The Intersection of Time and Fear
I’ve had dozens of people email me over the past week – telling me what their biggest challenge is around writing their book.
It boils down to pretty much two things:
- How can I find more time to write?
- Am I doing this writing… right?
When those two challenges show up in combination… it’s a recipe for inaction (and then getting MAD at yourself for not writing!)
My darling author, let’s look at this okay?
Time
Imagine me holding your hand and saying this very gently:
We make time for the things that matter.
And if you look at your life, you’ll find it’s true. You’ll also find that it’s EASIER to make time for other people – less so for yourself. Which is why you’re probably also struggling to find time to exercise (me!), go to bed at a decent hour, pursue your hobbies, and yes, write.
The things that seem “easy” are caring for other people – those kids HAVE to eat, they HAVE to have clean clothes (even if they aren’t folded), and the dog HAS to be fed. If you’ve got clients or a job, you rarely, if ever, drop THOSE balls – they are cared for.
Now, add in the fact that you are TIRED. It’s so easy to watch TV, scroll social media, even disappear into a book. And that’s okay! You’ve GOT to have time to switch off your brain and rest.
And…
We make time for the things that matter.
We make time for things that matter. Your book, your message... MATTERS. Click To TweetWriting your book DOES matter. And you WANT to make time to write. But… here’s where time intersects with fear. Because WHY spend your time on something that, while enjoyable and you WANT to do, you’re riddled with self-doubts about if your message does in fact, matter; will anybody READ the book, and are you writing “correctly” so people will want to read it later.
Does my writing MATTER?
We WANT to make an impact in the world. We WANT to make a difference, to help people. We also want to be liked, respected, and appreciated.
Writing is a solo activity. And it’s almost impossible to figure out if you’re doing it “right” on your own. You either think all your writing is BRILLIANT and wonderful… or your convinced it’s all crap and you should never write again.
There’s no middle ground.