Tag: communication

Day 7 of the 7-40 Challenge: Unleashing My Inner Blogger – And Why You Should Too!

~ David Willis ~ Leave a comment

Hey there, thank you for tuning in and welcome to Day 7 of the 7-40 Challenge. For the uninitiated, this is my bold experiment: committing to seven transformative habits over 40 straight days to crank up my life’s impact, rack up those small wins, and spark some serious personal growth. We’re talking daily habits that build momentum, one brick at a time.

Today, on Day 7, I’m zeroing in on the habit that’s been my white whale for years: recording my daily adventures and thoughts. Yeah, you heard that right – blogging, journaling, or whatever you want to call this act of putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). It’s not just about spilling my guts; it’s about capturing the chaos, the triumphs, and the “aha” moments that make up this awesome adventure called life.

The Struggle is Real: Why Blogging Has Been My Nemesis

Look, this doesn’t come naturally to me. I envy people I know who effortlessly document their lives with killer photos, snappy captions, or heartfelt essays. They’re out there living their best #DocumentedLife, while I show flickers of promise every once in a while.  Over the years, I’ve dipped my toes in, but consistency? That’s been my Achilles’ heel. Why? Let me break it down into the three brutal truths that have held me back – and how I’m smashing through them.

1. Time: The Ultimate Excuse (That I’m No Longer Buying)

Crafting words that flow? It takes effort, folks. In the whirlwind of a packed day – work, workouts, family, you name it – carving out time felt like an impossible quest. But guess what? Over these last seven days, I’ve proven to myself that it’s doable. It’s all about laser focus, even when my attention span wants to play hooky. No more excuses; I’m owning my sporadic focus and turning it into a superpower. If I can squeeze it in, so can you!

2. The Self-Doubt Monster: Is My Voice Even Worth It?

Here’s the raw truth: I want my words to matter. I believe my unique take on life – the insights, the inspirations, the uplifting thoughts – could light a fire under someone else’s doubt. But that nagging self-doubt creeps in: Is this really worth anyone’s time? Then I snap out of it. This isn’t just for you, dear reader; it’s for me. Documenting my journey lets me track progress, celebrate those golden nuggets of growth, and hold myself accountable. It’s like a daily mirror showing where I started and how far I’ve come. Self-doubt? Consider it evicted.

3. Daily Content: What If I Run Out of “Interesting”?

Finding something fresh and fascinating to share every single day? Daunting, right? But then I think about the rockstars out there: YouTubers dropping daily vlogs, podcasters churning out episodes, creators flooding the world with content. They’re not reinventing the wheel every time – they’re showing up consistently, adding their voice to the mix, making the world a tad brighter or bolder. They’re saying the things that need to be said, day in and day out.

That’s the magic I’m chasing in this challenge: finding my voice. Building it brick by brick, figuring out what fires me up, where to direct my energy, and how my experiences can create real impact. It’s not about perfection; it’s about persistence.

Your Turn: Time to Document Your Epic Saga?

So, spill the beans – do you document your life? Got stories, ideas, or wild thoughts you wish you could capture and share with the world? Maybe, like me, you’ve been waiting for the “perfect” moment. Well, newsflash: that moment is now. Sometimes, it takes a structured challenge to kick things into gear. Trust me, once you start, you’ll wonder why you waited so long. I’m dedicated to the long haul. Let’s keep moving forward. 

Thanks a ton for hanging with me on Day 7. If you’ve got any tips, thoughts, or your own blogging battles to share, drop a comment below. I would so appreciate the feedback. Stay tuned for the next post – we’ve got 33 more days of awesomeness ahead.

What does it mean to communicate?

~ David Willis ~ Leave a comment

I have a confession to make. I love words. I love looking at the definitions of words to see how the they work. I like to examine them and see how I can use them to better explain whatever it is I am trying to explain. Sometimes I discover I had no idea what the word meant and that I have been misusing it for years…

This morning as I started to sketch out the purpose of this post, I started to examine the word communicate. Here is the first definition that came up:

com-mu-ni-cate | verb

Share or exchange information, news, or ideas. To succeed in conveying one’s ideas or in evoking understanding in others.

When I first started reading the definition I felt it was incomplete. If communicating only involved the sharing of ideas, we would all be excellent communicators. Just shout what you want people to hear as loud as you can and viola! Job complete…it isn’t that easy is it? In a word, no.

The second part of the definition I outlined brought the meaning into focus. To succeed in conveying one’s ideas and evoking understanding in others. This, in my opinion, is the heart of communication…understanding. (Side note: This definition said nothing of creating agreement in your listener. When our audience understands us, it does not mean they necessarily agree with us. That is a different topic all together.)

In striving to be a good communicator, I am actively trying to convey my ideas and evoke understanding in my listeners. This is through the words that I say and the way that I say them. There is another element to this though. To share ideas means there is more than just one person involved. Communication is not one sided.

The final line of the first definition states:

(Of two people) be able to share and understand each other’s thoughts and feelings.

Ok, why have I taken you on a definition tour today? I believe that you have important things to say. You have a viewpoint that you need to share. You have thoughts about the world and the way that it works. You have things that you are passionate about and need to share it. Will everyone agree with you? No. That isn’t the point. It is still the way you see the world.

However, as we learn to more effectively communicate, something very interesting happens. People understand us better, yes. We also start to understand others in a way that we haven’t before. We have the opportunity to broaden our perspective. We have a chance to see things differently than we may have before. We change our minds. We sharpen our viewpoints. We evolve and grow.

Effective communication brings us together. I may not agree with everything you tell me, but we have a much better chance of seeing eye to eye if we understand where the other is coming from and why. That understanding can break down walls. Truly communicating is powerful stuff.