I utilized to be a chronic overthinker, and it sustained my stress and anxiety. Whenever I needed to attend social gatherings, provide a presentation, or perhaps videotape a talking head video clip, my mind would certainly spiral. I would certainly evaluate every small detail till I was immobilized, postponing things I meant to do.

That started to change when I signed up with the worldwide 100 -Day Job this year– and selected posting on TikTok as my obstacle. I took it on especially to press back against the anxiousness of showing up online.

The even more I showed up, the much less I stressed over being judged or coming off as “cringe.” Over time, I saw a shift– I really felt less distressed and stopped overthinking every action. Each message became a small act of nerve– evidence that I could turn up without everything being perfect.

With a focus on consistency and not virality, I built a straightforward system to maintain me on track. And it functioned. I completed all 100 days, expanded my TikTok views by 357 % within 30 days, and, most notably, ended up being a whole lot much less nervous concerning turning up online.

Below’s exactly how.

What is the 100 -Day Task?

The 100 -Day Task is a cost-free, worldwide art challenge that motivates people to devote to an imaginative activity. It can be creating, dance, drawing, crocheting, painting, anything, as long as you do it each day for 100 days and share your progress online along the road. The idea is easy: choose something, turn up daily, and focus on the process instead of the end result.

The challenge started as a grad school project for Yale trainees in 2007, produced by designer Michael Bierut, and was later on offered social media in 2014 by musician Elle Luna.

Since then, it’s grown into a globally activity with numerous thousands of participants using the hashtag #The 100 DayProject to share their imaginative practice, remain answerable, and commemorate uniformity.

I would certainly attempted it once previously– in 2021, I made my initial effort at the task with” 100 Days of Bad Writing.” I intended to write more and build the behavior of sharing job also when it wasn’t excellent. Yet after the initial 2 weeks, my uniformity diminished. Without a system to sustain day-to-day creation, it simply wasn’t lasting. Four years later, the task is still incomplete.

This moment around, I picked something different:” 100 Days of TikToking”. My goal was to overcome the anxiousness of being visible online by publishing each day for 100 days and TikTok felt like the right area for it.

For me, doing the task this year was likewise a possibility to get out of my comfort zone and finally do something I ‘d been meaning to for a while– share my concepts and rate of interests openly and confidently.

Laying the groundwork

A wise woman as soon as claimed, “A project without a plan is simply an idea– and you’ll never ever see the results.”

A plan is how you obtain from concept to implementation.

Before starting any project, I carve out time of what I call “project prep work.” It’s a miniature planning sprint– a couple of hours expanded over a number of days– that assists me get ahead on all the little points that require to be done prior to a job officially begins.

Checking off simple things like scheduling daily jobs, updating my TikTok account, and producing a data source of material ideas– made the task really feel much less overwhelming.

For this year’s 100 -Day Project, I began preparing concerning a month in advance. The main statement came out on January 23, 2025, and the project was set to begin on February 23

In that announcement, project coordinator Lindsay Jean Thompson shared 3 reflection motivates to aid with choosing a task:

• What would you love to make more area for in your daily life?
• What tasks are lighting you up recently?
• Is there a skill you’ve been wanting to create or something you ‘d like to learn more regarding?

These prompts assisted me narrow down to: 100 Days of TikToking. This project was important to me since I intended to practice verbalizing my thoughts, point of views, and point of views on video clip as a way to peaceful my social anxiety and construct self-confidence in speaking openly.

Along with the prompts, Lindsay likewise described just how the obstacle functions:

• Decide on an innovative project to service for 100 days prior to the beginning date.
• Starting February 23, show up daily. What counts as showing up is up to you.
• Record and share your progress online.

These standards shaped exactly how I prepared. I made use of the weeks leading up to the challenge to draw up what completing the difficulty would certainly take, set up the tools I knew I would certainly need, and eliminate as many little challenges as I can previously day one. That indicated:

• Prepping my TikTok account so I would not have to fuss with it later on
• Organizing my iPhone albums so video clips and photos were very easy to find
• Scheduling my tasks in Notion so I had not been going back to square one every day
• Lining up a couple of starter web content concepts to stay clear of the “what do I upload?” block

All of this came to be the structure of the system that made showing up as very easy as possible.

Exactly how I utilized AI to prepare

Before I shared my first message, I chose to ask ChatGPT for helpful TikTok pointers. I had wanted to ask particularly for tips to enhance my articles, yet chose to give it unlimited freedom.

I provided it context, my goal and allow it loosened. Right here’s the timely I made use of:

I’m doing a 100 -day TikTok difficulty where I’ll be publishing on TikTok daily for the following 100 days. It’s going to be my very first time ever sharing web content on TikTok. The goal is to document my trip as an introvert using TikTok to leave my head. I’ll be sharing my interests, ideas, observations, and stories connecting to individual style and conscious shopping. Do you have any type of ideas for me?

Compared to Perplexity and DeepSeek, which I likewise quized, ChatGPT offered me one of the most resonant and practical guidance.

Below are the leading five tips:

1. Start easy — You do not need high manufacturing value; simply focus on getting comfortable showing up daily.
2. Lean right into your toughness — If talking on video camera feels daunting, start with message overlays, visual clips, or voiceovers.
3. Engage with others — Comment on video clips in your niche and react to comments on your very own blog posts.
4. Don’t go after perfection — Done is far better than ideal! TikTok rewards consistency more than refined material.
5. Enjoy & remain interested — This is an experiment, so embrace the trip and enjoy the process!

Developing the system that made it feasible

Once my preparation job was done, and I had a clear view of the course to my objective, it was time to establish the system– something that made showing up effortless.

Preparation my timetable around the official timeline

Considering how much time I was investing and to maintain points workable, I developed the task directly into my existing Projects database in Notion and titled it: “Release my first 100 blog posts on TikTok.”

Because I prepare jobs regular monthly, I damaged the 100 days into regular monthly portions so they would certainly fit perfectly into my normal process:

• Days 1– 6 in February
• Days 7– 37 in March
• Days 38– 67 in April
• Days 68– 98 in May
• Days 99– 100 in June

Simplifying this way likewise provided me clear turning points and made the obstacle feel less frustrating.

Within each regular monthly job, I created day-to-day tasks (as an example, “Release Day 38 of # 100 DaysOfTikToking”) in my existing Jobs database For each and every job, I established a “doing day”– the specific day I intended to work with that job– so it straightened with the official obstacle timeline.

Constructing a material ideas data source

Next off, I created a database of material concepts. I understood if I needed to consider a concept from square one every single day, I ‘d at some point run out.

This area became my main brain dump to capture, arrange, and iterate on concepts before producing.

Each entrance consisted of:

• The core idea
• A layout label (e.g. video clip journal, nano-form video clip, highlight reel) to assist just how I would certainly perform it
• A status column to track whether I was looking into, editing, or had published it
• A two-way connection to my Tasks data source, so I can assign an idea to a certain publishing day
• Area to draft video scripts, store research notes, create subtitles and hashtags, and plan creative instructions– also down to certain songs selections (e.g., for one article, Come with me to art Toronto , I used Beethoven’s Sonata No. 17

I gathered 119 ideas and wound up making use of 36 of them for my 100 blog posts. The rest integrated much more automatically, however having a backlog waiting in my data source made it a lot easier to show up consistently.

Creating a project tracker

To keep whatever visible at a glimpse, I built a checklist-style task tracker in Notion seamlessly connected to my material concepts data source and tasks database.

Each row represented a day in the obstacle, showing:

• The job name (as an example, Release Day 14 of # 100 DaysOfTikToking
• The doing day to mark the particular day I planned to publish
• A connection to the material idea designated to that day
• A checkbox to note when the article was released

This tracker assisted me see what was coming up next and the number of days I had entrusted to go.

Journaling daily on Are.na

To record my development and stay accountable, I began a public Are.na journal where I shared day-to-day representations and my thought process behind each post. I establish this up so pals without TikTok could follow along, but it also became a reflective device.

Here’s the format I made use of:

• Cover image: something that stood for that day’s message (occasionally a frame from the video)
• Title: E.g., Day 1|Feb 23– [5-word summary of today’s post]
• Description: made up of morning pages-style notes to record my thought process or discourse for the day– or data like sights, likes, or engagement numbers
• Link: a straight web link to the TikTok blog post

Tracking my time in Clockify

Lastly, I labelled the task in Clockify so I might track just how much time I invested in various parts of the procedure. I primarily wanted to see for how long each task actually took, partly out of inquisitiveness, yet also to assist me allocate time much better for future tasks.

The data had not been ideal. Some access were missing out on because I was logging on the go, or blew up due to the fact that I ‘d get distracted mid-task. Still, the overall picture was mind-blowing.

A former supervisor made use of to push me often to track my time, and I always dealt with it. But now that I’ve gotten the hang of it, I can not picture functioning without it.

Exactly how I made it with 100 days

Before I started, I established a couple of rules for myself: maintain it simple, stay lo-fi, and do not overthink. The only method via was to minimize rubbing. That suggested taking the fastest course to conclusion instead of going for sophisticated manufacturing.

My goal was to exercise storytelling, articulating my thoughts, and experimenting with video clip modifying. Absolutely nothing a lot more grandiose than that. These concepts became my guardrails for the 100 days.

Daily practice: develop → publish → log it

My day-to-day process was basic and straightforward, however it was the foundation of this job:

• Create: I really did not timetable posts ahead of time because the job emphasizes day-to-day technique. I developed in the moment, using mobile tools like Canva and CapCut to decrease the obstacle. To keep properties arranged, I used my apple iphone’s photo cds as a light-weight digital possession supervisor. Each article had its own cd, which made drawing photos and video for modifying much easier.
• Publish : Once the material was ready, I dotted the i’s and went across the t’s in the past striking “message.” Each day brought something new– using maker search understandings, finding a trending audio , or responding to a comment with a brand-new video. I treated this phase like play, which made the process a whole lot much more pleasurable.
• Log it: Immediately after posting, I produced a journal entry in my Are.na log.

This three-step loophole provided my days framework. Regardless of how the web content carried out, I constantly had a clear beginning, middle, and end– and that rhythm made it simpler to keep going.

The responsibility factor

I know with failing– I have actually tried many points and failed at a number of. However over the previous year, I’ve discovered that having support group in position can make implementation a lot less complex.

My public journal on Are.na gave me a sense of outside responsibility, while buddies motivated me along the road with their remarks. One also assured me an incentive if I finished, and on the hardest days, that little added motivation kept me going.

Yet more than anything, I was answerable to myself. I ‘d made a promise to appear every single day, and keeping that guarantee mattered many.

Turning points and motivation

Bierut, that developed the initial 100 -Day Project job, said that as soon as individuals reach day 30 or 40, they commonly find a groove that carries them forward.

“Once people obtained concerning midway, they had a lot personal investment, and they had internalised the procedure sufficient, that there was a likelihood they ‘d make it to the end.”– Michael Bierut

I located that to be true. Energy built gradually. Even on days when I had a hard time to publish a blog post, I understood that if I simply kept going, I ‘d eventually go across the finish line.

For example, my journal access for day 37 was entitled, “I’m really doing this thing.” It was March 31, and I wrote:

“It’s nearly day 40 and truthfully simply happy for every day I press with and put out something. Even on days like this when I directly miss the deadline.”

On day 50, I keep in mind including celebration emojis to my journal due to the fact that making it halfway deserved celebrating.

One point that also maintained me going was recognizing that as lengthy as I produced and uploaded something that day– regardless of just how random or rugged– it counted toward my 100 days.

The results

I did it! I lay out to upload on TikTok for 100 successive days– and I followed up.

Thinking about that I had actually tried the 100 -day project prior to and failed to complete it, I recognize that the largest factor I made it to the finish line this time around was the system I built.

Having clear jobs, a backlog of ideas, and a day-to-day rhythm meant I really did not have to count on inspiration or mood. Even on days when I could not rise, I could still open my tracker, develop something easy, and check “Article on TikTok” off my to-do.

That uniformity totally changed how I felt about being visible online. When I started, posting really felt stressful. By the end, it really felt a lot easier, I had actually come to be much more comfortable showing up online– and that was the actual win for me.

The numbers were just a perk. Still, they were motivating, particularly considering I was completely new to TikTok and rarely released personal videos even on my private Instagram. Even without maximizing for efficiency, I saw actual growth.

In one certain week (April 27– May 3, my analytics showed:

• 15 K blog post sights– up 373 % from the week before
• 1, 414 likes– up 677 %
• 99 remarks– up 350 %
• 156 shares– up 1, 318 %
• 201 account views– up 253 %

Actually, those results originated from a video I virtually really did not publish I had actually invested over an hour editing it and nearly overthought myself out of sharing it. The following early morning, I awakened to find that the video had actually silently outshined all my others.

It had a 12 7 % interaction rate, contrasted to one more trend-focused post with a lot higher views yet just a 1 7 % engagement price.

That minute advised me that turning up, typically, brings unforeseen advantages, and that sharing what genuinely reverberates with your audience is a far better method than just getting on patterns.

6 lessons gained from the 100 days of TikToking

Reflecting on this difficulty, right here are the most significant lessons I’m taking with me.

If you do not schedule it, you possibly won’t do it

Enthusiasm tasks don’t magically fit themselves into your day; you have to make space for them. I have actually deserted lots of tasks since life “obtained active”. Currently, I understand: if it matters, it takes place the calendar.

I have actually come to be a lot a lot more deliberate about organizing time for creative work– specifically things I ‘d usually reject since they aren’t “core work.”

One organizing idea I gained from the writer of Essentialism, Greg McKeown: add a 50 % buffer to the time you assume something will take. That additional area makes it a lot less complicated to accommodate unanticipated circumstances.

Consistency does not indicate “every day”

Publishing everyday is intense– and can lead straight to fatigue. This job definitely developed my content development muscle, yet it also instructed me a valuable lesson: consistency doesn’t have to suggest uploading on a daily basis.

Locate a pace you can actually sustain. That can be as soon as a week, or every various other Wednesday. Staying with a realistic rhythm is much much better than trying to do it daily and ultimately stressing out.

For the 100 -Day project specifically, small, daily actions (30 minutes or less) are perfect.

Clarity comes from doing

You’ll never be 100 % ready. The only method to discover is to start.

One factor I handled this obstacle was to practice expanding stories, editing videos on mobile, and telling appealing tales.

Trial and error entered into my process. Some days, I played with various styles like slide carousels, voiceovers, vlog-style clips, or green display. Other times, I experimented with typography, custom-made graphics, and material themes.

The even more I did, the more certain I became, and my capability grew along the road.

After years of doubting my editing and enhancing skills, it turned out all I required was to begin– and keep going.

Preparation is a winning technique

The easiest means to win is to prepare. When you have actually spent the moment and effort upfront, success becomes practically inescapable.

I was reminded of this lesson throughout the challenge on a day when publishing really felt simple and easy. I would certainly already tape-recorded and edited the video clip, prepared the subtitle and hashtags, established the cover photo, and saved whatever to my drafts. When it was time to post, all I needed to do was click one button.

Obviously, I did a fast last-minute check, however the day was easy to dominate since I had prepared all the components ahead of time.

You can do difficult points

We’re all with the ability of doing seemingly tough things, and as we do them, our capability broadens.

Early in the obstacle, I often stayed clear of video clips with intricate edits, switching them for simpler ones I could finish quickly. On Day 9, I finally determined to stop placing it off and film a video clip essay regarding one of my preferred coffee table publications.

It took a number of shots (and some mic problems), however I ended up. And while it didn’t end up a top-performing video, it’s still among my favorites.

A theme to help you complete your very own 100 days of imaginative practice

Throughout this difficulty, my system made all the distinction– and now, I’m transforming it into a public Notion template so you can construct your own 100 -day practice as well.

You do not need to wait till the next annual #The 100 DayProject to start. Your 100 days can start at any time– tomorrow, following month, or today.

The template includes everything you require to intend your project, establish your timeline, arrange concepts, track your development, and maintain on your own answerable.

If you have actually ever before battled to remain regular with an innovative practice, this system offers you a clear framework to lean on, so turning up becomes less complicated every day.

Right here’s a web link to the Concept design template. To use it, simply click the ‘duplicate’ button on the leading right. Discover it, add it right into your Idea work area, and start your own 100 -day project.

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