Its tricky being a productive newsletter writer when you’re forced into the slow lane. Especially in the new year, with everyone making #resolutions and #writinggoals and #commitment. 2025 is a fortnight old, and I’m already feeling shame that you haven’t heard from me yet… or for the past few weeks… Maybe that is a bit of a relief? If your inbox was anything like mine?
This past couple of weeks, two writer friends Sabah Mirza and Rumi Tsuchihashi each reminded me of a random comment I once made: that how often you ‘get back on the horse’ is the only streak that matters.
In late 2023 I began a writing challenge, a first, very rough, draft of stories for my non-fiction book about working in the funeral industry. Guided by my work with writer and creative coach Gauri Yardi I set myself the target to write daily. I let go of any aspiration to write 1000 words a day, or even 100 words a day. I set myself the achievable (but not easy) goal of one sentence each day. Anything more was bonus.
I set that goal sincerely, while also knowing I would probably break my streak sooner or later. Have you ever tried to look at a screen, let alone string words together, during a severe migraine? Or during a flare of ME/CFS when your joints are on fire, your brain feels like it has turned to mush, and you are so tired you’re balancing drinking water with how many trips to the toilet that will require?
Broken streaks are so de-motivating! I hear you. So turn your break into the only streak that matters: how many times will you show up again, anyway? AKA how many times will you get back on the horse?
For accountability, I shared each daily with my online writing group. I even logged missed days e.g.
Day 224-226 no writing, migraine
Day 227 - Family history is terrifying. My maternal grandmother died …
The game was to write every day, but the other game was count every time I missed the goal and came back… again… and again… and again…
I always had a streak I could add to! How motivating! How realistic!
In the end I plodded my way to a 50,000 word rough draft. Not all of them were ‘deathless prose’. Not all of them sucked. Its not as glamorous as birthing a draft book in less than 2 months, or in the 30 days of NaNoWriMo, but hey, it got the job done.
This kind of flexibility in how I approach any goal is kind of a ‘secret sauce’. Its equal parts frustrating and liberating, as I undo the bindweed of #hustleculture from my mind and soul. For now I promise to keep showing up here, and I also can almost-promise there will be gaps at some point.
This year I’m sharing one story from that book-in-progress each fortnight in a new publication The Geometry of Grief: Life lessons from the death trade.
I’m also excited to do some editing work —bonus, actual paid work— and I can’t wait to share the beauty of those books once they are available.
Happy plodding, and may you always find your way to ‘get back on the horse’ as you head toward your own meaningful creative goal in 2025.
Thank you for reading, your time and attention are a gift!
Do you get satisfaction from streaks? Or do you find them de-motivating? Share in the comments
Have you ever missed a day of a new productivity goal and thought, oh its ruined now, what’s the point? Or spent so long castigating yourself as a lazy good for nothing loser that you started to believe your inner critic? Or is that just me….?
What personal goal do you want so badly that you’re ok with being partial, spotty or imperfect in how you strive toward it? Where your drive to keep going is louder than your #grindculture ideas of how you have to #commit?
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