Why Blog? - Glass and Water

This morning

I went through a few journal entries I wrote four years ago. I have to say that my interest level was not that high; I would rate it a 6/10. So I wonder: why do I write journals, or why do I write blog posts here? 

Art by ajak60.

Reason. 

A few days ago I read a personal improvement blog article along the lines of how 99% of people fight over mediocrity because not everyone is willing to take risks and go for the top. Ultimately, the blog focuses on the path to become extraordinary and more productive.... 

I suppose a blog can be an inspirational and insightful blog. I wrote a post centering solely around productivity and advertised it on Reddit (Block Life - Productivity Experiment). To this date, that post outranks all of my other posts on this blog. 

I considered making my blog like that, but there is a big difference between writing for myself and writing for others. While writing a blog for views, shares, and customers, I feel like I have to restructure the way I wrote to become more concise and effective. A part of me is too lazy to write like that weekly. 

Emotion. 

When I looked back at my journals, I found that 70% of the entries are emotional rants about stressful periods in my life. In addition, during the school year when I am stressed, I write daily, but during the summer when I am not stressed, I write monthly. 

This difference lays in the reason for writing. During the school year, I write to rant and release stress. During the summer, I write to do something interesting. Obviously, negative motivation is easier to convert to action than positive motivation. 

Some of my blog posts are also inspired my emotion. Sometimes, I think about what I am in the mood to write and then write it. In those instances, blog posts become a diluted form of journal entries. 

Art from 5 Centimeters per Second.

Purpose. 

Perhaps this is the hardest thing to write for knowing that "purpose" is a very vague term. I can write to "inspire others to appreciate beauty in life" or "motivate others to pursue their dreams." Purposes sound nice and sweet until it becomes cliches. 

It is similar to making promises. Repeating a promise over and over will not add any value to the world and its people. Promises have to be delivered with action. Words without action are trivial. 

Similarly, writing for a purpose without action is also trivial. 

Momentum. 

Perhaps this is the easiest reason to write. "I started writing a while back, and I do not feel like stopping." This whole momentum concept goes hand in hand with the human nature to seek comfort and safety. We are resistant to change because we do not want to risk getting ourselves into a worse situation than the one we are in right now. 

Likewise, we are reluctant to start something new or stop something old. 

With comfort and order, the initial idea of the upside down snow globe loses its magic. Instead of something that inspires persistence, it becomes simply glass and water.