Why You Won’t Write

You are someone who sells ideas and helps people for a living. You also know that creating compelling content is the cornerstone of most contemporary marketing advice. You don’t think it’s right for your business/career. Or, more likely, You just can’t seem to get started.

I can relate.

While I regularly write today to share my learning and crystallize my thoughts, I struggled with this for a long time. It kills me to imagine the expertise, audience and reach I would enjoy today had I committed to creating consistent content a decade or more ago when I started building my first business.

But this article is not about why you should be publishing unique, audience-focused content. That case has been made by countless others. This is an exploration on why you aren’t doing it when, deep down, you know you should be.

Are you ready for your diagnosis? Here it is…

You lack confidence in your ideas. Just as I used to. Wait, before you dismiss this theory, let me elaborate.

It’s fine to spout your ideas off in a meeting, over the phone and to your staff. I bet that most people would find it ludicrous to suggest that you have any chink in your self confidence armour. But, writing is different than talking; different than emails even. Writing feels final. Permanent. Putting your best ideas on paper will somehow make them official and open them to attack.

Someone might one day point to it and say, “See, this guy is an amatuer. He has no business being in the game!”

So there it is. I’ve called you out on the reason you haven’t committed to creating content—either personally or within your organization.

Of course, this is not a terminal diagnosis. In fact, the cure is not even medicine or surgery, but only a perscription for rehab.

Whether you recognize them or not, you’re going to have to speak—or write, actually—over these loud “What If”s echoing in your head.

Developing any new skill is a humbling experience, and publishing valuable content is no exception. But the truth is that you have ideas that can help people. You will be liberated from the fear if you simply stop worrying about what your peers will say and focus on those who need your help.

When you really think about it, if no one will disagree or give pause to what you are saying, then perhaps it’s just not worth writing about in the first place.

. . .

As an aside, I could have replaced “write” with  “make videos,” “speak in public,” or even “sell” and this blog post would have applied in the same way.