Why should you write?

They say you need to write a couple of nonsense pages to warm up before you are ready to write something meaningful, and I've experienced this to be true. I rarely sit and write with a clear idea in mind but begin by pouring random thoughts.

Writing is about creating a daily practice where you repeatedly show up and do your thing waiting for the magic to appear. Without this practice (time-based labor to some extent), you won't be able to get to the good parts—even if you've been practicing for decades—as it's hard to write anything meaningful in thirty minutes. I reserve time to sit and write every day without the pressure of having to get anywhere specific. A thirty-minute daily practice can take you far. (That's 182 hours of writing a year.)

My current goal is to write a minimum of two hundred words per day, but it's easy to go over once you get going. I practice deliberately to better articulate my thoughts, communicate and share my ideas, and express myself more clearly; I believe writing and storytelling benefit my podcast conversations, talks, and live streams.

Right now, the only pressure comes from writing publicly once a week, posting a story with a hand-sketched illustration on Tuesdays (which you're reading). Publishing frees me up from the fear of sharing what's on my mind, telling the world who I am, and being judged, and forces me to refine my writing and direct it to my readers. One essay at a time, I share my worldview and accept that my perspective will inevitably change. But that's okay—that means I'm evolving—and you should feel the same way.

Two hundred words won't get you far, but showing up day after day can translate into writing more than seventy thousand words per year, which will surely make a difference.