Write now. Share soon.
Recently, I had one of my first in-person client meetings in a long time.
Since that mini-apocalypse we all somehow lived through, most people have been communicating, working, and playing with each other through screens.
In fact, in one of my recent roles, I went almost a year and a half before meeting my colleagues in person. And I have yet to physically meet ghostwriting clients I have collaborated with in the last three years.
That’s the reality of work today.
That’s the reality of business today.
It’s all virtual — and, sometimes, it works. Virtual collaborations are efficient and cost-effective.
But now and then, even an introvert like me could use a face-to-face, in-person interaction with a colleague or client.
Going into that recent in-person meeting, I was genuinely excited to swap my slippers for shoes and extend my usual commute from bedroom to the home office by taking a stroll to the waterfront.
It was good to shake hands.
It was even better to be around good company.
It was great to get a better read of their body language.
At some point in the conversation, I was asked what my long-term vision was for my career. Usually, I detest such questions because there are no right answers.
But I understood the intent behind the question and responded honestly, “I want to be a teacher.”
“Not necessarily in an academic setting, though.” I continued, “I want to teach people how to write and use their writing to share ideas, start conversations and impact their communities.”
And as I spoke, I realized that this was the first time I shared my vision with someone other than Lerit.
Well, I wrote it down at some point in the last year and then shared it with her. But I’ve never said it out loud outside the four corners of our house.
The rest of the conversation validated my words, but I didn’t need that validation. My words were made true from the moment I wrote them down.
Writing them down gave me clarity. It helped me organize my thoughts and spot inconsistencies.
Sharing them with Lerit gave me perspective. She shared feedback and challenged my assumptions.
But saying them out loud to strangers made me feel more accountable.
In some unspoken way, by sharing publicly, I committed to staying true to that vision. And maybe that’s exactly what I needed.
But it all starts with writing.
The older I get, the more I realize that no good idea ever comes to life if it isn't written down. From thought to reality, the bridge is the pen.
And on the other side of that bridge is sharing your ideas, gaining perspective, and taking action to bring them to fruition.
While writing down your ideas may be the first step in bringing them to life, sharing them with others is often what takes them to the next level.
Whether it's collaborating with others to refine your ideas, getting feedback and support from a community, or pitching your ideas to investors or clients, sharing your ideas is essential to making them a reality.
So if you’ve got a good idea, write it down now. But don’t forget to share it eventually and get the perspective you need to refine your idea and bring it to life.
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