Summary

The author struggles with writer's block when responding to personal challenges, unlike writing sales copy where they excel, and reflects on the difficulty of self-promotion.

Abstract

The article titled "Why do I find challenges challenging?" delves into the author's introspection on their ability to write. While the author was adept at writing sales letters and other promotional materials, they encounter a creative block when it comes to writing in response to personal challenges issued by Adrian CDTPPW and Karen Schwartz. The author attributes this challenge to the need to self-promote, something they find difficult, contrasting it with the ease of promoting external products. The article is a response to the aforementioned challenges and serves as a reflection on the author's limitations and the paradox of finding it easier to sell others rather than oneself.

Opinions

The author views the task of writing about oneself as inherently challenging, more so than writing about external products or services.
They express admiration for a friend, Randy Pulley, who can effortlessly create content from minimal suggestions.
The author identifies a personal struggle with writer's block when the subject matter is self-referential, suggesting a discomfort with self-promotion.
There is a hint of humor and self-deprecation when the author suggests they may have "sold too much of myself" in their previous sales career.
The author acknowledges the possibility that they are making excuses for not participating in the challenges and entertains the idea that they might need to take more action.
They indirectly ask for forgiveness from Adrian, one of the challengers, questioning if this article could count as a response to the challenge on forgiveness.
The author seems to invite engagement from the readers by posing a question about their own participation in overcoming the challenge of self-promotion.

Why do I find challenges challenging?

A man looking puzzled. Photo by Sander Sammy on Unsplash

This article is in response to the challenges issued by Adrian CDTPPW and Karen Schwartz.

They both issued challenges, and I told them, against my better judgement, I would respond.

However, I have found this beyond my capabilities.

I would like to be able to write a response to a challenge like my friend Randy Pulley who can write an excellent post from just a small suggestion.

But as soon as I attempt to respond to a challenge, writer’s block descends on me. And it has taken me some time to realise the reason for this.

To reveal this reason, I have to go back to before the pandemic.

For several years, I was writing copy, blogs and sales letters for numerous people.

Sales letters were my favourite.

I was given a brief and had to research the product or service I was writing about.

I was also given a required word count and a fixed deadline for delivery.

So, why do I find challenges, well, challenging?

After all, I am given a choice of subjects and no fixed deadline.

It should be easy.

The problem is, when I was writing sales letters, it was my job to highlight the benefits and features of the product on sale

When writing a challenge, the product is mostly me.

And I find it difficult to find the best benefits and features of myself.

Perhaps it is the result of my sales career in printing and direct marketing. To build up a good client base, you had to sell yourself to your prospective buyers.

Perhaps I have sold too much of myself and there is very little left. 🥱

Of course, there could be another reason.

I wonder how many of are saying to yourselves.

“Why don’t you stop whingeing, get off your backside and start trying?”

If you are, I think you may have a point.🙄

Before I leave, I am going to ask Adrian a question. One of your challenges involved forgiveness.

If I ask you to forgive me for not taking part, does this count as a response to your challenge? 😃

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Thanks for reading (if you are still here.)

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