One of the biggest challenges we face is starting, especially when it involves stepping outside of our comfort zone and venturing down a road we have never traveled before. We have doubts about whether we are as good as we believe ourselves to be. We wonder whether what we have to offer is good enough and if anyone would take us seriously.
Sometimes, we are not clear about who we are. This often happens when we are good at many things, making it difficult to decide on which one to pursue. There is also the issue of impostor syndrome – the feeling that we are impersonating someone else or pretending to be something we are not.
In Chapter 2 of “Steal Like an Artist: Don’t wait until you know who you are to get started,” the author encourages us to simply move forward. Start creating, begin improving what you are copying, and add value.
I know many people who are frozen stiff with indecision about how to start or what to start. They become immobilized by paralysis by analysis.
How do you know what you are good at if you are not doing it?
How do you know who you are if you are not being it?
The taste of the pudding is in the eating, as the common saying goes.
It is close to impossible to steer a ship that is anchored in the harbor. The best time to steer a ship is when it has left the harbor. If the ship is going in the wrong direction, it can be turned around by the Captain.
Since you are not reinventing the wheel, you may as well swing out with what you’ve got. We tend to believe that everyone knows what we know or have learned. You will be pleasantly surprised to discover that the knowledge you have been sitting on is of great help or a blessing to others. You have no way of knowing until you gather up your courage, put away your fear, and share what you have or what you know. You will be surprised by how many people were waiting for you to show up.
Leave a Reply