Build a Lifetime of Learning By Stretching

Hi. Welcome to Bloom Anywhere. I'm Gwen Moran, a writer, editor, author, and problem-solver. My goal is to share information, ideas, and resources to help you overcome obstacles, reach your goals, and find more joy in life, even when things are messy. Thanks for joining me. (If you got this from a friend, subscribe here: Bloom Anywhere.) I'd love your feedback and suggestions for future topics. Please send me an email: connect@bloomanywhere.com.

Recently, I was approached to take on a ghostwriting project. That’s not unusual. But this one was a little different. The high-profile project focused on a topic that is important to me and to the public good. The stakes were high. If successful, it could truly make a difference. Adding a layer of complexity was the timeline: tight. And I’d need input from busy, hard-to-access people.

As I sat through the preliminary call to go over the details, my stomach clenched.

I’m no newbie. I’ve worked on many high-profile projects with well-known people and tight turnarounds. Projects don’t often make my stomach clench. It wasn’t because I thought I couldn’t do it or because I had imposter syndrome. Exactly the opposite. It happened because this project was going to stretch my skills in all the best ways.

After years or even decades in a vocation or avocation, finding new ways to stretch can be challenging. Sometimes, we move into more managerial or removed roles where we’re not creating or connecting with our audiences. Other times, we may suffer from a bit of hubris or know-it-all syndrome. That never ends well. When we think we know it all, we need to figure out how wrong we are.

Stretching Helps You Grow

While we may typically think of stretch projects for inexperienced folks, there are many ways to stretch throughout our careers. For example, writers may try new genres. For several years, I wrote podcast scripts for “Business Wars Daily,” a short, scripted podcast about business rivals that was released each weekday. A longtime friend and colleague brought me onboard as a writer even though I had little radio or podcast writing experience.

The learning curve was frustrating. I needed to write short. No, shorter. I had to learn to write for the listener’s ear and the narrator’s cadence instead of my inner grammarian. Sentence fragments—forgive me as I take a deep breath—were encouraged.

I was grumpy being the “new kid” again. At first, I wondered if I could do it. (Although, to be fair, I did nail the required dad jokes from the start.) But then, a funny thing happened (beyond the dad jokes): My editor loved one of my scripts. Then, she loved the next one. Then, she shredded another one, but eventually, I got the hang of it and grew to love this form of writing. I was a regular contributor for roughly four years until the podcast ended. And the ripple effect didn’t end there. I noticed a difference in my other writing. Grasping the lyrical nature of audio scripts improved everything I did.

Stretching Where It Counts

Finding the best ways to stretch can be a challenge. Lately, I’ve run into a string of people who have been doing so in new ways. One is a writer who turned his poems into a self-published book and is now conducting his own book tour to publicize and sell it. Other writer friends have turned to fiction or writing in other genres.

And stretching doesn’t have to be linear. Embracing new ways to enhance your creativity and build new skills counts, too. Another writer friend teamed up with others to launch a new online publication and is exploring how to learn vibe-coding. I have a handful of friends who have become artists and are selling their work, which is both invigorating their creativity and creating new revenue streams. Others are stretching and developing their skills through volunteer roles, like the friend who has become a social media whiz for a rescue organization.

Taking on roles that make our stomachs clench and finding ways to enhance and expand our skills has the potential to yield benefits from enhanced creativity to greater employability. Are you stretching yourself? I’d love to hear how. Send an email to connect@bloomanywhere.com.

Bloom Drops

Skill-building: Looking for free or low-cost ways to build your skills? Check out online learning platforms like Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, and Udemy for professional development. And if you’re interested in building your skills or finding new ways to stretch yourself through volunteering, try searching for opportunities at Create the Good® or Idealist.