What’s awesome about this list is that it works with everything! Or at least everything that I threw at it. I spent a great deal of time sitting with, meditating over, and chatting up this subject. Needless to say, I’m pretty amped about it. Because at some point, regardless of who we are and how freaking awesome we are, we get this to point where it seems like we just can’t get it right.
Doubting yourself is a common response. As writers, we’re especially prone to this. Maybe I’m not that good after all. I feel this way from time to time myself, which is why I’ve included it in my 2015 goal setting.
Before you fall into that slippery slope of doubt then depression, or even worst doubt then divorce (quitting), consider these five questions:
1. Are you well?
Are you physically, mentally, and emotionally well? Have you been feeling rather clumsy or exhausted lately? Are you depressed? Until you manage your well-being, your productivity and performance won’t add up to much. This is the first on the list because it should top our list of priorities and concerns as well.
2. Overwhelmed?
Maybe you’re taking on too much right now. Your brain is overloaded and simply cannot take on another freaking task. Write it all down: What do you need and need to have? What do you want to do and want to have? What’s upsetting you? List it. Journal it. Map it. Just get it out.
Also consider delegation. This is huge, and is another intention of mine this year. The kids are getting older, so we’ve restructured the chore list. I’m also hiring a virtual assistant part-time. Who can take on some of your tasks so that you have more time + energy?
Clutter is another big one that will leave you feeling completely overwhelmed. Creatives tend to be messy. I get that and believe that. However, it’s also true that inner peace has a hard time settling when your surroundings are a mess. That goes for your physical environment, as well as digital. Clean up your inbox and desktop too.
3. In the wrong lane?
No matter how many times I revised that piece, it wasn’t working. No matter how many different ways I wrote his chapters, he wasn’t feeling ’em. I was out of my lane. I was writing about things that didn’t interest me. That’s the problem with doing stuff strictly for the money. Not only is it exhausting, but you’ll eventually begin performing poorly.
4. Unprepared?
A couple years ago I started an internship excited as shit! I loved the company, their message, and my role in it. My tasks were challenging to say the least. Out of fear of being a burden or seeming incompetent, I limited my questions. As a result, I had no clue what I was doing sometimes. Finally (and fortunately), we had a Skype chat about our progress. I shared my confusion, got the guidance, and resumed my job more confidently.
Don’t be afraid of going back to the drawing board. That may mean reading a few articles and books to get in the know, sitting in on some webinars and e-courses, going back to school, or maybe even just opening your mouth to ask. If you’re unprepared, don’t beat yourself up for not performing well. Prepare and proceed.
5. Neglecting how you want to feel?
In order to function at my optimum level, I have to do more stuff like reading, journaling, painting my toes, scrapbooking, and playing Scrabble than I do implementing new marketing tactics and folding clothes. This approach also works the other way around. Maybe you prefer the business side of things. It’s all about making conscious choices. At least once a day, and especially when you’re feeling tense, ask yourself how you want to feel, then respond accordingly.
I tend to feel anxious a lot. Of course I don’t want to feel this way. The opposite of anxious is calm, so when I want to feel calm, I’ll refer to my self-care list and do stuff like yoga, running, or steaming in the shower until the water turns cold. For more goodies on how to feel your way through your work, check out this video:
Jot these down in your favorite notebook, and whenever you just can’t get it right, refer to this list. If I overlooked any considerations, do me a solid and add them in the comments. My job is to equip writers with the resources they need to write more confidently. If you’d like these tools delivered directly to your inbox once a week, then subscribe by clicking here.