I took a break from writing partly because I wanted to reflect on the kind of things I usually write about. If you go through my articles, you’ll notice that most of them are about life experiences, what we can learn from them, and how we can make the best of them, even within constraints. When I thought about it, I wondered whether I should instead be writing something more technical, perhaps related to my field of work or other areas of interest. And rightly so, if I could.
That consideration was one of the reasons I paused writing here for a while. But now, I’ve decided to return.
I’ve come back to my original idea of writing: to write even if it helps just one person.
I had anticipated that writing something more technical would enhance my career and perhaps present me as an authority on whichever subject I chose. And again, rightly so… but to what end? I can’t do everything exclusively for the sake of “enhancing my career”—whatever that may mean. I should also be able to do some things simply because I enjoy them, regardless of the benefits—or lack thereof—that come with them.
One of the things that helped me reach this conclusion was reflecting on what has actually mattered most to me. What helped me most were not technical papers or detailed industry insights, but the very kind of writings I produce myself—reflections on life, ideas, and perspectives. And that’s also how I’ve managed to help people the most. That matters to me. I want what I write to be useful to at least one person.
Over the past ten years, I’ve referenced Dale Carnegie’s book far more than I’ve referenced Michael Webber’s (and yes, you probably don’t know who that is). I’ve cited the article Don’t Be a Donkey more often than Architecting Data-Intensive SaaS Applications. Why is that? Because the former category has been far more helpful to me—and I believe it can be for others as well.
This is not to say I won’t write the kinds of pieces that could be considered “career accelerators.” Rather, one form of writing will not stop me from pursuing the other. I’ll write whatever ensures the best experience for me. Just like this one.
And I hope at least one person finds it helpful.