Want to become a leader? Learn to write!

Every single day of my mid-twenties I would write for hours. Despite being an awful writer, I became quite prolific, churning out upwards of 10 articles in any given day.

My writing skills improved and my reach followed, eventually expanding to millions of monthly readers.

Then I burned out and it all stopped.

Then this year, I was reminded of the power of writing. It began with simple, private emails.

No, it hasn’t driven me new email subscribers to my newsletter. It hasn’t brought me widespread acclaim and attention.

Instead its impact has been felt among a very tiny group: my boss and team.

Nobody can say they aren’t aware of what’s going on and it presents an opportunity for team members to flag issues or my boss to switch directions.

Slowly introducing the habit back into my life reminded me of the many reasons to write…

It’s Simple

One of the most compelling aspects of writing is that it’s so simple. There’s little overhead. Anybody can do it.

Then once you bring that writing to the web, the impact becomes magnified since anybody can read it.

As James Clear writes, “There isn’t much to it. It is just a few words on a page. But these words can be read by anyone, anywhere.”

The simplicity of it is easy to overlook.

Don’t be fooled: just put the words down and publish them. You are crafting the narrative of success one word at a time.

It’s Therapeutic

I’ve found writing my thoughts and feelings to be immensely therapeutic.

While they don’t all reach my blog, writing notes has enabled me to think through my feelings. From root cause analysis to simply getting in touch with whatever is happening in my mind, it prevents impulsive decisions.

Writing can pierce through the tactics and actions we use to solve problems and help uncover purpose.

The process of slowing down can also reveal ideas that aren’t immediately obvious during our daily routines.

Obviously being well thought out can make you a more respected leader.

It Scales

Finally, all the views and likes of social media have made it easy to forget the impact writing can have.

When was the last time that the answer to a question you asked on Google was found via a tweet or a Facebook post?

For me, it’s basically never. Instead, articles written by billions of individuals provide the answers for our daily lives.

I’m just one of those people and you can be as well. It’s one of the highest leverage things you can do.

To the people reading your content, you are the leader.

So if there is absolutely any hesitation you have to writing and getting your words out there, just remember that it’s the easiest path you can take to leadership.