One Idea At A Time

I just read Stefano Ganddini’s Substack post, “I Don’t Have Anything To Say . . .”

He wrote about the energy it takes for writers to “see ideas through,” which made me think about my own energy levels when I try to compose a post, but his premise confirmed something else for me that I needed to consider.

When I feel like it’s too difficult to see a post through from start to finish, I have to remember that a post is about only one idea. If I stick to the point, I usually don’t need to worry about having enough energy. When I let my narrative wander down various rabbit holes, however, I do need extra energy, and by the time I realize I have wandered from my intended path I am frustrated and unclear about what on earth I started out to say. By then not only my stamina, but my interest in and excitement for the original task may have waned.

Addressing only one idea in a post also keeps my thinking on point, and when I don’t try to include every possible side-thought, I can save those notions for topics in more posts.

So thank you, Stefano. I know this isn’t exactly where you were heading, but your post pointed me in a direction I needed to go. It’s a simple principle I am happy to be reminded of, which is to stick to the point of what I originally meant to say, without attaching spin-off ideas. Those ideas are best left to the readers, who can use them as springboards for thought or discussion.