Today is my first day in a 30-day writing challenge (which, as explained below, is actually 42 days of writing).
Six weeks from now, or 30 business days of writing, I – along with four colleagues — will complete a 30-day writing challenge. The goal of the challenge is to create. Specifically, to create in volume, to defeat resistance, and to overcome the desire for perfection, the kind that holds back progress. At the end of this challenge, each of us will have written 30 or more new pieces, shared six of them for feedback and had six edited pieces returned.
The challenge is to overcome perfection by focusing on quantity. History, experience and even scientific studies suggests this approach results in an increase in quality, too. Perhaps that’s the sage concept behind the phrase, “Practice makes perfect.”
The way the challenge was created, we gain more than an improvement in writing skills. Because of the incorporation of feedback and editing, we each learn how to offer and receive feedback. Each of us learns how to edit, but also how to be edited. And in the process of helping another learn and grow, we open ourselves up to growth.
On this first day, this first step… I am excited.
The challenge behind the challenge
It started as a simple conversation with Clinton, a friend living in Seattle. During a recent telephone conversation, we talked about writing. Or specifically, our shared frustration at not writing. We admitted that lack of time was — and felt like — a flimsy excuse.
The real culprit, we freely admitted to each other was perfection.
Steven Pressfield brilliantly describes this as “resistance.”
We all fight the battle of resistance each and every day. And for those who focus on written communications, each word is important, or perhaps it’s not important… and that distinction can be paralyzing.
For some, the struggle of resistance manifests itself in “writers block” or in a struggle to come up with ideas to write about. Across three (or four) different systems for tracking writing ideas, I have at least 200 (and perhaps as many as 300) outlines, fragments, observations and concepts. Some are likely duplicates. Others no longer are relevant. But that means I have a few hundred viable concepts. Plus a few books, keynotes and seminar enhancements.
My challenge is having too much, expanding it too fast (and far) and then expecting it to be perfect. This crashes into the realization that I lack (or have not defined) the time necessary to produce this massive content to the level I seek. Rather than begin and put forth an imperfect effort, I find other tasks to invest my time.
Writing about this feels a bit silly. And yet, this is holding me back. Well, until today.
In order to bust through, share ideas, and improve my trade craft of writing, it was time to do something about it.
The dawn of the challenge
The seed for this challenge started when Clinton and I agreed we needed to do something. Of course, defining “the something” proved more elusive. Determined to find a solution, we shared ideas and outlines for what each of us wanted to write. Then we turned the discussion to how to support each other.
Over a few weeks – and some neat connections in life – the core of the challenge came to light:
1. We needed a time-based challenge
The challenge needed to be long enough to make a difference, but short enough that it felt achievable. Last year my family engaged in a 30-day “no eating out” challenge. We printed a calendar and put an x through each day that we didn’t eat out. The calendar helped keep track, and keep us focused on the goal.
The result was a 30-day challenge.
2. We needed to lightly structure each writing day
A few months ago I stumbled across the pomodoro technique and started using it to successfully break through resistance. Something liberating happens when setting a timer for 25 minutes, crowding out the world and agreeing to focus on getting something done. After each 25 minute cycle, the reward is a 5-minute break. A “full pomodoro” is completing four 25-minute cycles (or roughly 2 hours) — and then a longer break.
Just crowding out telephone, email, facebook, twitter and other distractions is a huge boost in performance. And a full pomodoro (2 hours) felt like enough time to get some writing done.
Now the 30-day challenge includes roughly 2 hours of writing a day — or enough time to write a decent blog posting, article or other contribution.
3. We needed accountability
Initially designed for accountability, we agreed to swap a few pieces each week, to provide feedback and editing.
Kickball improves the challenge, a team is formed
Turns out kickball taught me a thing or two about the structure of a writing challenge.
Brie invited me to play in a charity kickball tournament a few weeks back (I’m still sore). Taking the field for what we thought would be an easy victory, we quickly learned that adult kickball is a competitive sport. The first team we faced — the defending champions — play in an organized league, and they like to win.
They crushed us.
In the process, I learned just by watching them. Turns out kickball is laced with strategy — which would have been great to know in elementary school! As it applies to a writing challenge, kickball reminded me of the value of having a team, and the need to work together — to communicate, to learn and practice different roles, and to put it out there.
I shard my revelation with Brie, and she immediately expressed interest. I took interest for commitment… and invited Brie to the team. Peter joined the team last week, while on a business trip to work with me in Myrtle Beach.
The challenge evolves
Now that we formed a team, the “notion” of the challenge turned into a proposed framework and process. Then I talked with each team member to explain what I failed to capture in writing and asked for feedback. The resulting enhancements (so far):
1. The 30-day challenge was shifted to 30-business days.
Based on feedback, we changed from 30 continuous days to 30 business days. This approach gives us a bit more structure and weekends to catch up on feedback, editing, reading… and if desired, to continue writing. Since I feel it is important to nurture the process every single day, I plan to write on the weekends, too – extending this to a 42-day challenge for me. However, since I think this is a new routine in my personal and professional life, I like the approach.
2. Optional word count tracking
Instead of setting and tracking word count on a daily basis, the process and purpose is simpler: track the words for each pomodoro writing cycle, then use the measurement as a gauge of resistance. After a few days, we should establish a rhythm, and the word counts help us understand if we’re moving at a good pace, or falling prey to resistance and trying too hard to “get it right.”
3. Weekly mastermind call
I’m going to lead us through a weekly mastermind call, where each of us has a set amount of time to share observations, ask for help and otherwise learn from each other. At the conclusion of the call, we’ll each select and share one piece with the others. We all, then, provide structured feedback to our colleagues, and are selected to then go on and edit one piece.
This means that we each gain experience in providing useful feedback, receiving feedback, editing and in being edited.
The first step…
Today I took the first step.
And now I have an opportunity for accountability partners to keep me on track, encourage me to push through a desire to be perfect and to create. It’s also an opportunity to explore, to liberate and to start sharing content bottled up inside of me. In fact, at the end of this challenge, I hope to continue writing — and focus on the next books I have outlined and want to create.
If this goes well, I’ll look to do it again, and will even consider offering it to my clients (or to the participants of the Communicating the Value of Security and Advocate Training seminars); after all, sometimes the best way to improve is to have a challenge.
This is my challenge, and today it began.
