- Published on
Let the Streak Begin
I’ve always thought about writing more and sharing my thoughts, but a mix of imposter syndrome and my naturally laid-back, lazy attitude has held me back. Honestly, I don’t worry too much about what others think, but I do hesitate when it comes to posting things that might feel like nonsense—which, looking back, might actually be a good filter. For example, if I were to write about neural networks, I’d wonder: aren’t there already hundreds of posts on this topic? What would make mine stand out? And then comes the self-doubt—am I even qualified to write about it? Do I actually know enough? These kinds of thoughts have stopped me in my tracks more times than I can count.
But last week, I came across an inspirational article by Simon Willison about his experience completing a year-long streak of posting every single day. It got me thinking: why not start my own streak? Maybe not as intense as his daily commitment, but something I could stick to, like one post a week—every Tuesday.
The topics could be anything: technology, machine learning, books, travel, sports, or cinema. The only rule is to publish something every week. To give my streak a clear end goal, I’ve chosen December 30th, the last Tuesday of this year, as the final day. That’s 52 weeks of consistent writing—a manageable yet challenging target.
The beauty of streaks lies in their ability to push you into action. I’ve been reading this self-help book called Compound Interest, which emphasizes how consistent efforts over time yield exponential benefits. Initially, the growth is imperceptible, but over time, the results become extraordinary. The key is not just consistency but also striving to improve incrementally. Not every day will be better than the last—bad days are inevitable—but over the long run, the goal is to see progress, even if it’s microscopic.
Simon Willison’s inspiration for his streak was Tom Scott, the well-known YouTuber and science enthusiast who posted a video every week for ten years. That’s a remarkable level of commitment. In Tom’s final video, he shared how this streak impacted his daily life, including the immense pressure to maintain it. While streaks are a powerful psychological tool, they can also be stressful and overwhelming. Breaking a streak can feel devastating, and restarting often feels impossible.
The solution, as Simon suggests, is to incorporate flexibility. For example, Duolingo’s “streak freeze” allows users to forgive occasional slip-ups without breaking their streak. I’m planning to adopt a similar approach, allowing myself up to three “streak freezes” throughout the year. This doesn’t feel like cheating; it’s a way to make the streak sustainable and reduce the stress of perfectionism.
Of course, I’ll have to be cautious not to misuse this flexibility. The ultimate goal is self-improvement, and the only person benefiting from this commitment is me.
With that, I’m ready to start my streak. Oh, and guess what? It’s my birthday today! Seriously, could there be a better day to start something fresh? It’s like a little birthday gift to myself—a promise of consistency, growth, and maybe even a bit of fun along the way. Here’s to 52 weeks of writing, learning, and surprising myself. Let the streak begin!