Summary

The article emphasizes the importance of long-term thinking and commitment in achieving significant gains, particularly in the field of writing.

Abstract

The author illustrates the pitfalls of short-term thinking through a friend's real estate venture, which led to financial loss and regret. The narrative suggests that life's greatest rewards come from sustained effort over decades rather than immediate gratification. Writing is presented as a craft that requires patience, practice, and the ability to withstand societal pressures and judgments. The article advises aspiring writers to adopt a broader perspective, viewing themselves as content creators who can leverage the internet's compounding effects to build a lasting legacy. It encourages writers to focus on developing multiple skills, creating diverse content, and understanding that success compounds over time, much like financial interest or the growth of forests and relationships.

Opinions

Short-term achievements can be misleading, often resulting in off-paper losses.
Life's most memorable phases are measured in decades, not days, and humans should adjust their expectations accordingly.
Writing is deceptively challenging; it demands dedication and continuous improvement to captivate an audience.
Ignoring gossip and societal judgments is crucial for personal growth and

Play Long Term Games For Long Term Gains

Writing is one such trade

Short-term achievement is a delusion.

Last year, my friend ventured into the real estate business. He is a civil engineer. He knows the technicalities of erecting a structure. So, he began developing a housing scheme. He employed the empty plots which belonged to his family. Later, he realized the mistake he made and regretted losing $$$ and time, and energy.

He said, “Aniket, it would be better if I didn’t employ our own plots for the scheme. I should’ve first hunted for others’ land to erect this housing scheme.

They were our plots, I could’ve sold them whenever I wanted. The money that I earned through this scheme is of a value that is equal to the current market rate of empty plots I had. If I would’ve held them, I would’ve earned more now.

Financial loss taught him a lesson — Don’t play short-term games. You think you are winning, but you lose a lot off paper.

Life Is Measured In Decades and Not In Days

It has never happened in the short term that I’ve thought that I’ve lived the best days of my life.

The best days are always measured in terms of a phase. I’d say my childhood was not that good, but my college days were fantastic.

Humans are greedy. We want everything here and now.

That’s not how life rewards.

Think Writing

Initially, I thought it is so easy to write. Anyone can do that. I was wrong. No one reads a shitty writer. I need to practice and practice and learn to become a badass writer.

Ignore The Gossiping

I am not a successful person Aniket, how to tackle the evil spells from my very own people?

When I passed out of school, I decided not to meet my teachers. Reason? I thought I will meet them only after I achieve a significant feat in life.

Nothing significant has happened yet. Unfortunately, one of the teachers is no more.

I was wrong. I should’ve met him.

Misconceptions of our own minds can cost irreparable loss.

The same is the case with people.

We think that people must be thinking about us but that’s not the case. Phones are dearer than humans. If you are not in front of them, they forget you.

Don’t think what others think of you. Live your own life. You have had enough conditioning. Now, ignore judgments and gossip.

Secretly build your empire by playing your own game.

Play in decades.

No one has the patience to hone the craft of writing. Money is the culprit. Society doesn’t let writers remain just writers. You are in demand if you are a creative entrepreneur — The one who earns.

Once you earn, a lot, they stop gossiping.

They start promoting you. They make you their commodity. You become their nearest relative.

But, it takes time.

How To Stay Intact In Long-Term Games

Again Think Writing

Writing sprints will not help you earn.

You need to be more than a writer — A content creator.

To become a terrific writer, you need to practice the craft deliberately. Deliberate effort demands your time. Now, it is difficult to survive on writing till you become a writer who earns. So, before you become one, you should become a skilled person who earns.

Being a digital writer has its own advantages.

You are not only a writer. You are a creator.

As a content creator, you secretly learn more than 21 skills.

Hunt where you are the best and Productivize a few of them.

Create a course
How-To Guide
Newsletter
A Gumroad Product
E-book

The Principle Of Compounding

“Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it earns it; he who doesn’t, pays it.”

— Albert Einstein

It doesn’t only apply to finance but every other natural phenomenon.

Forests compounds.
Snowball compounds.
Relationships compounds.
Fitness compounds.

When you plan and work in long term, you naturally get yourself aligned to reap the benefits of compounding.

The internet is the best medium to take advantage of the compounding effect.

You write once and it stays there forever, you post a video and it gets circulated across the globe.

The more your content gets circulated, the more your chances of getting viral.

Think of the internet’s well-known writers.

You’ll often come across Kevin Kelly’s 1000 true fans piece, the Almanack of Naval Ravikant, Farnam Street’s Newsletter, or Scott Adams’s blog post on writing.

These pages stand as a landmark in the world of writers and internet explorers.

Are you patient enough to run a marathon?