Blogging was one of the best decisions I've made in my life. It's one of the best signalling mechanisms.
I had a hunch going into 2013 that I would want to start a company, raise capital, attract talent, and ultimately ask for money from customers. In order to do that, I knew that I would have to showcase my brain. No one wants to give money to, work for, or be associated with an idiot. This challenge is even more pronounced in healthcare IT, in which my age works against me.
Blogging is one of the best ways to showcase one's brain in a format that anyone can digest and understand on their own time. Blogging is simple, universally accessible, and still incredibly powerful.
In addition to signalling, I've also discovered that blogging helps me collect and organize my thoughts, improve all facets of written and verbal communications, and calm my nerves. For the first time in my life, I carry fiduciary responsibilities. I am accountable to my investors, and I will do anything and everything to ensure that I return their capital 10x. That responsibility creates real pressure to perform. Since I don't watch TV or play video games anymore, I relax by writing and working out.
Thank you to everyone who's helped me get my writing career off the ground. I want to give special thanks to:
Dr. Robert Marcus, who's edited almost every post I've written since the start of the year.
Tushar Jain, who's held me accountable via stickk.com every week, and provided insightful, honest feedback on many posts.
Ryan Hoover, who's provided inspiration and given crucial feedback on a few key posts.
Dr. Travis Good, who's provided excellent guidance and mentorship as a fellow HIStalk blogger.
Tim, aka Mr. HIStalk, who's provided access to the best writing outlet and publication platform in healthcare IT on the Internet, HIStalk.