Reminders When You Don’t Succeed | Illumination | Listicle

10 Statements to Tell Yourself When Your Articles Don’t Perform Well

You will find success.

We’ve all had articles that didn’t receive as many views, reads or fans as others. We’ve all had articles that weren’t curated or accepted into publications.

And there’s nothing wrong with that.

However, these feelings of rejection can still make us feel down about ourselves, our writing and our situation. In those times, it’s important to not let ourselves get beaten down. It’s important to realize that our feelings aren’t facts.

Here are 10 reminders I tell myself when an article of mine doesn’t do well or when I’m feeling bad about my writing.

1. Writing benefits me in many ways — not just financially.

Writing benefits me emotionally, too. It helps me heal and process. It helps me help others, and in turn, feel good about myself and what I’ve done. Writing is enjoyable, as is engaging with the writer community. Writing helps me feel brave, smart and connected.

2. A lot of factors could’ve gone into my article not doing well that aren’t related to the content.

Maybe it was published at a time in which not many people were online reading. Maybe the writing platform was slow to load that day. Maybe my story got lost among many others.

3. The article may perform well later on or if I change the title.

Maybe I just need to adjust a couple aspects of my article, like making my title more clear. Maybe my article will be curated or find success when I share it again later on. This is not the end of how well this article will do.

4. I’m doing a good thing by writing.

My writing benefits other people and myself. I’m sharing important ideas and giving good vibes off into the world. I’m helping other people more than I realize.

5. I’m doing my best, and that’s always enough.

My “best” now may be different than my “best” later, and that’s okay. I’m doing what I can, and that’s honorable. I’m trying, and that’s something to be proud of, something not everyone is willing to do.

6. I’m still talented, intelligent and worthy.

One article or even all my articles can’t define me as a person. I’m just as good and special regardless of the number of views I receive. The fact my article didn’t do super well doesn’t mean something is wrong with me.

7. Not many people reading my article doesn’t mean it wasn’t good.

Other factors go into people reading an article that aren’t related to who I am or the content of my article. My article could’ve been strong — it’s not dependent on others’ opinions.

8. Relatively and contextually, my article did well. I’m not the only person who’s “failed.”

This article may not have done well given my other pieces, but it may have in comparison to others. (Though there’s nothing wrong with their work either.) This article was better than the first ones and other ones I’ve written. Plus, even the most successful people have “failed.”

9. I still have written and will continue to write successful articles.

My success or failure doesn’t depend on one article. I still have been successful and will continue to be. I am more than one article and how it’s doing right now. I remember previous experiences in which I worried I wouldn’t succeed, then I did. That could be happening again right now.

10. My time will come.

Now may not be my time for success, but my time is coming. I will look back on these days in the future and remind myself to stay strong and keep pursuing my dreams, because that hard work and hope got me far. I will eventually find the success I want.

For more writer encouragement, read these helpful quotes as well as what author Liz Gilbert has to say about writing and creative living.

And feel free to comment other helpful statements. Let’s encourage each other and remind each other that failure is normal, expected and common!