This Is a Midweek Post to Say Thank You

The photo below is from 2003, taken during an 8-day trek I did across the Cordillera Huayhuash in Peru.

Each day, we crossed high passes between 4,600 and 5,000 meters above sea level. The air was thin. The silence was deep. It was hard to breathe. Some days we walked for six hours, other days just three—but those three were straight uphill and felt like ten. At times, I walked for hours completely alone, just me and the mountain.

Back then, that trail felt impossible.

Yesterday, I crossed a different kind of mountain: one full year of writing—and publishing—weekly essays in English, as a non-native speaker.

It was a quiet milestone. Most people didn’t notice.

But I did.

For years, I avoided writing in English. It felt like walking uphill in the wrong boots—awkward, exhausting, full of self-doubt. When I did, it felt frustrating, challenging, hard!

And yet, here we are. 52 essays later.

This post is simply to thank you, my subscribers, for reading, replying, sharing, or just sticking around. You’ve helped me keep going.

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I want to share five lessons this journey taught me:

1. Consistency is a muscle, not a mood.
Some weeks I was traveling for work. Others, deep in research. And very often, I was simply overwhelmed with assignments. But I kept writing—even when it wasn’t perfect. That’s the thing: creativity isn’t always constant, but commitment can be. It’s a decision, not an emotion.

2. Writing sharpens thinking.
Before I can share an idea, I need to understand it. Writing forced me to ask better questions, to shape loose thoughts into sharper insights. It’s why I say: writing is not just output—it’s insight. Week by week, I wasn’t just publishing. I was practicing how to think.

3. AI is a collaborator, not a substitute.
No, AI didn’t write these essays. But it helped. Like an editor-in-chief, it reflected, refined, pushed back—and yes, we often disagreed 😂! But it never knew what I wanted to say until I said it. Technology can help us go faster. But it can’t replace the human heart of the work.

4. The more tools we have, the more intention we need.
We’re surrounded by content. It’s never been easier to produce—or to get lost in the noise. That’s why I try (and hope) to bring value to every post. Because artistry isn’t just about expressing yourself. It’s about creating meaning for someone else.

5. You are the voice.
AI can mimic tone. It can even finish your sentences. But it cannot replace your point of view. That’s the real artistry—staying human in a sea of output. The tools are evolving, but the responsibility is still ours: to speak clearly, to mean what we say, to stay present.

This year reminded me why I care about Business Artistry: because business can be a medium of expression. Not just for profit—but for purpose. A way to think, make, and share with intention.

Thank you for walking this path with me.

See you on Sunday’s edition.

NIR