Starbucks Exhaustion
So when my friend and colleague, Allan Gyorke, left a comment on my last post about the idea of a “One X Per Day Challenge” for the month of July I thought it might be an interesting experiment. What the “X” consists of is really up to you. On one hand I like the idea of building, sharing, creating something every single day for a month, but on the other I fear I might have a tendency to mail it in. Folks like D’Arcy and Alan do the amazing one flickr post a day and I know they rarely mail it in, but I wonder if I would simply bail on it somewhere in the middle and start posting crap. I just don’t know. I know the one thing that really pushes me is writing, so I wonder how creating other forms of stories would treat me.
Maybe it would be as rewarding and exhausting — just in different ways. Either way, if I do engage in it I’ll want to set some ground rules. I would also want to use my blog as the place where I keep track of the contributions — and if I do that well, each entry might look more like a reflection of the artifacts instead of just a simple pointer to it. As I sit here and write about the idea I am coming around to it. It would force me to think about different ways to share, it would push me to participate every day, and it would let me engage in some real reflective activity while I work to make sure it lives on in my personal space. This is sounding better … anyone up for a challenge?
Hi Cole,
I’ve definitely felt the need lately to be part of something stimulating that is bigger than myself, so the idea is definitely appealing.
I generally try to post every day (or at least several times a week) as it is for the same reasons you describe – I find that it helps clear out the clutter and keep me focused on whatever objective I’ve set for myself at the time. I’ve often joked that I blog to think – as weird as it sounds it’s quite true in my case.
If I’m reading this topic correctly, the “One X Per Day Challenge” isn’t restricted to blogging – but something that is meaningful to us. Am I right?
Are there any other constraints than that?
Cheers,
Mike
@ Mike Bogle I’m still working out the details … at the moment, this could be a short video, a photo, etc. The one thing I am thinking is that I’ll still use my blog to either post the artifact or reflect on what went into it. Not sure I’ll pull it off, but if we get some people together it could be fun.
Cole, I’m looking for a way to get started myself, and the 1X/day challenge offers a spark. I feel I lack discipline and then there’s the whole audience issue. I got to talk with Allan briefly at ELI in FLA and I’m appreciating your blog. If I can look at this like training for a half marathon it feels more feasible. If I can give myself permission to just make this about my own learning it might be worthwhile. If I can think of this as an exercise in living with the idea of blogging as a means of personal and professional development I might be able to short circuit the little voice of distraction that keeps me from getting started in my own right.
Wow. Guess I should really be reading your blog more faithfully. This makes twice you’ve posted something in similar veins to what I was writing about. Does this mean some of my brilliance is starting to rub off on you?
Have had this post open in my browser for a few days and I finally pushed myself to comment. You know when your writing is suffering when comments seem to be a struggle.
I say I am in on the One X per day challenge. Looking forward to what happens.
I was pressing for July, but I’ve already logged two days in a row, so it looks like I am in. Looking forward to seeing what emerges!