Why should you write?

Never stop learning.

There are many reasons for you to write. Some of them are rational, useful and motivating. Others are irrational, detrimental and generated by your biased way of thinking. The success of your efforts lies in the one you will choose. Why do you want to write?

For vanity

Because you are ambitious and you aim at writing timeless and precious things which will make you famous, admired and immortal.

To change the world

Our behaviors are influenced by our thinking. To think in a more efficiently and effectively way you need to adopt a Systems Thinking and a critical thinking approach. It will allow you to better evaluate how to address the global challenges of the 21st Century. You are part of the Human Network and you need to contribute to increasing the quality of thinking of individuals and organizations: from small companies to nation-states.

For self-therapy and self-awareness

To keep track of your life so you can read back what you were doing, what you felt and what you were talking about at different times. You can reflect and get insights into your recorded thoughts and behaviors. You need to become more self-aware.

To improve your writing

Any skill improves with practice and short rounds of feedback loops. Write to improve your writing skills, especially if you are not a native speaker of the language you are writing in.

To improve your thinking

Writing brings clarity. Knowing you are publishing your writing requires you to have a certain level of confidence in what you write. Motivate yourself to improve your writing by publishing it.

To strengthen your personal brand

As a freelancer professional writing and publishing about the topics in your industries would help in making you perceived more interesting and trusted. It will lead to professional opportunities: get ready to welcome them.

To learn more and better

You need to drive a wider and deeper learning of the world and yourself. You should find a balance between the serendipitous wandering of knowledge and the exploration of specific topics you are interested in.

To meet new people and to interact with them

Learning adventures can make you feel on a solitary path, too much unbalanced on the input, reading and digesting side without much interaction. Expand your network, look for more interactive exchanges with whom might provide an alternative, critical point of view compared to yours. Exposing your opinions leads self-selecting people to network and resonate with you. Find your tribe. We need many and none at the same time. You need different communities where to manifest and explore your interests. On the other hand, you need to better focus on creating those which are more fertile ground to nurture your continuously changing interests and aspirations.

To learn new habits, for your personal development

You can discover you are capable of changing your habits by establishing rituals, rhythms, and systems. Dampen the less useful habits and reinforce the more productive ones. Writing requires discipline, rituals, and rhythms: it’s the perfect ground to test your capability to self-develop your habits.

What are you afraid of?

When you publish your writing you could be afraid of:

  • Not finding an audience, not gaining traction.
  • Saying stupid things.
  • Being stupid.
  • Being ridiculed.
  • Not being up to the task.
  • Not being able to maintain a publishing schedule.
  • Writing in an incorrect language.
  • Leaving tracks of things which could be used against you, one day.
  • Not knowing what to write.
  • Losing interest in doing it.
  • Not having a clear focus.
  • Being unable to make it sustainable.

All of the previous is plausible, none of the above is mandatory.

What will happen if you write?

You can discover it only by starting right now.

Write!

What is your motivation to write?

I am here, listening. Tell me: what are your motivations to write? Your desires? You can share your fears, too, if you want.

Quotes

The best time to start a blog was 20 years ago.
The second best time is today.

Massimo Curatella


8 responses to “Why should you write?”

  1. Thanks for this article. I always ask to myself why I should write and I’ve found a couple of confirmations in it.
    xxx

  2. My motivation for writing is to *share* with fellow humans my discoveries, mistakes and learned lessons.

    I do not crave to be a teacher or master of something but rather an explorer of uncharted terrains whose goal is to open new trails and passages. To which uses are these if I do not make them known and accessible to those passing through the main highway?

    Could this be an additional motivational option to add to your list above Massimo?

  3. Thank you, Massimo, you covered a lot in human motivation and also fear here.
    This piece reminds me of the book _Big Magic_ by Elizabeth Gilbert, which I always listen to before I embark on a new or big creative (usually writing) project. It always helps me put Fear in its place (buckled in the back seat) and releases my creativity.
    Looking forward to reading more of your work!
    —Cathy Cheng

  4. Thank you, Catherine!
    It’s an immense pleasure to have you here and welcome as my Newsletter Subscriber, as well.
    You just allowed me to re-read what I wrote in this article and big magic already happened: some of the events and the consequences I was foreseeing are already happening to me. I feel joy and happiness.
    I am looking forward to reading the Big Magic book (I had it already in my Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1259301-massimo-curatella) and I can’t wait to receive your comments on my next articles.
    Warmly.
    —Max

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