"Don’t wait until you know who you are to get started." — Austin Kleon
Some time ago, I came across a book that quietly changed the direction of how I approach learning. It was Show Your Work by Austin Kleon.
It’s a small book—unassuming and simple in its design. But what it spoke about wasn’t small at all.
It spoke about learning in public.
It flipped a switch in my mind. I realized that I had been waiting too long to be “ready” before I shared anything I was learning. I was polishing. I was perfecting. And in the process, I was slowing myself down.
Kleon made a powerful case: don’t wait until you’re an expert—share your journey while you’re still figuring things out. Show your messy drafts. Show your early attempts. Let people see you become.
That one idea inspired this blog. And since I started putting it into practice, everything changed.
Let me tell you how.
What Is Learning in Public?
Learning in public means sharing what you’re learning while you’re learning it—not just when you've mastered it.
It’s a mindset shift. Instead of hiding your process and revealing only the polished outcome, you:
- Reflect openly
- Document consistently
- Embrace vulnerability
You might do this by:
- Writing blog posts about lessons learned
- Tweeting ideas or takeaways from a book or course
- Sharing your process on LinkedIn
- Publishing notes in a digital garden
- Talking openly about what you're figuring out
It’s not about bragging. It’s about documenting. Showing up. Letting people in.
Why I Hesitated to Share at First
Before discovering Kleon’s book, I felt like I wasn’t "ready" to share.
I’d think:
“I need to fully understand this before I write about it.”
“What if someone corrects me?”
“What if no one cares?”
That mindset kept me stuck.
I consumed a lot, but produced very little. I’d reread the same concepts, revisit the same videos, and feel like I was making progress—when really, I was just circling the same point.
Show Your Work broke that cycle for me.
It reminded me that amateurs have value, too. Beginners can teach. Observations from someone early in their journey are just as helpful—if not more relatable—than those from experts.
So I started. Hesitantly at first. But I started.
Why Learning in Public Changed My Growth Trajectory
When I began learning in public, I expected to improve my writing.
What I didn’t expect was everything else it would do.
🔹 I Started Thinking More Clearly
Writing about what I was learning made me confront my own confusion. I could no longer rely on vague understandings—I had to articulate them.
If you can’t explain it clearly, you probably don’t understand it yet.
This forced me to dig deeper. And the clarity I gained from writing was worth more than hours of passive consumption.
🔹 I Built a Visible Record of Growth
Every blog post, every reflection, every short update became a marker on my timeline. I could see my journey.
It felt good—not because it was perfect—but because it was real.
🔹 I Gained Unexpected Encouragement
What amazed me was how many people resonated with my raw, unpolished posts.
Someone messaged me after a blog and said,
“I’m glad you wrote this. I’ve been struggling with the same thing.”
That single message made me realize: you never know who needs to hear what you’re learning.
“But What If I’m Wrong?”
This fear comes up for everyone.
What if I post something that’s inaccurate?
What if someone criticizes me?
Here’s what I’ve learned:
- Being wrong isn’t embarrassing—it’s how you grow
- Corrections are helpful, not harmful
- You’ll learn faster when you’re humble enough to be seen learning
To protect your confidence, frame your posts with openness:
“Here’s what I’ve understood so far—open to corrections or feedback.”
This signals that you're not pretending to be perfect. You're participating.
Simple Ways to Start Learning in Public
You don’t need a big platform or fancy tools. Just start where you are.
- Hashnode or Medium for blogging
- Twitter or Threads for short reflections
- Notion or Obsidian for public notes
- LinkedIn for professional learnings
- YouTube or Instagram for video reflections
✅ Share Small Wins Like:
- “Today I understood this idea...”
- “This quote hit me differently...”
- “A mistake I made and what it taught me...”
- “Here’s how I approached this challenge...”
- “A new mindset I’m trying to apply...”
Even a paragraph is enough. The goal is consistency, not perfection.
How Learning in Public Builds Identity
The more I shared, the more I started to feel like someone who shows up.
Not someone who waits. Not someone who hides.
But someone who reflects, tries, speaks, and improves.
It gave me:
- Confidence in my voice
- Curiosity to keep going
- Clarity in my thinking
- A small but meaningful community
The act of sharing shaped who I was becoming.
And that’s the power of learning in public.
You don’t just learn. You become.
Final Thoughts: Show Your Becoming
If I hadn’t picked up Show Your Work, I might still be in that “not ready” phase—hoarding knowledge, polishing endlessly, waiting to be an expert.
But now, I see things differently.
I see value in the unfinished, the uncertain, the in-progress.
So if you're learning anything right now—design, writing, communication, productivity, anything at all—don’t keep it to yourself.
Write a short post. Share a quote. Record a lesson. Reflect out loud.
Let people see your path.
Let people see your growth.
Let people see you become.
Learning in public is not about proving who you are—it's about discovering who you're becoming.
