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Published 5 years ago by mrjackmartin with 0 Comments

A Sorry Excuse for an Article

I’m trying to make consistency a habit. But DAMN—consistency is tough.

  • I’m writing this because I said I would.

    Not for you, dear reader. Not for my mom (sorry mama).

    But because I said I would.

    I’m trying to make consistency a habit.

    But DAMN—consistency is tough.

    The most consistent I’ve ever been with ANYTHING was in forgetting to do my homework in middle school. Want to talk about being consistent? Now THAT’S consistency. Or inconsistency. It really depends if you’re a glass half-empty or half-full person.

    Anyways.

    I don’t write pieces like this very often—pieces where I just let my mind go, that is.

    It’s kind of fun. It’s like, I’m not really here—like I’m just watching these words appear on screen.

    I know I should have a plan when I click the “Write a story” button in the top left-hand corner of the Medium homepage. I know I should have an outline of topics I want to cover and points I want to make. I know I should consider the reader, if I’m wasting his or her time with this piece.

    But I don’t feel like doing any of those things.

    I’m a believer in doing what you want, when you want, and how you want to do it, yet constantly write when I don’t feel like it, in order to push myself to be consistent.

    I guess I’m just putting my money where my mouth is—this is what I want to do right now.

    Ironically enough, I was just talking with my mentor today about writing with a purpose—about writing pieces that add some sort of value.

    “What can the reader get out of this article?” I guess I’m not wrong in saying this piece has a purpose (aka, me sticking to my word and being consistent) but that purpose is pretty selfish and in my mind, this piece doesn’t really count.

    But it’s kind of nice.

    It feels good. I think I needed this.

    No—I definitely needed this.

    This is what I want to say when I have (seemingly) nothing to write about. This is what goes on in my head. These are the thoughts that come to mind that I usually muster up enough energy to push through.

    But sometimes that mustering isn’t enough.

    This is one of those sometimes for me.

    I’ll probably be mad at myself tomorrow morning for writing this. I’ll probably self-hate and say, “That Medium piece you wrote last night, the one about nothing—nothing at all—that was a terrible excuse for an article. You should be ashamed of yourself.”

    I’ll remind myself that this piece was a cop-out. That I let exhaustion get the best of me. That I should write an extra article tomorrow to make up for this one.

    (Challenge accepted, future Jack)

    But for now—for present Jack, the Jack in a grey hoodie, Hanes socks and pajama pants—I’m not mad.

    For now, I’m just trying to stay consistent.

    Thanks for reading!
    Like this answer?
    Follow me on Medium articles on productivity, leadership, lessons-learned and more :)
 

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