Busting breaks!

I took a short 6 months break from writing :-).

I kept wondering if something will tease me to get back to writing. As I pondered, there were couple of problems - and I am sure many of you who like to write also faced it. So this post is all about this pondering.


  1. Being Organized

My problem is not lack of content. It is too much content. There are so many things to write about that you get overwhelmed on what to pick. On top of it, many ideas are brain waves (rather ripples). You get a flash of an idea while you are doing something and if you don't write it down, like that vivid dream, it'll be gone a few minutes later. So I realized, that writers are very good at jotting down their ideas and organizing them.

2. Discipline

The next problem is to find time. Writing is a passion project right now. No one is bugging me asking where I am with my posts. There are no deadlines to meet. No contract commitments. So, it is easy to drag that couple of weeks break into 6 months! To be consistent is a "discipline" muscle, not a "creative" muscle. I have read that most writers have the habit of maintaining this discipline. They wake up and plonk themselves at a place and don't get up until they finish x pages. The best and popular example of this is the "Seinfeld calendar". Look it up.

3. Motivation

While writing is for most part self satisfying, feedback is important for all of us to keep it going. Who are you writing for? If we don't get feedback that motivates you, it feels like flapping hands in the air. After some time you'll give up. Having a goal in front of you - a self created, but meaningful goal - is a way to get out of this funk. It's probably something like getting x number of likes, publishing a book or some such thing.

Creativity is not on this list. It's a part of it but I am convinced that we are all creative beings. That spark exists in all of us. The challenge is in how we channel it and keeping it going.

So there you have it!

Now, this list is not just for writing alone. This is for any goal you want to achieve that is not externally triggered (meaning, no boss is chasing you for it). We are all a bundle of possibilities and potential. We just don't create this channel to explore it.

I know its February - almost 2 months are over. What goals are you sitting on with 6 months break? Don't be like me :-) Burst your break!



Dr. Tathagat Varma

PhD (GenAI) | GCC Leader | Thought Leader | Guest Faculty | Published Author | TEDx Speaker | Entrepreneur | Ex-Computer Scientist (Defense R&D) | Ex-Antarctic Researcher

1 年

Good thoughts Bala. The only one thing I would add is that when I write, I write for myself. I don't really care if people will read or whether they will like it...I mean I totally appreciate when people like it or choose to share their thoughts on my blog post, but that's besides the point. I often tell people that just like musicians must do daily riyaz, and sports people must practice daily...the same way, writers should do daily practice of writing, and it just so happens that we choose to put it out for public scrutiny, which obviously takes a lot of courage and confidence! Once I reframed my reasons for writing, it didn't matter whether anyone was listening anymore...I was content to just be myself :)

Rafi Dudekula

Founder & CEO at LasaAI | Agentic AI Platform for Accelerating Enterprise Operations | Data Extraction from Complex Documents with Diagrams | Complete AI, UX, Evals and Integrations

1 年

With the advent of GenAI, any Tom/D/H can write on any topic. The hard part is finding the perfect persona to serve, whether in business or in writing. Your empathy and love for this character could bring out awesome content and subsequent following. My 2 cents… Why do you want to write? What is it that you are truly wanting out of it?

Shraddha Dave Nagar

LinkedIn Top Voice, Global Talent Management, Leadership Development, Business HR Leader at GlobalLogic, A Hitachi company. Cultivating & Enriching Talent Economy | TISS Alumni, ICF Life Coach

1 年

Well said Bala Girisaballa , Hope you are doing well. - I can so relate with your article, already creating ripples... :) . Key is focus and discipline.

Ajay Prabhu, PhD

President, Technology Services at Quest Global | Business Transformation Leader | Strategist | Customer-centric Tech | Angel investor

1 年

Happy to have you back Bala Girisaballa .. your writing creates nice “ripples in my mind-pond”

Amarinder Singh

Chief Involvement Officer - CIO Association of India

1 年

I very much echo your article.

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