Daily blogging changes people.
It doesn’t change their essence. It chips away at the gunk that builds up around that essence. It burns away chaff and unleashes a stronger, clearer, more refined and robust person. It makes people better versions of themselves.
I was just browsing the Praxis participant and alumni online community. There are hundreds of Praxians, and nearly every one of them has completed 30 days of daily blogging. But dozens have gone much further. I started thinking about the transformations I’ve seen in some of them as they show up to hit publish every day.
Their writing has improved, yes. Their content has deepened yes. They’ve developed a voice. They’ve created a valuable signal on the market with a body of work. But most of all, they’ve obtained a strengthened personality and built massive confidence that bleeds into every aspect of life. That’s what showing up every day hell or high water does. It makes you proud of yourself in a healthy way. If there is at least one thing you will complete every single day no matter what else happens, you suddenly feel like you are acting upon the world, instead of responding as the world acts upon you.
The act of creation bleeds into all aspects of life. If you refuse to let anything stop you from creating words on a page every day, what else can you will to do? If you can arrange your environment and incentive structure to maximize the odds of keeping that one commitment, how else might you set yourself up for success?
Curiosity begins to win out over fear. Belief over doubt. Productive mischief over bored obedience.
Daily blogging is the simplest form of personal alchemy I know of.