avatarSalam Khan

Summary

The author encourages writers to overcome self-doubt and fear of inadequacy by sharing their work, emphasizing that even seemingly simple creations can resonate with readers.

Abstract

The article discusses the fear of not being good enough, a sentiment experienced by the author and a friend who is an artist. Despite being a perfectionist and fearing negative feedback, the author decides to publish a simple haiku about sibling love on Medium. This act leads to positive responses from readers, reinforcing the idea that even work perceived as subpar by its creator can touch someone's heart. The author advises others to silence self-doubt, share their work, and move on to their next project, as connecting with even one person makes the effort worthwhile.

Opinions

  • The author believes that self-doubt is a common obstacle for creators, including themselves, which can prevent them from sharing their work.
  • Despite initial hesitation, the author recognizes the value in publishing content regardless of personal reservations about its quality.
  • The author suggests that the fear of one's work going unnoticed or receiving criticism is not a valid reason to withhold it from the public.
  • A personal anecdote is used to illustrate that simple, heartfelt work can be impactful and receive appreciation from readers.
  • The author's main message is that creators should not let anxiety about perfectionism hinder them from publishing and potentially connecting with an audience.
Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

Keep writing

Don’t be Afraid to Publish Your Work On Medium

Do your best, don’t self-doubt, keep calm, and publish on.

I have a friend, let’s call him Paul. Paul is very good at painting. His work mesmerizes me. On the other hand, being a perfectionist, he thinks his art is not good enough. Hence he doesn’t show his work to anyone other than me. But if he did, I’m sure people would love it.

I’m also afraid of not being good enough

Most of my write-ups, I feel, are shit. I write, rewrite, and delete a lot of my work without publishing. Because, naturally I’m afraid of my work going unnoticed, or worse — somebody telling me it’s crap.

So what, I tell myself

Even if that happens, so what? Someone may dislike it, but there might be another person, who may love it.

Take this haiku, I wrote, for example.

In this haiku, I didn’t use any fancy words and delivered a simple message. Because of that simplicity, I thought it’s not good enough.

I self-doubted for many days as this kept sitting in my draft stories. I was going to delete it, but then I told myself: even if it’s not good enough, there is no harm publishing it. If it goes unnoticed, so what. And I did publish it.

Right after publishing it, within first few moments, I’ve had two comments and a few claps. It simply resonated with a few readers. And, within one day, it has more than 10 fans and a few hundred claps!

Even if one person reads it, claps it, or interacts with me, that’s a win.

Take away for you

  • “It’s not good enough” is just anxiety in your head
  • What’s not good enough for you may touch someone’s heart
  • Pour your love into your work
  • Publish and move on to the next one

Do your best, don’t self-doubt, keep calm, and publish on.

Salam wrote a love letter for you, don’t let it go unread.

Self
Self Confidence
Confidence
Self Improvement
Writing
Recommended from ReadMedium