Isn’t it funny how all our best growth moments come from when we push ourselves?
Last week I wrote an article titled “This… AGAIN?” which felt good, and got some very thoughtful responses showing me how much it resonated.
Writing that article also gave me another layer of my own self-mastery.
Here are the steps of what happened:
- I had a weekly commitment to write an article, and as the deadline approached, I felt more pressure to come up with something. Sometimes, under this deadline, I’ll write something the morning and get it done in time.
- On that particular week, I was not feeling very inspired, and had no article ideas ready.
- As my deadline approached, I had a couple of choices. I could publish late, I could skip the week. However, in the past when I’ve experimented with skipping deadlines, it left me feeling empty and unaccomplished. I knew I didn’t want to do that.
- I’ve created an impressive custom trained AI called “The WOW Machine” (because it makes people say “WOW!”), which can easily create articles in my voice (because it’s trained on me specifically). This would be the “easy out”. However, I’ve already made a public declaration that I do not and will not use AI to write articles in my voice. I had a little regret that I’ve stated that, because that removed my “easy” solution.
- So I was left with a commitment to a self-declared deadline, my own integrity with sticking with a previous declaration, no easy out, and no inspiration.
- I went to a proven tool of mine, which is to then just start writing train-of-thought for 5 minutes straight. During that time, I asked myself “What do I need to hear most right now?” and “What scares me?”, and I also touched upon the fact that I had been dealing with some anxiety attacks recently. What scared me was not only writing about this, but admitting to myself that despite all my work and progress I am still susceptible to them.
- I began the work of writing this new article, an idea I didn’t have until step 6 above).
- I finished the article, and published on time.
In the end, I was quite proud of the article, proud of how I handled my own integrity, proud of how it touched readers, and proud of the process that created it. I had to do the work myself. Having my AI just churn out some content wouldn’t have created the opportunity for me to grow and strengthen myself. It wouldn’t have given me the opportunity to practice my own self-mastery.
Using AI to write my articles would be like hiring someone to go to therapy for me, then wondering why I still feel anxious.
And this week I get to write another article, breaking down the process that showed up for me because of it. I wouldn’t have this article either.
Ironically, these new articles become additional training for The Wow Machine, and what makes it so impressive is because of the high quality input I give it.
This being another one. I don’t let this snake eat its own tail.
And even now as I reflect on the power of constraints, I’m left wondering how I might benefit from adding more self-generated constraints to provoke and prompt me in other parts of my life? If a simple blog deadline can create transformation for me because I’m willing to do the work, where else can I create that?
My blog isn’t “the thing”, it’s the “the thing that gets me to the thing”. It’s evidence of the work that only I can do.
The things that make us uncomfortable and force us to grow can’t be outsourced or automated. This blog is a record of “what do I need to hear most right now?” It’s evidence of my journey. It’s a legacy. It’s connection with my readers. It’s a ripple of impact in the world.
And all of that is a byproduct of me doing the actual work.
What ‘easy out’ are you currently tempted by? Who benefits if you resist and instead find your next moment of breakthrough growth?
