Another Weekday Blogging Challenge & How It'll Help Me Finish My Second Book

My friend Jeremy Sloan has launched a weekday blogging challenge as a follow up to the one we did in 2017. He and several team members at CablesAndKits.com (an active client) are participating, beginning this week and lasting through the end of March. 

My first post in the challenge went up yesterday, about the importance of relationship building time with our children. My plan was to simply post weekly as I've done since the beginning of this year and cheer them on along the way, but crazy me has decided to participate at the faster pacing. 

There's a camaraderie that comes from doing a challenge with other people. Plus the accountability, urgency, and momentum are powerful factors contributing to the group's success. Yeah, it'd seem like a wasted opportunity to simply not be a part of this energy.

Leveraging The Blogging Challenge To Finish A Book

And then there's my book project for striving small business owners, the Jump. My goal is to have the draft ready for others to review by the end of this month (which seems likely to get pushed back a bit). This year so far, I've been working through the book's substructure, moving things around and getting a flow to it. As I've done this, the gaps of what still needs to be written are more apparent. That means I've got more writing to do. This challenge could help me kill a handful of birds with just a few stones if I write the content I need for the book as blog posts in this campaign.

Getting Clear On The Final Finishing Steps

Also, when we get stuck on a project, in our business, or a relationship, one reason is when the overwhelming feeling of what's ahead meshed into the uncertainty stalls us. One helpful way to overcome this tension is by clearly defining our next steps. When we define them all the way to the finish line, even better!

Right now with my book project, I know the larger aspect of the project milestones, but I've been lacking a clear vision of what's specifically remaining in the book. By updating the substructures (the skeleton of each chapter) of the book, I've now got a better flowing manuscript for reading through to see what's missing, or what requires essential updates.

For example, the last two chapters (one of which may simply be broken up and placed into other sections) are still up in the air. The last chapter is outlined but still needs to be written. 

My Next Step Content Writing Outline

To help me get clear on what needs writing, I'm putting together a list of the content I know needs to be created or finished to have a complete readable draft. Once these are written, I'll read through it from start to end, and see what else is missing. From there, finishing this book will be mostly smooth sailing. Reading, editing, & repeat.

Here are my headlines for upcoming sections and blogs to publish.

• Understanding the four types of distractions we face.
• A practical action management system for making stuff happen.
• What does it look like to go from chaos to clarity?
• Let's talk about your stalling small business, and the realities you're facing.
• Revisiting The five stages of every organization.
• What's it look like to go from rogue management to system oriented leadership?
• Your business doesn't get better without you growing as a leader.
• Yes, you can and should make the jump with your existing team.
• What's your business look like with bulletproof systems and a culture of strong mental models?
• Those fives steps to a well-oiled machine are your lifeline, lean on them regularly.
• When it comes to growing your small business, use effective strategies. Leverage innovation when there's margin to do so.
• You're ready. Go make the jump. 

Hero Photo by Kaitlyn Baker on Unsplash