There were points I wanted to give up writing altogether.
But something kept me going. I persisted, even if it meant publishing only 2–3 articles a month. Whenever I had ideas and time to write, I would do it.
Months went by with the same approach until I realized it wasn’t working. Things had to change, but I didn’t know what exactly.
Then, I set a goal to write every day for at least 30 days, knowing that when you do something daily for at least three weeks, you make it a habit, and it will remain in the subconscious. So, I set myself up for a challenge.
I wrote every day for 30 days. Most days were challenging, especially the initial ones. I lacked ideas and didn’t “feel” like writing. Yet, I knew I had to persist because I couldn’t give up halfway.
Some days, I wrote small posts (usually 100–200 words). On the good days, I wrote articles with 500–1000 words. I completed the challenge. But the most difficult aspect was maintaining consistency — showing up and actually taking action.
It seemed fun up until Day 3, but I started struggling because I lacked ideas. Days 4, 5, and 6 were the toughest because I didn’t want to write anything. I was tired from the first three days of continuous writing.
But, I kept going — even when it was challenging, boring, and uninteresting.
I went past 10 days, and that’s when things began getting interesting. I didn’t need to put extra effort into showing up. And the most surprising part was that ideas flew to me as if I were some genius. I began to notice potential ideas everywhere — when talking to friends, watching movies, listening to podcasts, reading books, etc. I couldn’t understand how I missed them earlier.
People began noticing my work. They read my articles and DMed me, asking for help. I also got opportunities to ghostwrite for organizations. One popular writer asked if we could collaborate on his upcoming e-book.
That’s when I realized that opportunities and success come if you can consistently do the boring stuff. Interestingly, that “stuff” doesn’t get boring once you make it a habit. Real magic happens when work feels like play.
Start doing the boring stuff. It’s tough — there will be days you don’t want to do it. But show up and start small. Take action, even if it only makes a tiny difference. Action leads to motivation. It’s the beginning of something great. Showing up matters.
Do the boring stuff until it doesn’t feel like that anymore. Then, nothing will stop you. Nothing.
—
I send a weekly newsletter about creativity, self-improvement, and online writing. Subscribe here!