Many aspiring bloggers ask me how to start a blog and write articles as I do. I tell them just to start writing what they want.
They often get confused.
- What topic should I write about?
- What should I name my blog?
- What if nobody reads my articles?
- I’m not good at writing.
They have all these fears, doubts, and excuses. As a result, they end up not starting at all.
But I can see where they are coming from. When I began writing on the internet, I was as clueless as they were. I had the same doubts as they did.
Do you know how I overcame fear and doubt?
By going for it anyway.
I knew I wasn’t a good writer. I knew people weren’t going to read my work. Yet, I had this keen desire to put my words out there on the internet. And because of that, I kept going despite the fear and doubt I had.
I didn’t start writing to make money or get famous. I didn’t have the goal of becoming a professional writer as I do now. The only thing that helped me continue my work was my love for writing online. Period.
Therefore, nothing could stop me. I wrote about whatever I wanted. I didn’t focus on a specific niche. Instead, I wrote on several topics, including personal growth, career, health, finance, books, etc.
If you want to do something, you need to start. Many people wait for the perfect moment. They want everything to be right before they begin.
Whether writing online or starting a business, they want the time to be perfect. But the truth is that time is never right. Instead, you have to make it right by starting with what you have.
Most creators I know spend too much time on preparation. They want everything to go as planned. And when things don’t go that way, they become sad. Eventually, they give up.
You don’t need intense preparation to begin something. What you need is to get rid of the resistance and begin right away.
Any creative work needs ideas. You have to produce high-quality work consistently.
The way to find creative ideas is to start.
But how can I create something when I don’t have an idea?
Ironically, when you take action, you find more ideas. I’ve experienced this several times. Whenever I wait for a perfect topic to write about, I can’t find any. Instead, I find new ideas when I begin writing every day without giving much thought to the topic.
Freewriting allows you not to overthink ideas, mistakes, and outcomes. Instead, you can be more flexible with what you write. When you force yourself to produce something, you get better at it. Eventually, you will find many ideas that you couldn’t before.
The same applies to motivation. Mark Manson, the author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, says,
Action isn’t just the effect of motivation; it’s also the cause of it.
He also quotes his high school teacher in the book, who says,
“If you’re stuck on a problem, don’t sit there and think about it; just start working on it. Even if you don’t know what you’re doing, the simple act of working on it will eventually cause the right ideas to show up in your head.”
You won’t be good (and that’s okay).
Nobody can be perfect from the beginning. They become successful only when they make mistakes, learn, and keep chasing their dreams.
Thinking you will succeed from the beginning will produce nothing but let-downs. Understand that failing is a learning experience.
“No one does when they begin. Ideas don’t come out fully formed. They only become clear as you work on them. You just have to get started.” — Mark Zuckerburg
When I started writing online, nobody saw my articles. I got less than ten views per day. It sucked.
But that didn’t stop me. I kept going. I persisted and produced more work. I learned from my mistakes and tried new ideas. I learned from other writers and copied their processes. Eventually, I became the writer I am today.
I’m still learning every day.
The human brain seeks comfort. It loves excuses. It likes to complain about all the things that are going wrong.
If you listen to your brain, you won’t succeed. Your thoughts will give you a million reasons why you can’t, shouldn’t, and won’t do something.
But it is necessary to do what makes you uncomfortable because that’s usually what helps you progress. Doing physically and mentally challenging tasks is crucial if you want to overcome your fears.
Starting something can be scary. All the what-ifs and buts will tell you not to do it. But if you genuinely want to become the person you want to be, you must overcome the fears and go after what you want.
So, the choice is yours: One day or Day one.
Thanks for reading. If you like this article, please follow me on Medium and join my email list for weekly inspiration.
