, it can get overwhelming quickly. List down the things you need to do and learn, and go through them one by one. I love making lists. When I have too much on my mind, I list them all down so I could see and process them clearer.
Tip: always create lists
Lesson #2: The amount of time you give yourself to get things done will be the amount of time it gets done.
Give yourself one night to prepare, and you get it done in one night.
For me, it took me one writing opportunity and one night. Before that, I was procrastinating on my newsletter plans and contents as I was undecided on my niche and several other things.
I gave myself one night. The same night I agreed to take on the opportunity. So I did it all in one night. The sense of urgency pushed me to get things done. To plan my contents, to set up everything that was required of my Substack newsletter. Without that, I would probably still be delaying plans to start my own newsletter despite always wanting one. I had a list of topics to write about but did nothing beyond that to prepare prior to the night I got everything down.
How to implement it:
Give yourself a deadline to do something. I think we all know this, but sometimes we get complacent just because the deadline came from ourselves, and we tend to be more relaxed since we only had ourselves, and not someone else to hold ourselves accountable.
Tell a friend, have a reward for yourself. Use a tracker, streaks work effectively for me especially when I’m building a habit, or set a timer (I think this is great). Set a reminder on your phone with the due date and do not check it off until it’s done. That notification will persist until you’re done — if having too many notifications annoy you, like me, you’d more likely to get it done to check that off.
Do whatever you know that will give you pressure to finish the task. You know yourself best.
Lesson #3: Experimentation is better than inaction. Sometimes you’d wanna wait till you’re more experienced, more ready, but once your head’s in the game, your accumulation of experiences starts.
Just do it. Do whatever you can with whatever resources and ideas you have, and figure it out as you go. There’s nothing wrong with that. But of course, do your research, and list down a few approaches. Try A/B testing, and analyze the results to see what works. Change one factor at a time.
Do something, even if you don’t know where you’re going. It still takes you somewhere, and you now have something to correct. Just like writing, you can’t edit a blank page. Just write, or do anything.
To quote an article I’ve just recently read,
In fact, you’ll drastically increase your chances to find direction if you just started creating instead of kicking your heels.
Well, I would say there is no right time but based on what I’ve recently learned, that could be debatable. Check out this article that’s memorable to me till this day which talks about this. It’s a great read.
Lesson #4: Experiment hands-on with as many things as possible. Sometimes we may not know if it’s right for us until we try.
The internet only has so much information that could possibly look good on paper.
You wouldn’t know if the suit truly looks good on you without putting it on.
Take a taster course, watch a youtube tutorial, a lecture, or create a mini-project around it. If it doesn’t work, you’ll be able to cross it off your list for good.
Try it, don’t just read about it.
Lesson #5: Sometimes opportunities arise, even when you have the least amount of time to prepare for it. Take it anyway.
Whether you’re well prepared or not, some things are still bound to surprise you. You will get through it somehow, and you always learn things no matter how it turns out in the end. It’s stressful, but the lessons out of it will all be worth it in the long run.
Some recent favourite quotes:
Focusing your attention on bettering yourself and getting what you want in life, by making a choice to achieve things in life, you are giving yourself a purpose. (Source)
Are the goals that I’m running towards part of the identity that I want to become? (Source)
Recent readings I find memorable:
You’re not good enough yet and that’s a great thing (also linked above in point #3)
3 Things Hold You Back From Being A Thriving Content Creator (also linked above in point #3.) I think this article is applicable not just to content creation, but to creative pursuits in general)
Range by David Epstein.
It’s not an easy read for me and I’ve been very slowly going through it since roughly Mid November, and I’m still at Chapter 9/12 (as of the start of January 2022). It’s very dense with information and packed with inspiring concepts on the Generalist vs Specialist talk. I love the book.
The Power Of Habits by Charles Duhigg.
One book I’ve finished but I think will keep coming back to, and it went straight up to my favourites is The Power Of Habits by Charles Duhigg. I will never not recommend that book. It’s a book which I’ve taken the concepts and applied them to my life, and even though I’ve finished it quite a few months ago, I’m suddenly reminded of it again recently and went back to it briefly to write an answer on Quora.