Today, I’m kicking off NaNoWriMo, which stands for National Novel Writing Month. But I’m doing it differently—I’m not writing a novel. Instead, I’m challenging myself to write 50,000 words of content for my blogs and freelance clients. I’ve been a bit lazy in October, trying to recover from FinCon and traveling a lot. But these are just excuses for not getting things done.

Writing, in many ways, is like going to the gym. This morning, I went for a run after several days of doing nothing. It was tough—my lungs were about to give up—but I pushed through and came home feeling fantastic, thanks to the endorphin rush. I wondered why I had skipped running for five days. It’s the same with writing: the more I write, the more I want to write.

Some articles can be emotionally draining because you pour a lot of yourself into them. Yet, there’s always room to write more. By my estimate, I wrote about 10,000 words in October. Usually, I hit around 20,000 words a month. So NaNoWriMo means ramping up to five times that amount.

I’m planning to start strong so I can afford to take breaks. Next week, I’m heading to Texas, and then I’ll be in Europe by December. This month, I’ll be away from home for at least 19 days, possibly 24 if I don’t return between trips. Traveling disrupts all my routines, be it eating, exercising, or writing, so I need to build a buffer before I leave.

So why take on such a crazy challenge?

First, accountability. Living in the jungle means there’s no one around to push me when I slack off. By announcing my goal publicly, I’m holding myself accountable. I said I would write like a machine, and that’s what I’ll do. Failing would hurt more than the physical toll on my fingers by the end of the month.

Second, pride. I love the sense of accomplishment that comes from completing a task—whether it’s after a run or finishing a project. But I often stop at 90% and call it enough, which doesn’t feel as satisfying as truly finishing.

Third, it’s not as hard as it seems. Big goals can be broken down into smaller, manageable tasks. For instance, saving a million dollars amounts to saving $500 per month for 35 years at 8% interest, which breaks down to just $20 a day. Similarly, NaNoWriMo requires writing 1,667 words a day, which is just a couple of posts. Knowing myself, I’d prefer to write 3-5 posts a day early on to build a cushion for my travel and other activities this month, including dealing with jet lag.

Fourth, getting back on track. October was a slow month for me writing-wise. Without the need for income, I lacked motivation. I needed a break but also enjoy feeling productive. Being too lenient with myself makes it harder to get back to work, so writing a few thousand words daily seems like a perfect solution.

Finally, improving my skills. The best way to get better at anything—writing, running, painting—is through practice. I sometimes cringe at my old posts, and I might cringe at this one in the future, but that’s a sign of progress. My English, typing speed, and spell-check skills have all improved, and a month of intense writing will further enhance my abilities.

I admit I’m taking a bit of a shortcut by writing this post and maybe some follow-ups this month. If you’re thinking about starting NaNoWriMo too and need an accountability buddy, feel free to reach out!