The self-doubt never leaves:

The self-doubt never leaves.

It never goes away.

Writing sometimes feels like I’m going backwards.

Sometimes I feel like my writing is getting worse with time.

That’s ok.

Just keep pushing.

It’s hard to appreciate improvement in the moment.

It’s only when you look over a long enough time scale do you appreciate how far you’ve come.

Like me looking at old photos before I got in shape.

You don’t realize you’re different until you look back.

Improvement is slow and steady.

Sometimes it’s 1 step forward, 5 steps back.

That’s ok.

Just keep pushing.

You never know what will hit.

You never know what will resonate.

That’s not in your control.

All you can do is focus on the work.

Focus on producing quality work.

Remember though, quality is subjective.

Someone else’s idea of quality is different than yours.

A piece of work you think sucks, someone else may love.

A piece you love other people will hate.

Never forget that.

The only thing you control is effort, the outcomes are not in your control.

But if you put in maximal effort on a long enough time scale in a specific domain, the outcomes will come.

People will appreciate it over time.

It will take longer than you think, but that’s ok.

Enjoy the process.

Enjoy the writing.

Enjoy the darkness.

Enjoy being under the radar.

Life changes when more eyeballs on you.

You change.

The self-doubt grows even stronger.

Now you have to live up to an expectation.

Other people’s expectations can be toxic.

It’s hard to keep pushing through it.

No wonder celebrities take time away from the spotlight.

No wonder artists always struggle with producing continuously.

Success makes you believe your own bullshit.

Success is a toxic drug.

In the moment, it feels like it can never end.

But it will.

Life is impermanent.

You can’t control what happens to you but you can control how you act.

You control how you use your time.

You have a choice.

Show up and commit to the work, no matter the outcomes.

That’s your decision.

Conquer your muse.

Conquer your fears.

The self-doubt never leaves so just keep showing up.