I asked before about your posting routine.
I gave suggestions about what and where you could comment on Stacker News.
I wrote about 10 reasons why you should post on SN.
But I think I’m putting the cart before the horse. I should discuss the mindset you should adopt in order to post consistently here. It kinda makes me sad to learn that some of you hold back from posting. Maybe it’s an occupational hazard from being an English teacher. Even as the going gets tough, I stick with reluctant teens and force them to learn spelling and write simple sentences. Self-expression is key to living a well-balanced life.
1. No one’s judging you
Sometimes we hold back because we fear that we have nothing clever to say and can’t add on to the discussion. Or we may be concerned that other people will have a lower opinion of us for certain positions that we advocate. But you know what? Everyone’s too engrossed in their own lives and battles to give two hoots about you. A Japanese philosopher mentioned the same thing I will post here, even though it’s in Japanese:
2. Don’t let perfection be the enemy of the good
Other times, we refrain from posting because we feel that we don’t have the time and space to develop our thoughts entirely. While your concern is valid, you shouldn’t censor yourself either. I learnt something ironic here. Occasionally, the pieces I invested a lot of energy into writing got flak for sounding suspiciously like ChatGPT. Which I’m immensely flattered btw - I never feel that my writing is up to professional standards. But here’s the point I want to make: people care more about emotional resonance than pin-point perfect English. I don’t even necessarily think that you have to pour your heart out. I just want you to remember that even if you think that your insight is mundane and your life is boring, you have something valuable to offer to other Stackers. Because we are all unique individuals - what is boring to you may be illuminating to someone else.
3. Writing is its own reward
Of course, it’s ego-boosting and motivating when my post gets many zaps. Sometimes it even helps me to put food (okay okay, by food, I mean beer) on the table. But I can honestly say that writing is a therapeutic exercise for me. It is a way for me to address the nagging, gnawing feeling that I have done nothing towards advancing my personal goals. I don’t just want to be a corporate rat, as much as I like teaching. Right now, I’m typing this while my son’s playing at the playground. I’m not pretending that I create great literature. But I write every day, no matter what life brings. It’s a commitment to myself.
I believe that writing every day is a great way to bolster my resilience. No matter how shagged he is at the end of work and beginning of parenting, he will write something, bloody oath (some Aussie slang I picked up recently). It’s akin to how some of you do pull-ups and/or push-ups every day. No excuses. Just get the job done.
I hope this impassioned piece provides an alternative perspective and nudge some of you to shed your inhibitions. I’m approaching my home now and should press Publish. Ta-da!