Even the best authors question their writing skills. Stephen King once said, “Monsters are real. Ghosts are too. They live inside of us, and sometimes, they win.”
Self-doubt and fear of success are both very real things that people face daily. They can keep us from becoming the best version of ourselves. The trick is to recognize it, so you can face it and overcome that mountain of doubt to achieve success.
Easier said than done, right? So how do we push through these strong forces of doubt? One way to start is to recognize the fear you have inside you. Is it fear of failure? Fear of judgment? Fear of how short or far it will go? Whatever your fear, you can push through, but the first step is recognizing it. The second step is pushing through.
Remember to be kind to yourself. It’s often easier to be kind to those around us than it is to ourselves. I am not sure why that is, but self-care is often neglected. Remember, you are human. You have desires, strengths, and weaknesses, but you still push through your work or daily life. So why can’t you with your writing? If you just sit down and write without thinking about what people might say or think, you might surprise yourself with your achievement. Whether it’s a small poem or paragraph, a massive novel, or only a snip of it, start writing and keep going.
Your first draft of anything is often expressing your words on the page. That doesn’t mean it’s the final product. That doesn’t have to be what others see. You don’t have to share your writing with anyone you don’t want to. So, take that pressure off yourself and smile at what you wrote. You can always edit and make adjustments later. If you like it, chances are others will too. So, write for yourself and think about the audience you want to share it with.
Another aspect of facing your inner doubts is to remember you are more capable than you know. How can I say that if I don’t know you? Well, answer this question:
Have you ever achieved something that surprised you? Perhaps something at work, raising a child, or even graduating from a college program?
We are often more capable than we realize. It’s the stress of life, experiences, failures, or fears of moving forward that hold us back. If you learn to ignore those doubts and push ahead, you might surprise yourself with all the things you can achieve.
My advice for slaying your inner fears is to slay them. Remember, you are the most powerful weapon in your arsenal. You can make a difference. All you have to do is take that chance. Trust yourself and take that step toward becoming the author you always dreamed of. There isn’t a single great accomplishment ever done that didn’t take one step at a time. So, break your journey down step-by-step and slay that doubt. If anyone can do it, you can.
Until next time, enjoy your writing journey. Each step you take is a step closer to your goal.