This started as an exercise in a training course I was taking. “Just follow this prompt and watch your views explode!” it promised. It drilled down into the format – how to shoot the video, what text to put in the caption, what text to put on screen, what to actually film yourself doing (set up the camera and film yourself reading an email, but the viewer can’t see that). Film only 6 seconds, so that as the person reads the caption, the video will autoplay over and over again, so you’ll get more views. More views equals more algorithm reach. More reach means… and on and on and on.
There was something so disingenuous about it. I felt icky just watching the training. But there was something about the prompt that I couldn’t let go.
What would I tell my younger self, if I could?
I thought there couldn’t possibly be all that much, but I opened my journal and put the first thing that came to mind:
#1: Stop trying to find the most efficient method or perfect next step before taking any action. Any forward motion is better (and quicker) than being stuck waiting for perfection.
The amount of times in my life I’ve felt so stuck because of a specific kind of indecision — the kind where I’m not sure what to do because I can clearly see and understand all the options, but I want to be sure that I’m picking the Right One. (Spoiler alert: There is no Right One.) Coming to realize this and accept that any forward motion is better than trying to be perfect has helped me move so many more projects forward and have more agency.
But I didn’t stop there. I kept writing.
I picked up my journal and jotted down note after note of things that I wished I had known, that I know now, hard won through experience, or pain, or sadness. But also joy! Things that bring peace, or understanding.
At the end of the month (yes, this stuck with me for a month!), I had a list of 107 things that I’ve learned over the last 20 years. Sometimes I reread that list when I feel stuck and I’m surprised at the things I find on it.
#49: When you think, “I don’t have time to do (this thing)” then that’s a red flag to stop and make time to do the thing.
#92: You are allowed to try things AND then give them up / move on from them. It’s not being flaky. It’s living life.
I think my favorite is #98: Sometimes fear is an instructor. Sometimes it’s a warning (but usually not.) Ask Fear what it needs. Don’t let it drive the car.
I had so much fun with this exercise, because it helped me see that growth is something that we can truly see when we sit down and reflect. Everything that we go through leaves a mark that we can learn from, our own personal rings in our tree.
So I’m curious: What would you tell the younger version of yourself? Take a few minutes today and write down just one line. If you’d like to share, reply to this email. I’d love to see what comes up for you.
And if you’re inspired, keep going! You never know what might come up.
Candice McMath
Communications Manager
