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What messages are you listening to? And are they helping you or hurting you when it comes to your perception of yourself as a writer?
You may be holding yourself back from reaching your potential, not because you don’t have the skill or talent, but because you don’t have the self-belief.
What you tell yourself, even subconsciously, can affect how you view yourself and how much work you’re willing to put in. Be aware of your language. Are you calling yourself a writer? Or are you saying you’re not a real writer? If your language constantly tells you that you don’t believe that you’re going to succeed, you’re not likely to take the necessary steps to get started.
Do you believe that writing is a silly dream? Or is that the message you’ve heard from others so often that you’ve internalized it?
It’s not uncommon for the people around us to view success in the arts as a pipedream that takes luck and connections. And if we hear this message enough, we may begin to believe it. It would be nice if the people we cared about were supportive of our dreams, but we don’t live in a perfect world, which is why we need to become our own biggest supporters.
You don’t have control over what others say but you do have control over what you choose to listen to. Some people might feel as if they’re helping you avoid disappointment. Others might be jealous because they’ve put their own dreams on hold. Whatever the reason for their negative comments, you have the power to decide whether or not they’ll lead to self-doubt. Instead of taking those words to heart, use them to fuel your motivation to prove to yourself and others that you can accomplish your goal.
If this is difficult for you, repeat these affirmations in the morning. Put emotion into your words. Be aware of your body language. Say each statement confidently. Repeat multiple times until you mean what you’re saying.
I am a writer.
I possess the skills and talent to accomplish my goals.
I start and finish my writing projects with ease.
Now that you believe you have what it takes, it’s time to get to work. Writing is not always fun and you won’t always be in the mood to put in the work but that book isn’t going to write itself.
The truth is you won’t know what you’re capable of if you don’t try. Even if you believe that you were born with writing talent, it isn’t going to mean much if all you have is a blank screen. Being a writer means putting in the work. There’s no better time than the present to begin. Waiting for the right time when all the stars are in alignment and you’re perfectly ready puts you in a consistent holding pattern and being in a “holding back” pattern is only going to hamper your chances of success. For tips on overcoming procrastination, check out this article.
As you take action toward your goal, you’ll gain more confidence and have more evidence to challenge your self-limiting beliefs.
So stop holding back and start proving to yourself that you’re capable of achieving your dreams. Because you are a real writer.
