It doesn’t really matter what you start with as long as you just start… Just go. Just jump off the cliff. The first thing you write down is not going to be great, so just play with it.
This is a great quote from a podcast I did with Chris Donnelly way back in the day when I tried to start a platform and podcast (episode at the end). Here I am today, around seven years later, starting a new one. But this time in a much more lean way. Just a simple blog on a Notion published website.
Life is far too busy these days to start with fantastical grand plans and highly built out platforms that no one may even visit. I did that for far too long in my youth.
The only initial purpose of this place is to publicly log my process. Primarily for me, and hopefully to lay the groundwork of it eventually being valuable to others in future.
As trite as it may sound, I feel like I have an immense amount to give the world. So much to discover, learn, teach, and share. And I’ve been stuck, and not letting that grow.
Why? Probably because the internet is a scary place and my cynical voice creates many characters that shoot me down. But, something calls me — it always has.
This year
It’s Jan 2024 and this year is looking a little daunting.
I have two young kids (3 and 6 months) and a wonderful partner and we’re making the move from 🇬🇧 Bristol to 🏴 Edinburgh. We’re leaving everything we know and following a calling up north. It’s exciting, and terrifying at the same time.
I also work at a startup — Glide. I absolutely love my work, but it is usually quite demanding.
So, it seems a strange time to add another thing to my belt — a website and a blog. However, there is a strong need within me to deeply process things, especially as they become more intense. I remember a quote that I heard about the Dalai Lama who said something like;
‘If I have time, I meditate for four hours. If I'm really busy, I meditate for five hours.’
That’s what I’m getting at here, but with writing. I write all the time; journals, notes for future books, and I also do audio and video diaries. By many people’s standards, it’s a bit weird. By my standards it's a bit weird. But I've learned over the last few years to accept this wellspring of thought and content.
So, although I’m well-aware plans are meant to be changed in-flight, at this stage this year looks like it should be about:
- My family: investing in the kids and supporting my partner
- Move to Edinburgh: taking time out of work to house hunt, plan, pack, and support the family in the transition
- Work at Glide: There's a deep entrepreneurial spirit in me. But right now with a young family, and this major move, I need to simplify and focus on my job. Which I love.
and, a side-project:
- jackvaughan.com — Even though it’s just a blog right now, there is a deep excitement in me at starting something new again. And processing here will do a lot, even if only my mum and friend Tom read it.
There's so much more to come and I can't wait to share it with you. I need to sort out a mailing list for people to stay in touch with stuff. But for now, please connect on X.
Here’s that old podcast I mentioned 👇