31 Comments

Very encouraging advice! and so many excellent points regarding self-worth. Without vision we are lost and it's easy to drown in outside voices.

Expand full comment

Thank you Deborah and yes, we have to tame the beast and become our best supporter.

Self-worth is so important all around but especially when you expose your work and yourself in public.

Expand full comment

Absolutely! It's been a struggle for me as well. I decided a long time ago to keep "doing me" and wherever that leads, I let "being myself" guide the journey. Love your energy and advice :) ox

Expand full comment

I love the “let me be myself” guide the journey.

It’s a great way to look at it.

Expand full comment

I’ve suffered from enormous self-doubt my entire life so I completely relate. I used to get caught up in the details before I realized that mindset is everything. These points are so important for a beginner writer or even a seasoned one who needs to recalibrate.

Expand full comment

I totally hear you, Alison!

We get caught in things like visuals, fonts, logos, etc as a way to avoid facing the monsters in our head.

I'm working on removing those obstacles along the way, press play and figure things out rather than wait for the perfect plan.

Thank you!

Expand full comment

Great advice and awesome writing as usual, so happy to have you here!

Expand full comment

Thank you Alex, I'm really thrilled and I learned something new with this collab. Win win!

Expand full comment

This is really great! I love all of the advice and encouragement. Thank you so much for sharing!!

Expand full comment

You are welcome.

It’s important to share the struggles too and not only the successes and the wins.

Expand full comment

Hi Veronica! Thanks for a beautiful article that serves as a reminder for many of what we already know. Every writer has doubts and we all have that inner critic. Writers write. They simply cannot. It is like breathing. And one should never have to justify their beautiful purpose.

Expand full comment

I'm really happy you said that.

A few weeks ago I wrote a Note that said,

"And one fine day, writing became my breathing."

That's it, that's what we do and we should let it flow freely.

Thank you!

Expand full comment

So good! I found myself relating to this on multiple fronts, not even just writing. For me, it could also be art, and for others, music, sports, and so on. Great article!

Expand full comment

Thank you Sierra, and yes, it could be anything.

I focused on writing but we can extrapolate this to so many other aspects of business and life.

Expand full comment

Thank you for sharing this, Veronica. The advice resonates a lot with my own struggle.

Expand full comment

Thank you for sharing, Sekar, as creators who are building in public, we all face similar demons that take different shapes. Cheers!

Expand full comment

Wisdom without a doubt, thank you for this. There are parallels with project management where we’re expected to create visions occasionally. There is a danger that visions become negative, such as “I will get fat if I don’t exercise” here’s my advice on that:

https://open.substack.com/pub/agilepmosimply/p/positive-visions?r=26elou&utm_medium=ios

Expand full comment

That's such a great point, Steve.

There is the danger of falling for that negative narrative, but that means we need a stronger vision.

Thank you!

Expand full comment

Frank, honest, insightful, kind and encouraging guidance.

Expand full comment

Thank you, Ene, I really appreciate your words.

Expand full comment

It is my pleasure, Veronica.

Fears and doubts have plagued the most successful writers of different generations and eras.

However, we rarely hear or read about it. Writers are much like swans - all of the stress, hard work and discipline is hidden…

Expand full comment

I love that comparison and yes, all the anxiety goes underneath but it’s often there.

Talking about it openly is liberating though and you feel less alone.

Thank you!

Expand full comment

Good points! Sounds like me! Why do I write? Because I have something to say! And I want to tell it to the whole, freakin' world!

Expand full comment

I enjoyed reading this and I appreciate the balance your display.

Expand full comment

Thank you, Linda!

Balance is so important in everything, especially the creative world.

Cheers

Expand full comment

I forgot to say another reason why I write is I was a very shy and quiet child but when I was in Elementary school, I loved reading and writing! I loved words that rhymed! I loved Dr. Seuss! I communicated through writing!

Expand full comment

Yes, it’s a lovely tool for introverts. I feel the same way and I think many introverts find their voice through the silent words.

Expand full comment

Great advice. Thank you.

Expand full comment

Your mindset is the key to improving anything in your life 💯

Expand full comment

"Vision overwrites (lack of) motivation."

This is the key to creating a good life, in my eyes.

The way I describe it to my friends and family is:

Prioritising long-term satisfaction over short-term satisfaction.

It's rejecting our present yearnings for our future benefits.

Great piece as always!

Expand full comment
Comment deleted
Jun 30
Comment deleted
Expand full comment

Thank you Sasha!

I always try to make things simple and actionable ;)

Expand full comment