Why I Started Blogging

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I pursue my life with purpose. That's why I learn. I'm happy if I can help you live your life with meaning. That's why I share what I've learned.

In this post, I'll tell you how I decided to start blogging. Although this is my story, I believe you can take something from it, especially if:

  • You like learning but aren't sure it's helping you.
  • You learn hard but can't say why you do that.
  • You've got tired of learning.

So let's get started.

typing on a laptop
Photo by Kaitlyn Baker on Unsplash

What I did before starting a blog

I'm a software engineer. I decided to be a software engineer because I liked programming and learning. Aside from a passion for programming, being a software engineer requires the competence of constant learning. So I thought it seemed one of the perfect options to me. I was looking forward to tracking challenging technical problems.

However, soon after starting my career as a software engineer, I realized that software engineering isn't everything software engineers do. For example, software engineers have to do the following:

  • Communication with team members or people outside the team.
  • Involvement in project management.
  • Team building.

Fortunately, learning is what I like. I started learning many things, such as communication, project management, and team building. I also read books about things that seemed irrelevant to me. What I learned might not help me immediately. Yet I believed my learning would help me someday.

Hmm, something was "wrong". . .

The problem is, however, that I rarely could put what I'd learned into practice. I didn't know when to use my gained knowledge. I felt the time might never come when I could apply what I'd learned. But I couldn't quit learning because I had nothing else to do. Looking back at that time, my learning habits were reduced to mere killing time. My motivation to learn started to wane.

It was then that the life-changing events happened to me.

My life-changing events

My life-changing events weren't dramatic. I met some books and films. That's it. Yet those changed my life. I'll share a few of them here.

Learn Your Results into Output Illusion

Sion Kabasawa's Learn Your Results into Output Illusion told me output is an essential element of learning. We should digest the information we get by outputting that. Over-input and lack of output lead us to information obesity: having a lot of useless information.

The book made me realize I was in a state of information obesity. I shouldn't have just waited for the time to use my knowledge. I should proactively try to put what I've learned into practice.

A Whole New Mind

A Whole New Mind is a book telling us that so-called right-brained thinking – sympathy, wholeness, and aesthetics, for example – is becoming increasingly important.

The book reminded me of one important thing; I'd lost sight of the wholeness of my life. I only focused on what I do — learning new things. But I had no clear meaning for my learning. I should clarify my purpose. And based on it, I should consider the processes.

In Time

In Time is a fiction and action film. In the movie, time is currency. You have to pay time to buy something. You receive time as a salary. You can live as long as you have time. You can always check how much time you have.

It's thought-provoking. If I could tell when my life ended, would I do what I'm doing? If my watch always reminds me that my life is moving toward the end, will I behave as if I never aged and died? I got a message from the film — don't waste your time.

So what I'm doing

Moved by those books and films, I considered what I could do. Looking back on myself, I found the following:

  • I like learning because it helps me get better.
  • I learn to grow.
  • I rarely output my thoughts.
  • Just gaining new knowledge is complacency. I can provide value to someone only when I use what I've learned.
  • I should be able to spend my time more wisely than just feeling complacent.

Then blogging came to mind. I can share what I've learned to improve myself. What I share may also be helpful for you.

That's why I started blogging. Thank you for reading. I hope this post helps you.

Only Input Isn't Enough, We Need Output and Feedback

Only Input Isn't Enough, We Need Output and Feedback

Though input is an essential process in your learning, it's not enough. You need output and consequent feedback processes when you learn something.

www.reading-watching.com
What We Should Do In A Rapidly Changing World? Here Are Books Giving Us Hints

What We Should Do In A Rapidly Changing World? Here Are Books Giving Us Hints

There are and will be many life-changing technologies, such as AI chatbot. Books such as A Whole New Mind or Start with Why tell us how to think.

www.reading-watching.com
The Essential Things The Film

The Essential Things The Film "In Time" Reminds Us About Time

The film "In Time" depicts a world where time is currency. The movie tells us that time is a resource we should use wisely, even when we have enough.

www.reading-watching.com

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