I Completed a 5-Day Shortform Article Challenge on Medium

I’m a sucker for challenges; I do them every month. If I’m not doing a Medium writing challenge, I’m doing a blog post challenge or YouTube content posting sprint.

I recently finished a five-day shortform content sprint here on Medium. It was a quick challenge to boost my creative juices since I fell into a lazy rut these past few weeks, and I needed something to drag me out of it.

I chose a quick five-day challenge because I needed to get my feet wet again. I highly recommend a five day challenge because it’s not too difficult, and once you’re done, you feel more confident and ready to face another challenge.

Here’s what I learned during this five-day sprint:

Starting small is an excellent mental hack

If you struggle with consistency but would like to start posting regularly online, starting small with a five-day shortform content challenge will provide the mental jolt that you need to follow through.

“It’s better to take many steps in the right direction than to take a great leap forward only to stumble backward” — Old Chinese Proverb —

A challenge is a challenge, and when you start small, it’s like training wheels. It trains your mind to complete tasks without quitting.

I like to jump straight into new challenges and go full speed because I’m wired that way, but I’m human, so when I fall into lazy habits, I refocus by doing a small challenge.

💡Short content sprints build momentum, and that's what you need to build and scale any online business.

Shortform is great for promoting old articles

I’ve built a system over the years where I use shortform content to promote old articles or blog posts.

Here’s the system:

A New Powerful Medium Strategy That Can Pull You Out of a Slump

This system works, and it means that you’ll never run out of content ideas. It’s also fun to scroll through your old articles, you’ll always learn something new when you read your old pieces.

If you have several longform articles to choose from, all you have to do is pick one point, expand on it, and create a short, 150-word article. You can also summarize the whole article to create a brief snapshot of the longer piece. Then, add the link to your old article at the end of the piece as a call-to-action.

Shortform is a cure for overthinkers

I’m a recovering overthinker, but these days, I swiftly shift my focus and take action by starting small and building up.

Instead of thinking through all the details and outcomes, I take the first, small step, which is much easier than taking a giant one.

I’m not promoting “get-rich-quick” here, and I don’t advise anyone to start something with a “gunshot” mindset. However, if you overthink everything and avoid tasks because they’re too difficult to start, then create shortform content to get your feet wet.

Then, branch out to longer, more detailed content when you feel able to do so. The truth is, some creators avoid long-form content altogether and fully focus on shorter, punchier pieces.

The Shortform publication is dedicated to shortform content, and over the years, I’ve built a massive arsenal of short articles on Medium and other platforms. I’m also working on an entire blog dedicated to short articles.

A challenge can change your life

I spent five days writing and posting every morning, and I feel like a different person. Yes, I’m used to doing bigger challenges, but recently, I lost my focus, and instead of writing, I’d watch random stuff on YouTube, which is just a waste of precious time.

I watch YouTube for content ideas, but I fell into the rabbit hole of watching irrelevant content. So, to get back on track, I’m completing a series of challenges.

The first one was the five-day shortform challenge, and the next one is my June challenge, which I’ll discuss in another article.

I’d recommend one challenge every month. It keeps your mind ticking over, it stimulates your creative brain, and you’ll boost your income over time if you challenge yourself regularly.

Are you challenging yourself in June or any other month?

➡️ Learn how to build a curated content business here.