I’ve had a lot of people in my life tell me I’m too smart, too educated, too young, too pretty, too whatever to be reaching for the goal of being a writer as a career.
But, I’ve known what I’ve wanted to do for years. And yet, people throw contractions in your face like confetti. You can’t. You won’t make it. You shouldn’t. SHOULDN’T being the worst one. Because shouldn’t doesn’t attack my skills, it attacks the dream and the choice I’m making in going for that dream. In this society we armor ourselves for ‘you can’t’. We rise above it. We say ‘watch me’. But no one prepares you for ‘you shouldn’t’.
And as soon as these words leave these people’s mouths I can point at it and say, hey that’s why I am insecure. That’s why I doubt myself. That’s why I feel like I am a failure. Because people think I should be doing something better instead of living my life how I want to live it.
There is such doubt in writing a book. It’s hard. And especially so when you have not made it yet. (When do we ever really make it though, seriously?)
So let us band together, let us armor ourselves against the ‘you shouldn’t’. If this happens to you on any scale or level please know you are NOT alone! Being a writer is hard, but if that is what you want to do more than anything, go for it! You are working towards a career. You are putting in your hours. It takes time like any profession. There is also no guarantee, but keep going and forget what all these other people have to say about your potential.
We determine our own value. Comparing yourself to others will be what cripples your creativity. So go do your creative thing. Go put in the work. Because it’s not about whether you can or cannot. You can. I can tell you that. You can.
It’s you who has to tell yourself you should.
Once you settle that, you can do anything.
Happy Writing!
Well said! Dount is a delirious disease spread by those who are unhappy with themselves. We must not pocket the confidence that roars so fiercely in our dreams because of someone else’s struggles. Life is but a lucid dream – we must define our own rules, carve our own paths, and explore our own depths. Only then will we truly eradicate doubt.
Excellent advice for those of us who live with doubt.
I really needed this, so thank you. But… too pretty to write? I’m confused 😳 Are we supposed to be the polar opposite of fashion models? 😅
I gravitated toward writing because it doesn’t matter what you look like. What matters are the words and the story, and I love that. But I’ve had strangers tell me if I was going to go into a creative field I could do more, act or model or something where my physical looks mattered. That’s what I meant.
Terrific post however I was wanting to know if you could write a litte more on this subject?
I’d be very grateful if you could elaborate a little bit further.
Cheers!
Thanks for finally writing about > When Doubt Comes from External Forces < Liked it!
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Thank you! Glad it could help!