💡Problem - I'm stuck / afraid / have imposter syndrome...
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What to do if you're stuck?Read time: 4 Minutes In 2020-2023 I watched dozens of creators come online addressing just this issue. It's prevalent everywhere you look, and no creators are immune from these thoughts of not being good enough. Here's Steven Spielberg on 60 minutes talking about it:
And then there's Maya Angelou. In her book, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," she wrote: "I have written eleven books, but each time I think, 'uh oh, they're going to find out now. I've run a game on everybody, and they're going to find me out. The feeling of being an imposter, or being afraid, or being stuck is universal - every creator deals with it at some point and in some frequency. Having these feelings isn't bad, but letting them derail you from doing the work you feel compelled to do limits your impact and influence on the world. So we need tools to overcome these feelings when they arise. Identify Limiting BeliefsThe first step is to identify the limiting beliefs. Shine a light on it, call it out, pause it in its tracks. Look at it, and ask yourself, is this really true? If Steve or Maya asked themselves that question, it's an obvious yes. Just look at the work they've done! Yet, we don't afford ourselves that same grace when we ask ourselves the question. But if you're honest, you'll see that the limiting beliefs aren't true, you're just letting them step in your path and stop your progress. The solution is to step around them. You do this by taking action. Doing so is an act of faith, and faith and fear cannot coexist. To have faith means to have a belief and support it with action. I believe this book will help someone, so I'm going to write today. I believe this film is important, so I'm going to show up and direct it today. I can't because...This sentence is so pernicious. If you think of your brain like a computer - taking inputs and turning them into outputs like typing on a keyboard to make words appear on screen - this thought is like putting a virus into your brain's hard drive. Think about the last time you said - or thought - I can't because... What was it you couldn't do? What was the reason? I can't make my movie because I don't have the money. I can't write the book because I don't have a publisher. I can't fix my business because I don't have the time. The structure is often "I can't [get an outcome] because [I don't have a resource]" So we need to shift our beliefs around this idea and kill the virus before it gets downloaded again. There are plenty of people in your industry who have succeeded with fewer resources than you currently have. True? If it's true, then it's not about resources, but about the resourcefulness of the business owner. These individuals have a belief that someone woke up today with an abundance of the things they lack. Then they go and find those people and work with them to get the outcomes they want in their lives. People who "can't" grow their social media following team up with a squad of others on the platform to boost each other's posts, and growth takes off. People shift away from traditional publishing and work with their fans to sell tens of thousands of copies by word of mouth. People kickstart their projects rather than seek traditional funding, retaining equity in their projects rather than going into debt. Faith and abundance. Two mindsets that every successful creator I know fosters and nurtures every single day. Now, it's one thing to say "Have faith!" but it's another to show you how to get more of it in your life. Join me at the 2024 Craftsman Creative event for three days of workshops where an entire session is devoted to helping you make these mindset shifts.
I'll be back tomorrow with another problem/solution email to help you design and build the profitable business of your dreams this year. See you then! Missed the earlier emails in this series? Check them out here: 1/16 - I'm not doing the type of work I want to be doing... Daren SmithSchedule a 1-on-1 Strategy Call Check out my new book, BLOCKBUSTER |
