“And if you’re waiting for unanimous approval, you’re never going to ship that important work.” What a great reminder to have from Seth Godin in his 01/12/2025 blog post.
The Thing of Nightmares Holding Us Back
How many of us are guilty of sitting on an idea, an email, a new piece of writing, a new product, a new service because we are worried about what “they” might think? This mysterious “they” don’t exist in the real world as they do in the conjured-up nightmare we have in our minds.
Do It Scared
As Adam Grant points out, it’s fear that keeps most people from moving forward - but do it anyway, “do it scared.” “Inaction breeds rumination and feeds anxiety. Action builds momentum and fuels confidence.”
From Cringe to Courage
While I find the practice of writing cathartic, sharing it publicly isn’t something that comes easily to me. It never has - even in school, I never liked sharing my work with anyone. But over a year ago, I committed to getting into the habit of writing more frequently. This quarter, I set myself the goal to journal daily (see, even me telling you that goal makes me cringe a bit - but guess what, I’m still alive, nothing bad happened). Trust me, if I can do it, so can you.
What’s Holding You Back?
What’s something you have been holding on to that you are too scared to put out there? Commit yourself to taking one small action today, yes, right now, toward putting that thing out there to the world.
Remember, fear is a sign that what you’re working on matters. Don’t let it stop you—ship it scared and see where it takes you.
Ponder This
- How might taking even one small action change your feelings about what scares you?
- Who in your life could support you as you “do it scared”?
Books
- Seth’s Blog - Seth Godin
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