Anytime you create something, be it writing a novel, making art, or even cooking an elaborate meal, there's a nagging voice in the back of your mind. This voice tells you that your work is not good enough. It says your writing is cliched, your art is second-rate, and your food tastes bland. It is your self-doubt, and it can be pure evil.
You're not alone in listening to this demon on your shoulder. Nearly everyone hears it at one time or another. If you strive for something, it's almost inevitable.
Don't Heed
The voice pretends to care for you. It says it wants to keep you safe. If you don't try, you won't fail. That's the voice's logic.
But if we don't try, we won't succeed either. Stephen King, arguably one of the most successful authors of our time, threw away his first attempt at Carrie, the book that launched his fame. He listened to the voice, and it almost cost him dearly. Have you judged your own work this harshly?
But Listen
It's important to find a balance between your hopes and this voice. As heartbreaking as it is, sometimes the voice is right, and it uses this fact to control you. Fortunately, it's not hard to break its spell.
When doubt creeps in, give yourself some time or distance from the project. Preferably, this would be after the project is completed in at least a rough form, but you must make your own decisions here.
By distancing yourself, you gain more perspective. You lose some closeness to the project, and your judgment clears. The voice fades, allowing you to go back and make a more accurate call.
Or Listen to Others
Friends and family can certainly help, as well. As King's story goes, it was his wife, Tabitha, that fished the manuscript from the garbage. She read it, liked it, and encouraged him to finish it. The same can happen for you.
Enlist the help of others, and encourage them to be honest. A third party can offer insights and advice that you would never have considered. Their perspective can send you in new directions, push you along your path, or provide the last nail in the project's coffin.
Of course, it's up to you how to proceed from there. Each project is worthwhile, even if they aren't successful, but dead ends are rarely fun. Success feels a lot nicer.
Whatever you do, keep trying. The voice is wrong in that respect. Failure always comes to those who don't try.
You're not alone in listening to this demon on your shoulder. Nearly everyone hears it at one time or another. If you strive for something, it's almost inevitable.
Don't Heed
The voice pretends to care for you. It says it wants to keep you safe. If you don't try, you won't fail. That's the voice's logic.
But if we don't try, we won't succeed either. Stephen King, arguably one of the most successful authors of our time, threw away his first attempt at Carrie, the book that launched his fame. He listened to the voice, and it almost cost him dearly. Have you judged your own work this harshly?
But Listen
It's important to find a balance between your hopes and this voice. As heartbreaking as it is, sometimes the voice is right, and it uses this fact to control you. Fortunately, it's not hard to break its spell.
When doubt creeps in, give yourself some time or distance from the project. Preferably, this would be after the project is completed in at least a rough form, but you must make your own decisions here.
By distancing yourself, you gain more perspective. You lose some closeness to the project, and your judgment clears. The voice fades, allowing you to go back and make a more accurate call.
Or Listen to Others
Friends and family can certainly help, as well. As King's story goes, it was his wife, Tabitha, that fished the manuscript from the garbage. She read it, liked it, and encouraged him to finish it. The same can happen for you.
Enlist the help of others, and encourage them to be honest. A third party can offer insights and advice that you would never have considered. Their perspective can send you in new directions, push you along your path, or provide the last nail in the project's coffin.
Of course, it's up to you how to proceed from there. Each project is worthwhile, even if they aren't successful, but dead ends are rarely fun. Success feels a lot nicer.
Whatever you do, keep trying. The voice is wrong in that respect. Failure always comes to those who don't try.
