“You’re a hack”

That’s what The Bad Brain told me every day.

At first it was loud. I would bite my lip, jump around the room, and then finally play some upbeat music to build up the courage just to click a simple button:

PUBLISH.

I wondered if anyone would care. I wondered who could possibly gain value from what I had to say. I wondered how I was different than anyone else.

I also wondered what I would write next week, since I’d just written everything I could think of.

PUBLISH.

Miraculously, I kept showing up in weeks three, four, and five. Ideas emerged because I showed up and wrote even when I did not know what to say. Was I — the immaculate quitter — finally sticking with a habit?

“Don’t worry, it’ll wear off soon,” The Bad Brain said.

“Shut up,” I told him, as I clicked the button.

PUBLISH.

PUBLISH.

PUBLISH.

Before 30,000-plus people were waiting to see what would happen next, before I showed up on Inc. Magazine and Apple News and CNBC, before I was offered to share the stage with an Olympic athlete, before I vaulted over some of my idols to became a top writer on both Medium AND Quora in the same week, I wrote.

I wrote my way in front of the world.

“I’m glad you have a bigger platform,” The Bad Brain said. “That’s all the more people to let down when you quit.”

“I may quit one day, but it won’t be today.”

My mouse hovered over the button again. Somehow, it was not so intimidating this time.

PUBLISH.

PUBLISH.

PUBLISH.

PUBLISH.

I haven’t created nearly 650 posts over the last two years because I started quickly. I wrote that much because I STARTED SLOWLY. As a journalist, I would write 3 stories a day. Writing only one post a week to get off the ground on Medium nearly destroyed me.

In the beginning, momentum matters more than quantity. When you set up a regular schedule and follow it, you win.

Kyle is my friend. Even though he has made a million dollars online, I want to see him achieve his new goals.

But I wouldn’t have recommended his post, and I wouldn’t be writing this if I didn’t believe in the words he wrote. Please read them again:

“A slow start doesn’t doom you to failure.

Momentum grows over time.”

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a button to push.

Much love,

— TB