Growth and Perspective

100 subscribers is a lot... right?

Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.

Viktor E. Frankl

We’re Growing, Baby!

Well, what is growth, really?

Perhaps I shouldn’t include so many questions in my writings. There is power in a good question, however. Questions force thought, though that can be quickly and effectively ceased if the question is obvious or not impactful enough.

So there’s an art to questions. And I am attempting to hone that. Are questions one piece of the puzzle that can help people start seeing the connections we all have? Even in the midst of heated debate and divided politics?

Well, I have no idea, but I think so.

But let’s get back to the point. Growth. What is it? Addition of matter to an entity? Numbers going up and not down?

It depends on the context of “growth”. What comes to mind immediately is hitting and then eclipsing that 100 subscriber mark last night and then today.

We’re at 104 strong! That’s wonderful and unexpected.

Of course I was looking to write to an audience, and I hope I have been effective in doing so, even when I didn’t actually have one. But thank you, all of you, for taking the time to enter that email address and subscribe. It really does mean a lot.

But what does this mean?

That I cannot answer. I haven’t been here before, though I am excited to be here now. But something that occurred to me talking with my mother this morning left me a bit unsettled, perhaps concerned.

I am caught off guard when people are interested in what I am doing or writing.

That part threw me a bit. Shouldn’t I expect that? Shouldn’t I only write things I am sure will engage or bring in an audience? Why wouldn’t I make sure that’s the case?

But then I was struck by another question, of course.

How can I maintain that surprise? How do I stay this way?

Growth is great. I am, of course, looking to continue growing. Maybe even generating some real income at some point. And I should be working towards growth in a sense.

However, as I have stated before, growth for the sake of growth may signal cancer. If I am only motivated by growth and not message or content, does that affect my writing? Does that affect my message?

Yes. It will. There are many offers out there to learn how to write pieces that will grow your audience. It’s all about keywords and what topics to cover and what to avoid. They say not to make some of the “mistakes” I do here.

They’re right, of course, if growth is the goal. A better representation of that may be: if growth is the only goal and money is the output desired. Which, if that’s the case, go for it. Absolutely.

But eventually what are you going to be doing? Are you going to shift your message to what you intended originally? Will the current zeitgeist be your only talking point into perpetuity?

Again, if that’s the case and you enjoy that, go for it. Personally I just like writing most times, but it’s during the times I hate writing that I realize I couldn’t do anything else, right now at least, and continue with the passion and fervor even during the bad times.

And, during the “I don’t wanna do this right now” times I realize that the only topics that can force my hands to type ANYTHING are the ones I feel strongly about. Passion isn’t required for writing.

Passion is required for writing that can captivate, stimulate, provoke thought, and inspire.

Penned Perspective

There is interesting writing to be found by someone who is penning a topic they don’t care about. Those are artists, to be sure, but that isn’t me.

To complete this circumnavigation of thought and concept, that’s why growth cannot be the only factor for me.

Because when I don’t want to do something, I REALLY DON’T WANT TO DO SOMETHING.

And being new, I have not habituated writing to an extent I have developed and instilled the discipline needed to keep going despite that.

So I will continue to write on what I believe matters in life. And I will continue writing as if these are letters to my children. I know the perspective is off, and the tone, but my kids know I’m a bit weird. So I’ll keep being that too.

Let’s get to a community of 1000 people so I can practice what I preach. And so I can get comfortable being surprised by interest. Keep me grounded. Y’all be sure to tell me when I am wrong on a topic.

I’m serious when I say I invite criticism. If I cannot take criticism myself, who the hell am I to tell me kids to do so? So make me take it, or make me stop. Or don’t, your call!

Again, thank you all for reading. I truly appreciate every single sub. And I am working on something else to go along with Personal Narrative Prompts to provide for y’all.

So stay tuned!

Written with Warm Regards and Endless Gratitude,

Dad