Late last year, I had the wild-hair idea to create a year of prompts that I called the Content Excellence Challenge.
We’ve had a year of these creativity and productivity challenges here on Copyblogger, and I think we’ve all arrived at a very special place. Spiritually, ecumenically, grammatically.
The community has spent a year trying new creative directions and improving our productive habits. Now we come to the twelfth month, and it’s time for our final pair of prompts. Are you with us?
The December creativity prompt
Since this month tends to be a little chaotic anyway, take advantage of the disruptions in your routine to think about what you want to make happen in 2018.
What new medium do you want to try? What would you like to do differently? What writing techniques or formats would you like to master?
The long winter nights (at least in my hemisphere) are good for dreaming. Instead of waiting for the January resolution rush, start now.
What do you want your creative work to look like in the coming year?
Write it all down. You can include crazy ambitious dreams — “I want to be as funny as Ann Handley” — and practical ones — “I want to publish one piece of content every week consistently.”
The December productivity prompt
Now, taking a look at your goals, wishes, and creative dreams … what has to change in your habits to get you there?
If your first answer is, “I have to write for two hours consistently every single day,” and currently you don’t write at all most days, that’s a good indicator it’s a long-term habit goal.
Let’s start with something a lot smaller.
Decide now to quit making grand plans that never get implemented.
Instead, commit to something so small you know you can easily do it every day. Even on sick days. Even when your in-laws are in town.
Here’s a proven four-part plan that can make that happen for you.
Step #1: Decide on the trigger
For many of us, this is the ingestion of the first caffeinated beverage of the day.
“Every day, as soon as I finish my first cup…
