Why start a blog in 2024? I don't know, really. I can think of tons of reasons not to, though.
Reasons NOT to Start a Blog
- It's more work : Don't you have enough work already?
- It's too late : Blogging was cool in 2004, homie.
- It might suck : And now the whole world knows how dumb you are.
- People may not read it : If a tree falls in the forest...
- People might read it and hate it : Why subject yourself to ridicule/embarrassment?
- People might read it and like it : Now you may feel obligated to keep going even if you don't like it. Or what if you have one popular post and the others suck?
- People might misread something you say : Now you're stuck trying to explain yourself and/or apologize.
- You might overshare : Now something that should've stayed private is public knowledge.
- You may burnout : Now you have another unfinished project on the web.
- You haven't "made" it yet : You're not a millionaire, there are no Rolls Royces (Royci?) in your garage. You don't even have a garage.
- The opps may read it : Now they know what/how you think and can use this against you.
- AI may read it : AI might be the real opps in a few years. Better to stay off the grid in that case, amirite?
Okay great, that should be enough to dissuade anyone from starting. Blog post over.
Except...you're reading this.
On my blog...
That I started in 2024...
Which means I still started one.
And that's because, despite the aforementioned reasons, I still believe it's worth starting one.
Here's why.
Reasons I Started a Blog
I have a terrible memory
Especially with experiences, I notice a lot gets lost. I'm not sure if its some old coping mechanism from childhood or something I need to get checked out, but I need to set up systems to keep track of what's happening.
My son turns 2 soon and is growing so quickly. I'm already looking back at baby pictures wondering where the time went.
I'm steadily getting closer and closer to the career/business goals I've set for myself and I have a feeling I'll one day want to look back at these early times. What better way to log these experiences than on the web? For better or for worse, this virtually guarantees that the memories I share here will be accessible down the line.
Learn new tech
I really love coding. It's the thing that, for me, sits at the middle intersection of the popular Venn diagram of what you like, what you're good at, and what the world values.
So, why not add another project to the list? Building this one has already been fun. Thanks to Lee Robinson for the tips.
Learn to write better
I don't know why I hadn't really noticed before, but most everyone I admire puts their ideas out into the world via writing or a format deriving from writing. Whether it be musicians, authors, podcasters, business owners, or teachers - I realize how necessary it is to be able to express your ideas clearly.
It's hard to get better at something without practicing it.
Connecting with people
I think this is a big one.
As you get older, it becomes much harder to meet people. Especially if you lean towards introversion, like I do, striking up random conversations with people is a rarity. It's hard to be the one to say "hello" first.
But a blog is like a cheat code. It's a way to strike up a conversation with tons of people without having to risk face-to-face rejection. People you've never met or people you haven't spoken to in years may reach out in response to something you posted. And, in their mind, you started the conversation.
Because you did. You put yourself out there. You said "hello" first, giving others the opportunity to say "hi" back.
The craziest thing is, you have no idea what could come out of those conversations:
- New opportunities
- People who can help you in what you're trying to achieve
- People who you can help along their paths
Why not find out?
Writing helps me think
This one I noticed through journaling.
There are thoughts I didn't know I had until they appeared on the page.
For example, when I initially thought of making this blog post, in my head I had maybe 5% of what it ultimately turned out to be. The remaining 95% came after I started writing and new thoughts, ideas, and topics came to mind.
It'd be cool to dig deeper into various topics I'm interested in and see what thoughts come out in the writing.
Writing helps me not think
Counterintuitively, writing helps me to stop thinking. Specifically, to stop thinking about the same thing, over and over again. I'm the type of person who tends to overthink most everything. If I'm worried about something, that thought will swirl around in my head for days on end. I'll be stuck.
I've found that the best thing to do in those situations is to start writing about whatever's worrying me. It's kind of like walking in thick fog. At any point in time, you can only see what's directly in front of you. If you don't move, you'll never see anything else.
But if you start walking, more of the path will begin to reveal itself. Writing is like taking mental steps to navigate through the fog and better understand where you are and where you're going.
Just because
Everything I've mentioned above is true, but is it necessary? A nice thing about having your own blog is that it's...yours. There are no rules.
I noticed that throughout the post I switch back and forth from talking to you and talking to myself.
Is that poor writing? Probably.
Is that the wrong thing to do? Not here, it isn't!
There's no word count requirement. There's no deadline. It's just you and your thoughts.
I just want to try this thing out. Maybe it'll lead nowhere. Maybe it'll be a fun, cathartic outlet for me. Maybe it'll become a larger part of my life. Who knows? I'm excited to find out.
P.S. Note to self regarding those reasons not to start a blog
- It's more work : Work is good for you. Especially if you're enjoying it.
- It's too late : Everything that goes out of style comes back in style eventually. Also, so what?
- It might suck : Oh no, it definitely will suck. But the only chance of it getting any better is to keep at it.
- People may not read it : Good. Especially during that sucky beginning period, we don't want too many people tuning in anyway.
- People might read it and hate it : You aren't forcing them to read it. They'll just close the tab and go about their day.
- People might read it and like it : Yeah that'd be pretty cool, actually.
- People might misread something you say : People may not pick up what you're putting down. If it's that bad, apologize and move on.
- You might overshare : If it's that bad, apologize and move on.
- You may burnout : There are no rules here, buddy. Stop if you need to stop.
- You haven't "made" it yet : Even better. Depending on how your life turns out, this blog will serve as either a helpful guide or a cautionary tale.
- The opps may read it : What opps, bro?
- AI may read it : If AI becomes the opp, your blog will be the least of your worries.