Why I Quit Medium (Then Came Back)

Sometimes you need to fix your focus

I was tired.

Everything I wrote sounded like some generic self-help blog. Or, I’d spend hours writing a story I loved, only to publish it and get no response. Then, I’d write a heated rant about my job I hated and get tens of thousands of views. The problem was, I didn’t want to be a “rant” writer.

So I quit. I stopped publishing new content every week on Medium.

For about eighteen months, the only thing I published here were a few short stories because I wanted to switch my focus to writing fiction.

But it was through stepping back — way back — that I was able to see the way forward.

Focus on a Bigger Dream

In late 2022 I got the best news I’d gotten in a long time.

The company I’ve been interviewing with decided to hire me. That allowed me to leave a job that sucked the life out of me.

It was that awful job that actually led me to writing. I hated it so much. I needed something creative to counter-balance it. If you’re struggling with where you are in your career (or even your life), finding something you enjoy can save your mental health.

I started writing a blog, which eventually lead to me writing on Medium.

My new job was a work from home position, which meant I got to ditch the commute. I decided to use the time I used to spend driving to do something I’ve always wanted — write a novel.

Yeah, I know everybody says they want to write a novel. But I actually dove into learning about storytelling and how to create a story that works. Over the next 12 months, I planned, wrote, and revised every day. By the end, I had a 97k word novel to show for it.

I can honestly say that those 12 months were some of the most fulfilling of my adult life. It felt so great to just be working on something I’ve always wanted to do.

Finishing a big project that you love creates a ripple effect on your self-confidence and your life.

After spending a few more months going through revisions and sending query letters to literary agents, something strange happened.

Check Your Surroundings

My medium account had remained mostly dormant while I worked on my novel. But every once in a while, I would publish a piece of short fiction.

One day, while frustrated with my literary progress, I logged on and looked at my stats out of curiosity. What I saw shocked me.

My views for that month were about 6000.

Granted, most of those views weren’t on my short fiction. But keep in mind that I’d barely touched my Medium account for around 18 months by this time. As I look back at previous months through my stats, I noticed similar numbers. That’s when it hit me.

I spent 18 months working on a book that may or may not get published. During that time, a total of three people had read my book and given me feedback. Meanwhile, content I’d written over the past couple of years on Medium continued to bring in views.

The 18 month break I took from medium allowed me to gain some perspective about the platform. I also spent those months working on a new skill (storytelling) that I could incorporate into my writing.

Maybe, instead of trying to force my way into the publishing world, I should put more attention into what was already working in my favor.

Put Your Energy Into What’s Working

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned recently is that when you’re desperate to get a specific outcome, things usually don’t work out.

It goes against all common knowledge, but often the harder you try, the harder you fail.

Now, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t attempt to achieve goals or go after a dream. It’s more subtle than that.

Last year, I learned about the Taoist philosophical principle of Wu Wei. I’ve written about it in several of my recent articles, but it means “effortless action.”

That’s a hard concept for most people to grasp, but that’s kind of the point.

The best way to explain it is by thinking about water. No matter what obstacles water faces, it flows over around or under it. Explaining this concept, Bruce Lee said:

“Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.”

Wu Wei is about energy — specifically, it’s about pouring your energy into whatever’s already working for you.

When I realized how many views my Medium articles were still getting without much input from me, it was obvious what I needed to do. I could continue to pour my energy into begging literary agents to look at my book, or I could take a big portion of that energy and pour it back into people who already wanted my writing.

So, I came back to Medium and started writing here again.

The Path Becomes Clear

What are you spending your energy on right now that’s not working?

What are you trying to force that doesn’t respond to pressure?

Everyone has goals, hopes, and dreams. You should do everything you can to make those dreams a reality. But it’s also important to recognize what’s working for you.

Lean where to double-down, and you’ll be amazed at how much easier the path becomes for you.