4 Easy Ways to Overcome Your Fear of Publishing

I talk to a lot of creators who are just getting into the game, and there’s one thing that nearly all of them have in common: a gut-wrenching hesitation when it's time to hit "publish" on a piece of content.

Whether it's a simple social media post, a newsletter article (or whatever), there's just something about putting yourself out there that terrifies most people.

So trust me on this one - you're definitely not alone.

Many solopreneurs struggle with this issue, and it holds them back from reaching their full potential.

You absolutely have to tackle this publishing fear head-on.

So let's start with why it's so important to overcome.

The Struggle

The problem with letting fear hold you back is it prevents you from learning anything, like what resonates with your audience (and more importantly, what doesn’t).

If you never publish, you’ll never get any kind of feedback.

And feedback (good and bad) will be the foundation of your growth and development.

Every single piece of content you don't publish is a missed opportunity to grow, engage, and ultimately monetize your online business.

And even though each piece is seemingly small, these missed opportunities really add up.

The more you miss, the less you grow.

And as you know, awareness, impressions, and followers are the lifeblood of any creator's success.

The Frustration

The truth is, this fear of publishing can be paralyzing.

You might spend hours crafting the perfect piece of content, only to second-guess yourself and never hit "publish."

This can become an endless cycle of self-doubt and stand squarely in the way of you achieving your goals.

Fear is a roadblock, period.

But there are some solid ways to break free from this cycle and start putting yourself out there with confidence.

Here are four simple things I did to overcome my fear of publishing and start sharing regularly:

#1: I Started Small

Instead of aiming for a viral sensation, I started by building a habit.

I focused on smaller pieces of content that were easy to produce and share.

This is especially true for Twitter.

When I began publishing on Twitter, I started each morning with a “Good morning to people who X” style Tweet.

These weren’t super compelling pieces of content, but they helped me build confidence and establish a routine of publishing every single day.

On LinkedIn, I started with 2,500 followers in late 2018 and committed to creating one piece of quality content every day. I haven't stopped in 5 years, gaining over 510,000 followers during that time.

Start with a routine.

#2: I Embraced Imperfection

I’ve accepted the fact that every piece of content I publish has the potential to be a masterpiece or a complete dud.

And it's totally okay if some posts don't perform as well as you hope.

Remember, every time you write something, you have an opportunity to grow. But also an opportunity to get ignored (or worse, ridiculed).

Both outcomes have happened to me plenty of times. And guess what? Much like the 24-hour news cycle, 99% of people forget the next day.

And I’ve never once been ridiculed by someone I hold in high regard. In fact, it’s usually the opposite.

Forget those folks.

#3: I Joined Communities

Early in my Solopreneur journey, I joined three different Slack and Discord communities.

I wanted to connect with other creators who understood the struggle and might offer support.

Four years later, many of my best creator friends with hundreds of thousands of followers are the same guys and gals from those communities I joined early on.

Sharing your content with a small, supportive group can make the idea of putting yourself out there a little less intimidating.

#4: I Celebrated My Success

Whenever I hit a milestone or achieve a goal, I tell the world about it.

Because it’s okay to talk about your achievements!

The people who are rooting for you will be excited and supportive. Plus, it’s a perfect opportunity to promote yourself a bit.

Make people take notice.

The support you get from others and the self-belief you develop over time is pure motivation. That stuff reinforces a positive mindset and keeps you focused on moving forward. Momentum!

Takeaway

If you implement these four steps, you'll start to see a shift in your mindset and your production.

You'll begin to view publishing content as an essential and exciting part of growing your online business, rather than something to be afraid of.

So next time you're hovering over that "publish" button, just take a deep breath, remember these tips, and just press the button.

I believe in you. And you should too.

That’s all for today.

See you next week.