On consistency, perfection, and writing
Here is a lesson from one of the most popular blog posts I ever wrote
Below is a screenshot from the analytics platform for my blog.
This screenshot, is the all-time visits and page views of one specific blog post: Why engineers should focus on writing.
It's the highest amount of visits I ever got for a single blog post, and this blog post amounts to 30% of 𝐭𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥 visit for the entire blog (since the day I started to collect analytics).
This blog post was written when I had big doubts in myself. Questions such “what the hell am I doing” and “maybe I should just go back to my old life”. It was written in a very uncomfortable environment to me: a humid weather near a pool. I'm not spoiled, I swear! I just really dislike humid climate and water.
Moreover, this blog post was poorly written, both from a grammatical standpoint, and in the way it delivers the message. The grammar was fixed later on. And while I still stand behind every word in this post, but boy it was delivered poorly.
Why am I telling you all this?
#1: Consistency wins. Every. Single. Time.
I've been writing on-and-off from 2015, and took it seriously in 2021. I never cared about how many people read my stuff. All I wanted is to deliver a message, and if one person reads it—then my job is well done.
Many people give up because they create something, but nobody needs it right away. However, if you stay consistent, eventually your rewards will pay off. And this leads me to number 2.
#2: You never know what might happen.
Humans are creatures of habit. And planning. Boy, we love planning! A well-packed calendar—is a sign of a productive individual. But little I knew that this blog post, which I didn't think will become that popular, will be the igniting force to publish my first ever e-book. And this leads me to number 3.
#3: Writing is underrated.
Writing is the only habit that will help you to think clearer, organize your brain, and actually learn stuff. For years, we had this idea that reading is what helps us learn. We read book after book, and later started to listen to podcasts and audiobooks. But while reading is a source of knowledge, writing is the force for remembering.
This is the motivation that I had behind the above blog post. And this is the force that motivated me to publish my first e-book: Technical Writing for Software Engineers - A Handbook. Consider getting it if you struggle with technical writing.
#4: Perfect is the opposite of done.
I had better blog posts. Blog posts that I wrote and re-wrote. One’s that I’ve researched, drafted, threw away and re-worded. Some of them, especially the technical ones, did good and were mentioned in popular newsletters.
But none of them was as “lazy” as the above post. It was rushed. And as I said, it contained a lot of grammatical errors. And yet, it became one of the most popular blog posts.
Why? Because it was done rather than perfect. Success lies in delivering, rather than perfection. And true perfection—is unattainable. So keep trying, failing, learning, and trying again. And then, one day, you will look back, and smile—smile because you’ve actually achieved something.
This post has more motivational and inspirations aura around it. While it’s not directly related to software engineering, the lessons outlined there—are useful to everyone, including software engineers.
Let me know, by replying to this email, if you like this type of content. And make sure to forward this newsletter to your friends and colleagues, who might benefit from it the same way you do.
Until next time.