Hello friend
This is going to be an important, slightly longer edition.
Because it might decide the future of this newsletter’s name (it sounds too self-centered at present ) and identity over the next few months.
Since you have been an integral part of this journey in the last 10 months, I want you to play a role in this.
But if you don’t want to read the entire thing, just jump to the last section named, “Looking Back at My Streak- Rethinking Newsletter Name”.
Go ahead, I won’t mind, I promise! 😀
So, now that you have decided to continue reading (you are awesome, you know that, right? :)), here is the thing.
Since I started writing this newsletter 10 months ago, I’ve been looking for my ‘niche’: that elusive topical theme in which I can become an expert/guide and get known for it in the community.
It is the holy grail of online creators and digital entrepreneurs. Get your niche right and everything becomes easy, they say.
But, how does one get it right? Where does someone even start?
Paradoxically, it is unlikely to get your niche right without putting yourself out there.
It is about consistently pursuing your innate curiosities and creating stuff until you find something that resonates with people as well as gives you creative satisfaction.
During this time, you must be willing to go through the crickets of indifference: when nobody reads your stuff; there are no likes or shares or retweets, and where the only few people cheering you would be your close friends or well-wishers.
This is not easy.
It can be a tough ride in a stormy, scorching desert where you come face to face with the heat of self-judgment, imposter syndrome, and constant self-doubt threatening you to quit or perish.
What is the key to surviving this period?
Just 1 thing- you must enjoy the ride while beating the heat.
So, instead of asking what is your niche, ask yourself:
What is something you can do on a day-to-day basis without getting exhausted or bored?
Even better, what is something you’d look forward to doing every day which fills you with joy and excitement?
In other words, it is not about the niche, it is about the streak.
Your goal is to arrive at something you enjoy and maintain that streak day after day.
Remember, you might not be good at it at first.
It does not matter. More important is how you feel about it.
It is almost the spiritual equivalent of staying in the moment and taking action without getting attached to the outcome.
Another similar way to put this is finding a mode.
Article of the Week- Don’t Find a Niche, Find a Mode
Aim to find the state where you can keep showing up with your unique strength and continue to create and share things. Find a mode where you can continue to be excited about what you are doing despite being ignored. Your niche is the by-product of this mode of working instead of an end state.
Looking back at My Streak- Rethinking Newsletter Name
So here is the main reason why I spent talking about the niche and streak in this edition.
I think it is time to iterate for the first time and give this newsletter a fresh, new identity of its own, independent of my name.
I looked back at my steak of 39 newsletters and discovered a few common themes that have emerged in the past 10 months:
- Finding little courage and comfort through authentic connections and vulnerable, personal stories
- Power of consistency and courage to go through the uncertainty
- Loneliness, the pursuit of freedom & genuine connections
- Emotional health, self-image, shame, binge-eating, & more
- Looking within to find answers rather than following the herd
- Experiments/insights on awareness, meditation, spirituality
Not only did I feel a sense of creative satisfaction but also people seemed to resonate with these themes based on the responses and conversations I had with people.
When I looked at the above themes, I was pleasantly surprised to see some of my core values clearly reflected in the above: Freedom, Connection, Courage, and Creativity.
So, based on the above themes, here are a few name ideas I have in mind to rebrand this newsletter:
- The ABC Newsletter- Adventure, Bravery, Creativity (Full disclosure: it is inspired from a movie that is extremely close to my heart- can you guess it? Hit reply if you can! :P)
- Head to Heart Newsletter
- The 3C Newsletter- Connection, Courage, Creativity
- The CFC Newsletter- Connection, Freedom, Creativity
- Looking Within Newsletter
- Confidently Confused Newsletter
- The Little Courage Newsletter
What do you think?
Does any of the above names resonate with you?
To those who are regular readers, do you think any of the above names reflect the kind of content you have grown to expect from me?
Share your thoughts, ideas, and feedback (even if you think you wouldn’t like any change! :D).
Until next time
Love
Vishal