Self-Doubt is part of our normal day to day writing life. And no, it doesn’t get easier the more you write, in fact woe unto you if you have one really cool idea that hits the airwaves or becomes a best seller, because pressure will now be more to match up to that past great idea.
You may not feel adequate to be the one doing that story, your inner critic might be asking you ‘Just who told you, you are the best to write that story?’ ‘That story is not good enough! You’ll be the laughingstock! That idea sucks!’
I’ll admit that I experience this every time I start working on a new story idea. “Will it be better than the next idea? Will this be the story that damages my entire 13-year writing career?”
Don’t let self- doubt put you down and stop you from being the best you can be.
Below are a few tips I use daily to make sure I stop Self-Doubt right on its tracks, and go forth to become the best I am meant to be. Hope the tips work for you too.
TIPS TO BEAT SELF-DOUBT
- Know that NO ONE has it ALL figured out. Everyone is doing it afraid, so join that team doing it afraid and get your script, book or any other work of art out into the world. Take comfort in the fact that we are all putting our work out there afraid, join us.
- Boost your confidence by learning as much as you can about your craft, but don’t let that be a crunch. There’s a time for everything, a time to learn and a time to put what you’ve learnt to practice.
- Recognize that you are uniquely gifted, not everyone will like your work and that’s okay! You cannot target everyone, so target those who have similar interests to yours. They will find your work and love it.
- Recognize that resistance is trying to stop you from being the best that you can be. Sometimes resistance checks in, in the form of self-doubt. Flattening out all your excitement and crippling you with fear to succeed. When I recognized this about resistance, I stopped giving a hoot and went on to do my stuff, my way.
- Do you, I do me! Everyone has their own path cut out for them. Don’t compare yourself to someone else, don’t compare yourself to your peer who just landed the best gig of her life to yourself who is still struggling. Don’t let ‘comparisonites’ freeze you on your tracks. Always remember that you are on your own path and if you hang in there, with your discipline and determination, you will make it and get to your goals.
Hope you are feeling surer of yourself and won’t let self-doubt get the best of you. Go out there and be the best version of yourself.
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Happy Writing and Happy creating!
Please share this article with another creator to encourage them on this journey! Thanks!
It is true that previous success always stands on the way of new work, but just as you say we should not compare ourselves we others, we should also not compare what we are working on now, with what succeeded in the past. These should be treated as different and unique pieces. (I should know this. I should!)