#263 Stop, even if you could do more

There is no way to predict the future.

But thinking about where you would like to be in the future can help you make better decisions today.

Want to be a writer in the future? Better write today.

Want to run a marathon? Better run today (or eat better, or rest, or stretch…)

Remind yourself of the future, not for the sake of precise predictions, but for the sake of the present.

Here’s a question Tim Ferris asks startup founders (and himself) when deciding to invest time and money into a new project:

“If, in one (or two, or three) years from now, this whole project has failed miserably… Which assumptions you hold today were proven wrong?”

Tim Ferris

Answering the question first requires defining failure and success.

For my project of publishing a daily insight on this blog success looks like this:

Write & publish.

Edit.

Write & publish.

Edit.

Then write & publish some more.

Good, bad, well-received or not, received or read by anyone at all, it doesn’t matter.

Because first of all, writing is a creative outlet for me.

Second: long as I write & publish consistently, I trust I will get better at writing and publishing.

Finally: I trust that from all that sculpting away, day by day, will come better and better insights.

A pretty low bar for success – which, counterintuitively, often leads to more progress long-term.

Now we have established that:

What are the assumptions that could be wrong if next year, it turns out I failed to write & publish every day?

Here are some I can think of:

• Writing and publishing every day is going to be a long-term fulfilling activity for me
• I am truly fine with writing and publishing without anyone ever reading it
• I am fine spending considerable time on starting a new project that I might never monetize
• Writing & publishing every day really leads to better writing skills and interesting insights (although even if this assumption is false, it wouldn’t necessarily stop me from writing.)

Will these assumptions be proven wrong?

Only time will tell.

Until then… I write & publish… then write & publish some more.

It’s fine to go slow and steady until you’re ready to go faster.

And even when you’re ready to go faster, it’s still fine to go slow and steady.

Slow and steady, so you have the space to listen to the sounds.

Slow and steady, so you have time to look around.

Slow and steady, so you don’t burn out.

Slow and steady, so you enjoy the journey.

Slow and steady.

Always moving.

Always in flow.

Always ready.

When you go slow and steady.