Can I or, Can’t I?
The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease for ever to be able to do it.”
―J. M. Barrie
As she opened the conversation, she said, “I somehow don’t feel good after listening to my voice. I bought the best and the costliest microphone and recorded a few episodes. But it sounds so weird. I don’t feel like the audience will like my voice”.
I couldn’t stop myself from smiling.
Because for me, she was sounding awesome. A very nice and beautiful voice.
That reminded me of a conversation I had years ago. “I don’t think I can do it”, my wife said when I explained to her how she could start a blog and live her passion.
“You are right”, I replied.
She looks at me, shocked. “What do you mean?”, she asked.
“If you think you can’t you are right. You cannot”, I said.
As she continued to look at me startled, I continued, “And it is also true that you can. But only if you think and believe that you can”.
“Now you have a choice. Pick yours”, I concluded.
It is 13 years now and she runs a successful blog, does all of the backend stuff, runs a podcast, and makes money.
Do you know what’s the biggest hurdle in progress?
It is the thought that “we cannot”.
It is that devaluation that we do of ourselves. That feeling that we are not up to the mark.
“When you’re different, sometimes you don’t see the millions of people who accept you for what you are. All you notice is the person who doesn’t.”
―Jodi Picoult
A lot of times, this stems from a comment that somebody made on us.
It might necessarily not be a comment. A passing remark may be.
“You were sounding a little too rough in that audio”. And that remark is enough for me to start feeling that my voice isn’t good for audio.
It doesn’t matter how many people praised your voice after that.
Most podcasters who never start their podcast, have this same thought.
“I sound awful on audio. My audience might not like listening to me”.
That thought terminates an inspiring show from even taking off.
Stop doubting yourself!
And stop heeding what those naysayers say.
I love a statement that happen to hear from Ali Abdaal.
He said, “Nobody cares. Your friends, family, and relatives don’t care what you are doing online because they are not your audience. And the world around you also doesn’t care what you are doing because they are too busy caring about themselves”.
That makes your job easier.
When nobody really cares, why not just put it out there irrespective of how awesome or, awful you sound?
While I agree that it is easier said than done, the truth is that there is no other better way to do it.
“If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.”
–Vincent Van Gogh
Here are five simple tips to help improve self-confidence and self-belief:
- Practice self-compassion: Treat yourself with kindness and understanding, just like you would a close friend. Acknowledge your strengths and accomplishments, and don’t be too hard on yourself when things don’t go as planned. Remember, nobody is perfect, and making mistakes is a natural part of learning and growing.
- Set realistic goals: Set achievable goals that align with your abilities and values. Break them down into smaller, manageable steps, and celebrate each milestone you reach. By setting and attaining realistic goals, you’ll build a sense of competence and gain confidence in your abilities.
- Challenge negative self-talk: Pay attention to the negative thoughts and beliefs you have about yourself. Replace them with positive and affirming statements. For example, if you catch yourself thinking, “I’m not good enough,” challenge that thought by reminding yourself of past successes and focusing on your strengths.
- Surround yourself with positive influences: Surround yourself with supportive and uplifting people who believe in you and encourage your personal growth. Seek out mentors, friends, or communities that inspire and motivate you. Their positive energy and feedback can boost your self-confidence.
- Step out of your comfort zone: Push yourself to try new things and embrace challenges. Even if you feel a bit uncomfortable or unsure at first, remember that growth happens outside of your comfort zone. Each time you take a small step outside of what feels safe, you’ll expand your capabilities and build confidence in your ability to handle new situations.
Remember, building self-confidence takes time and practice. Be patient with yourself and celebrate your progress along the way. You have the potential to become more self-assured and believe in yourself.
A secret tip: I started journaling at the beginning of this year. I followed the 1-1-1 journaling system by Sahil Bloom. And the amount of good it has done is incomparable.
It’s a simple journaling system that not only builds your confidence but also teaches you to be grateful for the many things around you.
Try it!
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Found on the internet
Here’s what I found on the internet this week.
Sahil is an amazing writer and his posts are full of inspiration and actionable advice. If you aren’t following him, then I would recommend that you do it immediately.
This post is a must-read for anyone who is above 30 years of age. The post is long, so you might want to head over to this link and read it there.
This is an amazing tweet from Josh. He answers 10 common questions that he gets asked and that too in a brutally honest way. In fact, these are some common questions that I too get asked.
And I am sure you too would be asking.
Read on and enjoy the answers.
What am I reading?
I have a few more pages to go on the book that I was reading. It was “Do Epic Shit” by Ankur Warikoo.
The book is pretty simple and an easy read. And I really liked the simplicity of it.
I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in any form of content creation.
I will be picking up the next book in this series, “Get Epic Shit done”, the next week. Let’s see how it goes.
From the Podcast
Remember those days when your parents and your relatives decided what you should do in life?
“You should become an engineer”. The uncle said.
“No, you are born to be a doctor”, aunty replied.
Nobody asked us what we wanted to become.
Eventually, we went to an engineering college but ended up doing content creation.
Before you start off with something, it is important that you evaluate yourself to know if you are fit for that job.
In podcasting too, it is the same.
Last week I released an episode that is about evaluating to find if “podcasting is for you”. It sets some basic expectations and will help you ask yourself some basic questions before you get started.
So that you don’t end up feeling that you got into something that you weren’t carved out for.
Listen to the episode here and do let me know your thoughts!
That’s it for this week!
Do let me know your thoughts, feedback, and opinions about this newsletter.
