No $100 Bonus: 4 Things I’ve Learned Instead

It’s not about the goal anymore. I adore the process.

Source: Pixabay

When I started writing on Medium, it was sheer curiosity. I’ve read a few posts of Nicolas Cole and wanted to help people with my writing.

But a few months back, I’ve learned about MPP, and just then, Medium started giving out bonuses to top writers. I was thrilled. I started working hard on Medium. Due to a full-time job, I could not give time to Medium, but I could earn some.

Luckily, I met a mentor who helped me level up my writing. But sadly, the second month also passed, and I have not been rewarded the bonus.

It was after the third month that I realized what I’ve learned while pursuing the bonus. I am a changed man now. If you have been following my writing, you might realize that my posts are short, but I try to add more meaning to them.

Earning a bonus is not the end of the world

Even if I’ve earned the bonus, what next? There was no other goal. So, instead, I focused on the process.

I’ve realized that I don’t need tons of words to express myself. If I have a clear ‘why’ before I begin the blog, I can show that even in fewer words.

In short, I was able to deliver meaningful posts in a shorter time. I’ve developed a habit of writing one post each day. The post can be as short as 500 words or as long as 700 words. But now the post is more direct.

Rejection is part of the process

Big publications rejected me, and I was upset about that. My mentor told me that it’s fine to get rejected. It’s part of the learning process. And once top pubs rejected me, I started focusing on small publications, and that’s when I realized that I could even grow with these small pubs.

The editors were so supportive. They helped me improve my writing. I was able to learn how to format my article appealingly. If it’s not for the small publications, I wouldn't have learned this.

Moreover, if you are not being rejected a couple of times a week, it means you are doing something wrong. You are not stepping away from your comfort zone, which means you must…