7 reasons why I still write TWTW’s
What kind of an impact does an open journal make?
This was a question that a friend of mine asked. I used to be a quite reserved individual and making my actions public was not quite the action I aimed.
Yet over the course of 2018, a series of events changed that. Arya and Sijo from Rethink Foundation set an example of how transparency impacted their performance and credibility in the ecosystem.
And Sijo’s talk encouraged me to start writing TWTW.
Looking back, I have almost completed 25 weeks of TWTW and now I am ready to answer the question.
1) I feel accountable to others to have good strides per week to mention about.
I tend to work harder in my weekly actions when I remember that at the end of the week, someone will be reading it to see how far I got to completing the task. In many ways, setting yourself accountable to a public audience gives little room for the mind to persuade you to slack off and waste time.
2) I share nearly every new opportunity that I discover.
Readers come across a plethora of links and cool facts that I discovered during the week from the twitter feed and other means. Making these opportunities visible to them and further explaining it in my own words helps create a sense of trust in the system. It even helps me refresh my memory with things to pursue when I later read them, unlike my unending long wish list that I am too scared to start reading.
3) Over time, readers realize that major strides begin from small steps.
Those who consistently follow my actions start to realize there is nothing fancy about being good at something or being called awesome as the key lies in getting started. It tends to inspire others to make better use of their time cause if I can, then definitely so can they. Unlike a motivational talk that keeps them energetic for an hour, they realize the key is in small yet unwavering focus on tasks, no matter how small they may be.
4) Unbiased reflections on what went right and wrong.
It may seem as if I am bragging, but mentioning my failures help others realize it is not shiny all the time, and that hardships are common to all. I mention the status of all the exciting opportunities that I previously applied for, and the unfortunate rejections those application had. I am by no means perfect. I have been a hypocrite many a times and for those who read between the lines, my errors are clear. Being open to such an extend gives the readers an honest perspective of how I approached it.
5) A selfish attempt to work hard and create reader worthy content drives me to work harder
Nobody wishes to disappoint the rest. As the week passes by, I realize that I have readers to not only be accountable to (as mentioned above) but also impress if possible. This selfish attempt to shine indirectly helps me bypass the procrastinator monkey and attack the pending tasks. Though I may not complete or succeed, it gives me the push to get to work. This point is in many ways similar to how people say that giving to charity is a selfish deed to feel good. Debatable, but certainly being selfish is such matters is good.
6) Introspection over my time and better assess my drives
As a child, I would always start a year with a big diary and start writing every little detail of my life, from the food I ate to how I felt at different occasions. Yet over time, it less interested me and eventually faded away. TWTW helps me restart that passion of documenting life in a digital world. Once in a while, I read back and pat myself on the back seeing how far I have come from being a kid scared to ask questions to being bold to take action. Don’t get me wrong, I am still a long way from being perfect or successful but even a 1% growth through thick and thin of life keeps me going.
7) I like writing and it keeps my skill active
If none of the above points make you believe in this pursuit, then at least this will. Thanks to Nikita and Aravind, the content team heads of Excel in the previous years, I have been able to develop my writing skills. This TWTW gives me a reason to work on my ability to articulate points and better explain ideas in real life as the muscle memory has experience developing content in the form of analogies, rhetorics and much more. To quote Amrin’s words, For the love of writing.
Despite all that I have said, there are a few drawbacks indeed:
- You might start over-blowing your small achievements in the drive to get more claps.
- The obsession for validation in the form of claps may keep you returning back again and again, thus wasting your time.
- You might spend time doing the interesting but less important task rather than the boring but more relevant ones, just to have better content to show (example: Learning to paint on the eve of the exam).
- A few readers may feel much more beneath you rather than get inspired from your progress, thus failing the purpose. Some may take it an extremely wrong sense and deem your actions as fake.
- It might be profitable to skip TWTW and focus on working instead.
- Lastly, writing the TWTW might consume more of your head space when you should be working with full attention on the apposite task.
If you look closely, most of these problems are internal and shaping ones perception and behavior (challenging but possible over time) can help bridge the gap.
Regarding the readers perception, just remember like how every YouTube video has dislikes no matter how good the content is, so is it natural to have people who do not align with your thoughts. Some might change their stance over time when they realize it is not a competition but rather an introspection but for the rest, the best you can hope is they feel peaceful following their tracks.
I know it can be quite daunting at first to make your life public and blogging every day, but if you are ready to weigh to pro’s over the cons, then this is precisely worth trying.
Back when I started, there were so many others who used to write TWTW but now it is just me. I wish more people started writing and keep the culture growing. I understand that not everyone needs to blog their actions to improve in their lives — I know a few who stick to personal journals and other forms of documentation but in the end, if you feel it helps you then it serves well. It is just that those who write TWTW are taking the extra mile of radiating hope to those who read through.
I hope this write up will help you overcome your doubts and join The Week That Was culture. And if you plan on starting/resuming and need help of any sort, feel free to reach out to me.
If you liked this article, don’t (just) clap. I would love to see your TWTW starting from this very week. So until my next TWTW, Bye!
