What I Learned from Failing the 100-Day Writing Challenge
Consistency is hard
As some of you may know, I started the 100-Day Writing Challenge on the first of December.
12 days later, it reached its premature end.
It didn’t even manage to make it to a month.
And here’s why:
Why did I fail?
I feel this is the crucial part to explain, so, let’s get right to it.
I failed simply because I lacked consistency.
I wrote on some days, and on some days, I didn’t.
This led to me being unable to convert the hobby into a habit, ultimately breaking the 12-day streak.
That was the primary point of the challenge: make it a habit to write daily.
That, obviously, didn’t end very well.
And now, 9 days later, I’m writing this article.
What did I learn?
I realized about two things from my failure:
- Consistency is hard
- Why Planning is Important
Let’s talk about the first point:
Consistency is hard
On the surface, it sounds easy: doing the same thing every day.
In reality, you have to account for multiple variables like your mood, any event or birthday, etc., which get in the way of you being consistent.
I realized this after a few days. There’ll always be something more ‘important’ that you’ll prioritize that justifies you putting off the thing for a day or two.
That’s how it always starts. That’s how it went for me too.
So, it became difficult to write daily because there was always something that I was prioritizing over my writing.
In the end, the streak broke, and writing every day came down to writing every few days.
This way, I learned consistency is hard. It’s not something you can achieve in a week or two. It can easily take months and years.
Importance of Planning
As they say, “Planning is everything”.
I wish I realized that sooner.
I decided to write daily for 100 days straight. What I didn’t account for were my end-term examinations in January. I forgot I would have to dedicate time to my studies also.
With the weight of exams on my head, it made writing feel more like an ordeal rather than a delightful experience.
From now on, I’ll remember to plan ahead before deciding to do something big.
The Future…
It was fun writing daily to keep the streak going for as long as I was able to. And while it lasted only a few days, I’m glad I learned something from the experience.
While the challenge failed badly, I still want to write on a consistent basis. Just not every day.
The goal is still very much alive. And so is the motivation to write and grow.
I’m planning to write every few days starting mid-January after my exams.
That’s all for today.
Bye-bye!