Before Another Man Does It First
I used to be the poster child for gifted kidsāor at least every adult in my life made me feel like I was. But now, the only poster Iāll probably end up on is a wanted one.
I was convinced that Iām destined for great things. My high school teacher said I was the best writer in class, and my guidance counselor told me I was bound for success. My family also never failed to remind me how proud they were of how mature I was for my age.
I donāt know when it happened but some time in the last twenty-one years, Iāve become more comfortable with mediocrity.Ā
Iāve been wanting to start this blog for longer than Iād like to admit. Iāve written and rewritten countless drafts only to press delete. Iām just convinced that nothing I had to say was worth sharing, nothing felt extraordinary enough to post.Ā
I was scrolling online the other day, as one does, looking for inspiration on how to start a good blog and I fell into a rabbit hole of self-development videos, all preaching the same simple advice: to just start. And sure, that sounds easy enough. But itās not. Not when youāre anything like meāpessimistic, overcritical, and constantly convinced that everything I make could be better. I started this draft back in summer, and now thereās only fifty-three days left before Christmas.Ā
Iāve been sitting on this draft for months, tweaking a sentence here and deleting another there. But I finally decided enough is enough after seeing this guy I know from college launch his own blog. I canāt believe a man beat me to it! So here I am, finally pressing āpublishā and learning to be okay with just beingābefore another man beats me to it again.












