The blinking cursor in front of my eyes keeps reminding me to write.

To bring something out of me to the world with which it can relate.

But not feel that something’s wrong with them.

Everyone’s after the same thing

I am barely able to find people on Medium, who are talking of something else. Something other than finding success, improving relationships or handling stress.

We have stopped believing that people can read something other than that. There are interests other than insane self-development “hacks.” At least not for me.

We think only hack gets the knack. No. That is not true. At least not for me.

The thing that I’ve learned after reading (massively) and writing (only a bit) is that genuinity matters.

I’m pursuing to be genuine. Because I know, that if I can be genuine, my writing can reach hearts. Even if it doesn’t talk about making a million dollars.

But I’ll say, that people who are writing on success and life-hacks are crazy and insane. They are also trying to serve us with their art and wisdom. Nothing’s wrong with that.

My question is, that what are all of us made to advise people on becoming a CEO?

“Before you find your tribe, you better find your voice.”
– Jeff Goins

There are enough people who are stimulating our minds with the motivational content. We all get imbued with a sense of victory and commitment. Such is the power and influence of genuine writing.

Whereas people who have forced themselves to motivate or inspire, they bore me. (No offense!)

Picking another mainstream

I left the mainstream and got into writing because it was an art with which I could resonate.

It was creativity. It was about making people’s lives easy. Either by advise, sharing or even telling a story.

But I see another mainstream opened up in writing too. The productivity mainstream. Everyone wishes to motivate each other.

We have forgotten one thing. That writing can also soothe people. But we insist on telling them to get productive, or successful.

Writing is also meant to make people laugh, cry, relate and calm down.

It is not necessary to tell people that they can make a 6-figure salary.

Again, I say it, that I’m not judging people who are genuinely into self-help. That genre is not wrong.

Writing comes in different genres. Fiction, poetry, humor, poems/literary, etc. I am encouraging people to embrace their genre. Because self-help, productivity, management, business aren’t the only genres.

If you want self-help advise on Medium, Benjamin P. Hardy is in town. For business and entrepreneurship, Larry Kim comes in handy. To improve life altogether, Tony Fahkry seems to be a good adviser. Prakash Kushwah is my favorite when it comes to spirituality. For writing advise, Danny Forest and many others seem good enough. Vico Biscotti is my personal favorite when it comes to some genuine writing on life-experiences.

And the list goes on.

What the overdose of self-help is doing

My main aim to write is to share. Share my story.

I like to connect with people through my mistakes. Because more than anything, I do mistakes. And I’m pretty sure that all of us make plenty of them too.

And I believe in sharing the thing that connects us in common.

I want people to get over the “perfection” pursuit. It is okay to be wrong or lacking in some places. Now move on!

The people who are genuinely writing on self-help, don’t mean to make you feel guilty. It is our misconception after reading all the bulk of productivity articles.

People who are not meant to write about this are goofing it all up. For us.

The simple way to deal with our confusion is to accept that we have a problem. Then, we think on how to deal with it. Taking the right steps that seem right to us. And are not right in the eyes of some self-help guru.

In the productivity pursuit, we dilute many priorities.

I remember my days when I used to read on Medium almost every day.

The productivity-fever had got too much over my head. I was getting serious about managing my time and not giving it away here and there. I was getting choosy about where I was spending my minutes.

Now you’ll say, “Oh! That’s great! You sealed time leakage!”

But that seriousness turned into stress. I was stealing time from everywhere. No family time, no play-time.

I was growing obsessive. Or you could say, addictive to productivity and goal-achievement.

It was sucking me up. The to-dos, action points. Everything had become a tick-in-the-box for me.

This is what happens. We start ticking-in-the-box. On any one random day, if my routine would get disturbed, my whole mind would revolve around it. And I would label the day as useless. Which, otherwise was a very pleasant one.

A hard-earned day marked as useless. What can be worse than that!

When we aren’t able to meet the production goals that we were supposed to, we demean and criticize ourselves. Which, according to me, is the side-effect of the productivity medicine.

It is a good simulator for us. No doubt.

It charges us to high levels and motivation to do something. I don’t know what. Something…that…blows up the heads! Yeah!

But that’s another extreme.

It’ll take you to a “high”, and then it’ll leave you alone lonely. You’ll get stranded on your productivity island, thinking on what to do next.

Conclusion

I am NOT saying that you shouldn’t be productive or stop reading self-help gurus. But this one is for the writers who are trying to be self-help gurus. Or advisers.

I can’t be an adviser. It’s OK!

I’ll find my voice and shout out my message with that voice. Productivity articles will tell me that my voice is hoarse and there’s a LOT to do.

But I have accepted it that it is hoarse. Now what? Maybe I should take the next step. That too without completely relying on these advises. I am unique, so my honing material and tools will also be different.

I am not a robot that needs to follow every command that an article gives! They’re great for reading and knowing what’s on other people’s minds. But I will only take in what resonates with me.

I’m not a trash hole who is going to take in whatever it reads!

I am going to write what I feel is right. (Write, right. Ooh! Feels like poetry!)

I don’t want to coax people to SUCCEED! I want to write for other purposes. I want to tell them that they are not abnormal. But yes, we all can be normal!

Find your voice. Find your purpose. That is our only job as a writer.

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