& How to Ninja Kick Through Them

 

ninja-kick

 

As entrepreneurs, writers and creatives, we regularly have to face and blast through writing blocks.

It’s all part of the ride.

Sometimes these obstacles put a ceiling on our success. Others play tricks with our minds (and collude with our inner critic) to diminish our confidence.  And often they steal our creative juices and laugh at our struggles to reignite the flow.

One thing all of these writing blocks, obstacles, and roadblocks have in common though, is that they all stem from fear. And fear likes to keep us stuck.

To demonstrate, here are a few fears and my expert advice to ninja kick your way through them.

Fear 1: What if nobody wants to read my book?

A frequent (but unsubstantiated) obstacle for lots of writers. Inner critics pipe up with the same old stuck record, ‘Who do you think you are?  Why will people listen to you?’ Blah, blah, blah.

So to blast this (unsubstantiated) fear to the back of beyond… remind yourself of the billions of people in the world, and that potentially, even a portion of these people reading your book is possible.

Fear 2: There’s too much competition.

Fair play. Yes, it’s a noisy, busy world out there with everyone vying for attention.  There may be other books out there that have a similar title to yours, look like they’re trying to attract your ideal reader and even have similar content…

But… you can still dropkick this fear to Timbuctoo!

Accept that there is competition out there, but realise that they won’t have your sparkling personality, your inspirational message and they won’t speak in your unique, quirky, witty voice.  And that’s what’s going to make your book so unique and inviting. To quote Dr Seuss, remember that…


“TODAY YOU ARE YOU, AND THAT IS TRUER THAN TRUE.  THERE IS NO ONE ALIVE WHO IS YOU-ER THAN YOU.”


Fear 3: I don’t really know what to write about.

Sometimes this can be a pretty big roadblock. When the creative juice tank is empty but you still feel the compulsion to write your book… but you’re unhappy with the idea… and you don’t know if it’s what people are looking for and so you just put it on the backburner again.

Okay, let’s ninja kick this fear right now! If Fear 3 strikes, ponder on these few questions:  what are you passionate about, what gets you out of bed each day, how can you change lives, what can you teach people to do, how can you best inspire people, what do you know inside out and back to front that you could write for hours about without doing any research?  Get brainstorming and your book’s purpose will emerge.

Fear 4: I’m not motivated enough to finish writing my book.

That’s okay, you’re human. We’re all lazy sometimes.  Writing is something that’s usually done in isolation, so it’s only natural that with no one to answer to or even speak with about your book, your motivation levels might wane.

But I know how to fix this fear! Find yourself an accountability buddy.  Who do you know who is writing their biz book? Could you pair up with an entrepreneurial friend and exchange motivation sessions? You could also join my private Facebook group, The Writer’s Nook, where we talk about writing and books and word-weaving all the time:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1563485980608566/

We’ll keep you motivated, help you reach your deadlines and talk all things creative if you’ve got no one to chat with about your progress.

Fear 5: What if I fail?

We’re all scared of failing. Leaving our comfort blankets and blasting through the next roadblock fill us all with fear.  But fear is only trying to protect us.  Fear is only saying to us, ‘Look, let’s just stay where we are, we’re happy here, it’s warm, it’s cosy. Why bother with all that?’

So to blast through this roadblock, remember that failure is often part of the ride.  It’s what helps us get even better at what we do. It’s what helps us refuel that fire in our bellies and makes us realise how much we really want something. But be mindful, too, that failure isn’t the only option.  You can actually fly. Savour these lovely words from Erin Hanson, a young Australian poet…


“There is freedom waiting for you,

On the breezes of the sky,

And you ask ‘What if I fall?’

Oh but my darling, what if you fly?


And finally… when your fears are getting the better of you, remember this acronym:

F        False

E        Expectations

A        Appear

R        Real

 

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