This is almost creepy, but this article popped up while I was listening to Marie Forleo’s chapter on “Fear is not the Enemy” in her “everything is figureoutable” book, saying the exact same thing as your post. Very powerful message and thank you for sharing 🙌🏻
> remember that anyone who is secretly making fun of you is just a sad jealous lonely loser who hates their job, life, is having no sex, and will die horrendously empty and unfulfilled.
Legendary.
In seriousness though, I was listening to Kevin Rose and Tim Ferriss one time, and Kevin said something to the effect of, "Think about it, you've *never* left a mean comment like this. These people just don't have anything better to do." I think about that when I see mean comments. It makes me feel glad I have things in my life that I care about beyond getting mad.
With a big audience, do you ever feel a fear of responsibility? That what you say and suggest in your writing can influence people to make choices in their lives that could have good or bad outcomes?
I just started this journey myself, it's like you're writing to me!
I went the route of secret side account, turns out a few people from my regular social media found it and started following. Turns out they like the content! But it was scary getting started for sure.
When I started Never Stop Learning last year I spend the first month not telling anyone I knew! It was quite funny.
Then I shared it with a few people at work. Arrrrrrhhh, I was so scared. I’d come into the office and people would come up to me and complement my latest post! People were onward sharing!
I’ve pretty much got over that now but that moment before pressing publish still has that adrenaline buzz!
I still worry that I might post something that’s no good, get picked up by my boss or prospective future boss and the think I’m an idiot. What if I destroy my actual real life career in the process of creating this blog!
"The Great Lie of the Information Age is the conflation of consumption and production. To paraphrase Churchill, never was so much made for so many by so few.
No golfer ever got a hole in one by watching the PGA Tour.
No student ever aced a test by organizing his notes.
No soldier ever won a war by cowering in his foxhole.
What much more important phone call, project, task, or act of kindness are you putting off by reading these words?"
I haven't had a real fear behind publishing in a while, but something that is becoming increasingly more relevant as my audience grows (mostly on twitter, not really a problem on substack) is blocking negativity.
Thank you for the license to block quickly, and liberally.
This is almost creepy, but this article popped up while I was listening to Marie Forleo’s chapter on “Fear is not the Enemy” in her “everything is figureoutable” book, saying the exact same thing as your post. Very powerful message and thank you for sharing 🙌🏻
I love when spooky things like that happen. Like the universe is conspiring to get a message into your head
Exactly 🙈 I heard you, universe.
Things like this happen to me a lot, and I wonder how much of it is confirmation bias. Still fun regardless!
> remember that anyone who is secretly making fun of you is just a sad jealous lonely loser who hates their job, life, is having no sex, and will die horrendously empty and unfulfilled.
Legendary.
In seriousness though, I was listening to Kevin Rose and Tim Ferriss one time, and Kevin said something to the effect of, "Think about it, you've *never* left a mean comment like this. These people just don't have anything better to do." I think about that when I see mean comments. It makes me feel glad I have things in my life that I care about beyond getting mad.
With a big audience, do you ever feel a fear of responsibility? That what you say and suggest in your writing can influence people to make choices in their lives that could have good or bad outcomes?
I totally feel this.
When people start citing you, or referring to how something you wrote made them take an action in the real world, it's kinda like a.....woah, moment.
I just started this journey myself, it's like you're writing to me!
I went the route of secret side account, turns out a few people from my regular social media found it and started following. Turns out they like the content! But it was scary getting started for sure.
I want my quiet cheering you on to be less quiet this time. Good job
I’m real! Ha. And love the post, thank you.
When I started Never Stop Learning last year I spend the first month not telling anyone I knew! It was quite funny.
Then I shared it with a few people at work. Arrrrrrhhh, I was so scared. I’d come into the office and people would come up to me and complement my latest post! People were onward sharing!
I’ve pretty much got over that now but that moment before pressing publish still has that adrenaline buzz!
I still worry that I might post something that’s no good, get picked up by my boss or prospective future boss and the think I’m an idiot. What if I destroy my actual real life career in the process of creating this blog!
Totally unlikely but it’s a fear!
https://neverstoplearning1.substack.com
Amen! As I recently wrote in my newsletter:
"The Great Lie of the Information Age is the conflation of consumption and production. To paraphrase Churchill, never was so much made for so many by so few.
No golfer ever got a hole in one by watching the PGA Tour.
No student ever aced a test by organizing his notes.
No soldier ever won a war by cowering in his foxhole.
What much more important phone call, project, task, or act of kindness are you putting off by reading these words?"
More here: https://www.whitenoise.email/p/a-public-service-announcement-regarding
I haven't had a real fear behind publishing in a while, but something that is becoming increasingly more relevant as my audience grows (mostly on twitter, not really a problem on substack) is blocking negativity.
Thank you for the license to block quickly, and liberally.
I love all of this.
It’s rings true for trying anything in life that scares you.
And, honestly, fear is the enemy! The main one I know. (And I still love fear-she teaches me daily.)
Amazing read, as always!