In this month’s “Ask the Coach” article, I’m responding to a reader about having confidence and stretching farther as a writer:
“I think it’s my confidence. I feel completely sure that I don’t know what I’m doing. I’d like to believe it when I tell myself, ‘It may not be there yet, but it will be,’ about my writing. I’d also like to set goals for myself that feel a little more ambitious than those I set now. I like that I protect my feelings but I may be doing too much of that.”
From what I’ve seen, all writers face crises of confidence periodically, including professional, experienced writers, so it’s good to remember you’re not alone. We may also be questioning ourselves about whether we’re pushing ourselves forward enough.
In the article, I explore some possibilities to help:
1. What you say to yourself matters:
2. How you set goals matters.
3. How you protect your feelings matters.
We arrive at confidence by doing the work, not by having confidence in advance.
I’d love to answer them for you in my column.