The Rewards of Writing

(This essay first appeared in Founding Fuel)

Two years ago, I stumbled into writing online. The first essay that I wrote was at the encouragement of my friend, Charles Assisi, who used to be managing editor at Forbes India and now is co-founder of the Founding Fuel platform. 

One time, during Covid, we got to discussing evolution, and I may have commented that The Selfish Gene was one of the best investing books. This connection between evolution and investing intrigued Charles, and he urged me to write an article for his readers.

Investing Lessons from Evolution was published in December 2022. In the two years since, I have written a dozen longform essays and another dozen smaller notes.

These are some of my learnings and observations in the process of writing.

Writing brings Clarity

I may be able to effectively convey an idea verbally, but when I write those same thoughts, I confront the gaps in my understanding. Writing shines a light on my ignorance, forcing me to clarify my thinking and face what I don't know. Each attempt, while humbling, brings greater clarity. 

The process of transforming abstract ideas into concrete language is a complex interplay between our brain's right and left hemispheres. In his masterpiece The Master and His Emissary, Iain McGilchrist argues that the right hemisphere is responsible for our intuitive understanding and holistic perception of the world, while the left hemisphere specialises in language and analytical thinking.

Whenever we attempt to articulate our ideas, we often face challenges because human language has limitations in expressing complex, nuanced concepts. The left hemisphere tries its best to translate the right hemisphere's insights into words, but the result can often be an oversimplification or a reduction of the original idea's depth and richness.

Despite these limitations, the process of writing remains a powerful tool for clarifying our thoughts and deepening our understanding. By engaging both hemispheres in a dialogue, we can bridge the gap between our intuitive grasp of a concept and our ability to express it clearly in words. This internal struggle is challenging but also rewarding, as it leads to greater clarity for ourselves. 

Writing creates New Knowledge

My most interesting discovery is that writing not only allows me to express what I know but also helps me discover what I've yet to learn. The process of writing often leads to new insights. As I struggle to explain a concept, I think harder and research further. As a result, I gain new wisdom for myself. Recently, I wrote a series of posts on market fluctuations after a conversation where someone asked me why an investor doesn't sell all their holdings at the peak, knowing that the market will fall sooner or later. It took me a few months and I was able to explain market fluctuations as maxima and minima. I didn't have this mental model myself before, so writing has surely made me wiser.

Writing and Reading are Connected

I have been a fairly avid reader of both fiction and non-fiction. It was obvious that reading improves thinking and worldview, but now I have also come to realise that writing enhances reading. After I started writing, I've been reading more and better books. Writing and reading certainly feed off each other.

Writing creates Connections

Through my writing, I’ve connected with people I'd otherwise never interact with. When I wrote about evolution, I re-connected with a very well-known investor who shared his own experience with me, leading to a meaningful exchange of ideas. Another post on poetry and risk-taking led to an email from a VC who shares my love for ghazals. Writing in public attracts other like-minded people.

Writing is Personal

I recently listened to a podcast about a mutual fund promoter who wrote a weekly newsletter all his life, knowing that only a handful of people read it. This story resonated deeply with me. I know that most of my writing is read by just a few people, so I cannot aim for audience or acclaim. I realise now that I write primarily for myself. Writing about my favourite topics gives me a great kick. (At times, even if a post is not published, I still have great satisfaction in writing it!)

Writing is Therapy

Writing soothes the soul like no other act. Just as painting or art does, it elevates the creator above the humdrum of daily life. In the words of Graham Greene, “writing is a form of therapy... to escape the madness, the melancholia, the panic fear which is inherent in the human situation”. Writing offers solace and a sense of inner peace amidst the chaos of the world around us.

Writing is Freedom

While some people write out of necessity for their work, many others write simply for the joy of it. They don't have a defined audience or objective, and their writing serves no specific purpose. When I first started writing, I used to be careful about what I wrote about, selecting topics for an investing audience. But as time passed, I began to write about whatever brought me pleasure, without worrying too much about the opinions of others. Now, I embrace the freedom that writing offers, allowing me to express myself authentically.

Writing is Wealth

For those who love to write, it is a form of personal richness. The process of putting thoughts into words and sharing them is inherently rewarding. Naval Ravikant, in his famous “How to Get Rich” thread, suggests that writing, like coding, is a path to wealth — not just financial success, but also the wealth of knowledge and self-expression.

Writing isn’t always easy, and I sometimes question why I do it. But then I remember the joy of exploring new ideas and the satisfaction of learning something new. Just like playing tennis or golf, writing has become a rewarding hobby that I genuinely enjoy.

So, I'll keep writing, not for external validation, but because I love it and appreciate the rewards it brings. Like the feeling of hitting a perfect shot in tennis or sinking a long putt in golf, every piece I write brings me a sense of accomplishment.

If you’ve ever thought about writing, I encourage you to try it. Start small, be patient with yourself, and focus on the enjoyment of the process, just as you would when learning a new sport. You might be surprised by how much it enriches your life, just as it has mine.