I Wrote for Years. Then I Stopped. Here's Why.

I wrote over 100 blogs.

Email newsletters, three times a week. LinkedIn posts, almost daily for long stretches. Three ebooks, masterclasses, and more.

And just when Substack came along, a platform I genuinely love, I lost my joy for writing.

I always wrote with one aim.

To inspire people to go after what they actually want. Not to sell my services. Not to build a brand.

My inspiration came from a deep knowing: what I had in my mind needed to be out in the world. And if it reached one person at the right time, it was worth it.

So in the beginning, the lack of reach did not bother me at all. That was not the point. I kept it up for over five years.

Then something shifted.

A thought crept in: What is the point of writing if it doesn't reach the right person?

So I went all in. The most influential copywriters, marketers, every framework, every tactic. I tried everything.

Nothing moved.

And I noticed I was drifting further from my own voice. Writing like a marketer. Writing for the algorithm. Every line I put down felt less like mine.

I don't want to think about algorithms when I'm writing. I want it to flow freely from the soul. That's the only version of writing that means anything to me.

So I burned out. I stopped.

I had lost faith that it mattered.

And writing this now, I realise it left a mark I did not fully acknowledge.

I started believing things like: Nobody cares about what I write. Maybe this is not what I am meant to do after all.

Slowly, that voice got louder.

Then Substack arrived.

A platform I had been unknowingly searching for for over a decade. Long-form text. The ability to write, record, interview, create, all in one place. Somewhere I genuinely want to spend time.

A home for the multipotentialite in me.

But here is the sad and ironic part.

The old me would have dived in completely. Studied it. Shown up every day. Given it a real shot.

But I am tired.

I feel resistance.

I know it's different here, but I'm carrying the weight of what writing cost me last time.

And it’s though.

But I am writing. I am here.

And if this reached you at the right moment, I have had an impact.

Even if it was only one person.

That was always enough.

Thank you for reading.

About the author

I am Shorombo, a Life and Business Coach for entrepreneurs and high performers. I help people redesign their lifestyle so they can win in business and feel genuinely fulfilled in life. My approach is called High Performance Lifestyle Design. Not theory. Built from 10+ years of studying, practising, and living the principles that move the needle on performance, health, and happiness.

If you're building something great but feel like your personal life isn't keeping up, you'll find me here.