Dear Hivers,
You see, I recently started an accountability group. Our mission was to complete our goals within 30 days. One of my goal was to write every single day on Hive.
In fact, I am already on Day 57 — exceeding my 30 day goal.
I thought I will share my thought process. If you are a brand new content creator, then I welcome you to read this article. As you will read, you will see 3 crucial mindset shifts I used to start my journey. It was in my head. Now it is here — as an article.
But before we go any further, let us also remember this: Hive is different.
For example:
- If you publish more, you might be seen as someone “milking” the platform.
- If you publish less (once a month), then you are missing an opportunity.
Solution: Find your sweet spot.
For me, the sweet spot is to write one article per day. Even American Author Seth Godin writes every single day — and I think he has written over 8000 articles. Whatever the case is, you have to make a choice.
In fact, the trick is not in starting but also continuing.
So if you are struggling to continue? The solution is simple. Soon you will discover it is all about forgetting what you know — to remember what you always knew. This is where the mindset shifts mentioned below are important.
Let's look at them:
In order to write regularly on Hive, one has to forget the rewards. It is not easy because your time is involved. But as mentioned in my one dollar on Hive guide, it is important to shift your focus from money to delivering value and committing yourself to a challenge.
So do not look at your rewards right away. Instead, change the plan — and treat this as a challenge. Like hitting the gym — start hitting the publish button.
Write for at least 15 days — without a break. Or 30 days like I did. Maybe one per day is too much for you. Pick your own pace. If you would like to write 3 per week, great. Think of a number and stick with it. Add value. Be committed. And challenge yourself while forgetting the rewards.
Tip: We might be busy. So here's what I do: I fix my time. Now I write my article every night after 11 PM.
Once you forget the rewards, it is time to forget your surroundings. This is important especially if you are starting out. I know a couple of content creators afraid to share what they already know.
You see, you don’t have to worry about the quality — or if anyone is going to read your article. In fact, don't seek validation from anyone.
If you do? It leads to self-doubt. I will let this image do the talking.
In short: If your surrounding doesn't appreciate your work (NO) then you are creating a self-doubt within you. Most people live in this self-doubt for years.
Short story: Neil Gaiman was one of them. If you didn’t know, he is one of the coolest author who has inspired millions of readers with his 20+ published books.
But he isn't any different. Early in his life, he was seeking validation from other people. He was conscious of his surroundings.
In fact, as a kid, Neil sent his book to Roald Dahl— who was a legendary author from the 1900s. Neil wanted to get his stamp of approval.
Days turned into nights. Weeks into months. Nothing ever happened.
Fact is: Roald never replied.
And this one incident changed Neil forever. From Neil words:
The bottomline is: the show must continue. Don't let anything stop you. You must forget the rewards and surroundings.
Few of the barriers I have noticed:
- Language barrier
- Vocabulary barrier
Don't be consumed by such barriers. It doesn't matter if English is not your first language. Or if your vocabulary is weak or strong.
If you would like to know:
I remember practicing alphabets in school while the other kids were reading poems. They were two steps ahead. Or maybe I was two steps behind. You see, English wasn't my first — second — or even third language.
Then I learned to read and write. Today, I write in English for a living. Reason I am sharing this: If I can do it? Anyone can.
So drop all the language barriers. Once you do that, also drop the vocabulary barriers. Meaning don't use big fancy words. Never try to sound smart (see pic below). Or write to impress. Or display your skills.
In fact, always write to share.
That is why I keep my writing simple. Simple appeals to everyone.
In short: to start your life as a content creator on Hive, forget everything you know.
Because the moment you forget everything, it becomes so much easier to start something new — you will start filling your mind with new thoughts and new ideas. All these mindset shifts pushed me to write one article a day on Hive.
It pushed me to be clueless — and also be deadly curious. Those really are the perfect recipe we need on Hive — and even in life.
To recap:
- Forget the rewards
- Forget the surroundings
- Forget those language barriers
- Forget using fancy words
- Forget everything you know
And then, once we start doing this, we will be like kids — clueless yet curious — so content creation won’t be a tedious task anymore. It will simply become an enjoyable process.
Through these simple shifts, not only do you regain the motivation to write but also get to smile as you achieve your goals. Like I am having one right now as I finish this article.
So with thought, I hope and wish many more content creators on Hive will start publishing useful content — content that inspires, moves, and influences people.
For those who are interested in content creation, I might create something soon. For now, I am always watching, reading, and appreciating everyone's efforts to contribute on this platform.
Let’s continue with a smile!
Cheers,
Sid
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