Never stop doubting yourself
Every time I send a piece of copywriting work to a client (even those I’ve worked with for years), a little bit of me is screaming inside. “What if they don’t like it?” “What if I’ve missed the point?” What if… what if it’s rubbish?”
Not that I’m totally lacking in self-confidence, it’s just that, well, I guess I’m a little insecure sometimes.
Creative insecurity. Too much of it is crippling. But just the right amount, hmmm… maybe it’s not such a bad thing. Maybe it’s a human thing.
Always room to improve
You know those people who command an audience. Exude charisma. Walk ten feet taller than everyone else. Guess what, they’re just like you and me. Secretly, everso slightly unsure of themeselves, scared someone’s bound to find them out one day.
And that’s what keeps them up there, on their toes. Showing the world just how darned good they are.
Because a teaspoon of self doubt in a bucketful of inner strength is good for you.
If you don’t think you’ve quite cracked the code yet. If you feel you’ve still yet to do your best work. You keep on learning and growing.
It’s only the psycopathic or the ignorant who are 100% sure they know it all. The truly great ones are those who know they’ve still only scratched the surface.
A small measure of self-doubt is healthy, because it shows that self-confidence hasn’t got in the way of your progress. You haven’t got in the way of yourself.
Sweaty-palmed stage fright is the last thing you need, but a couple of butterflies doing loop-the-loops in your belly keeps you sharp. It stops autopilot taking over and forcing you to stay where you are.
As nice as where you are right now is, stay there too long and rigor mortis will set in.
So, embrace those wobbles of insecurity. Welcome those whispers of “am I good enough?”
Just remember, you are good enough, but you’re not as good as you’re going to be tomorrow.
Love and patience.
Jonathan x
Jonathan Wilcock (that’s me) is a Senior Freelance Copywriter.
You can drop me a line here, or email jonathan@sowhatif.co.uk