3 Lessons Writing Taught Me About Life

Never use two words when one will do

Writing is thinking.

Every time you write an email, personal message, social media post, and the like; the process reflects your thinking.

That’s why writing is such an important skill. Over the years, it has taught me many things that go beyond my work as a writer. Writing even taught me how to become better at business.

As Ernest Hemingway puts it:

“In order to write about life first you must live it.”

But more importantly, it taught me life lessons. Here are some of those lessons.

1. Never use two words when one will do

The above is a paraphrased quote from Thomas Jefferson. It’s common advice for writing: Cut out unnecessary words and avoid using sophisticated words just to sound smart.

But this idea of getting straight to the point can be applied to life in general as well.

For instance, when it comes to strength training, I focus on the few exercises that bring me the most results.

I have a small homegym with a squat rack and some kettlebells. I can train my entire body and don’t need a gym or fancy equipment.

Every workout I do is simple and focused on the result I want to achieve: To stay fit and avoid injuries.

When you write, the first thing you learn is to edit for clarity. You cut out every word that doesn’t contribute to the overall message you’re sharing.

If you do the same thing in life, you remove everything that doesn’t contribute to your goals.

Keep everything you do in life simple and you’ll enjoy it much more.

2. Make time your ally by building up your toolbox

In Stephen King’s book, On Writing, King tells the story of his Uncle Oren who brought a big toolbox to replace a broken window screen. Uncle Oren ended up using only a screwdriver from his toolbox to get the job done.

This puzzled the young Stephen King. He asked his uncle: Why bother to carry a…