5 Fears that Prevent Dreams (And How to Overcome Them)

No matter which dreams you may have there will be a point when accomplishing it may look impossible. Dreams can seem too big or too far away. After all that’s what makes them a dream. The work to accomplish them can appear overwhelming. It is part of the challenge. It’s what makes the dream alluring. So what do you do when your dreams are surrounded by fears? How can you overcome them and make to the dim light at the end of the tunnel? By recognizing your fears:

1.      Others are right when they say you will fail

Know that there will always be naysayers. People already living the dream and people who don’t know anything about it. You can take their words as truth or you can use it to fuel your determination. Wondering if you can do it or if you’ll fall flat on your face is irrelevant. No one, including you, will know what you can do until you give it a try.

 

2.      You don’t know what you’re doing

This happens and there’s a simple way to fix it. Learn more. Fears can come from being afraid you aren’t good enough, but often there is something you can do about it. Learn all you can and then keep learning. You may not know all you need to know now, but if you make it a habit to increase your learning you will always be improving and one day you will look back and realize how much you have grown.

 

3.      You’re not ready

There is a point to which this can be very true. It’s important to make sure you are as ready as you can be before leaping out into space. But sometimes what happens is that you are ready, you just don’t want to jump. Ask yourself this: How badly do I want this dream? A dream is not worth realizing if it is easy. You have to fight and fall and bleed, but when you get it you will cherish it because it cost all that pain.

 

4.      It’s not perfect

Aim for perfection but don’t die over it or let its lack in your eyes keep you from taking action. Often we can create a goal in our minds that is beyond, not only our abilities but even the abilities of those we think we’re trying to be like. I would paralyze myself by imagining what I would think of my books in twenty years. O how young and naïve I would seem to me then. But you can’t hold yourself responsible for knowing stuff you simply don’t know yet. You can’t hold up what you believe is perfect and say, “Until this dream is like that I won’t try it.”  Make it as good as you know how and when you no longer have errors you know how to fix then give it a shot.

 

5.      What if no one likes it

There are over 7 billion people in the world. Believe it or not your tastes and interests are not unique to only you. Odds are there is at least one person out there, if not thousands or millions, who shares a similar interest in the same things and will find your product a breath of fresh air. Find out why you like what you do and market it to yourself.

There are many reasons that fear will use to keep you from following your heart. Learn to live with them, but don’t let them control you, because the fact is fears and doubts are always there. Will you let the control you and keep you locked up or will you keep them behind you as you race for the goal?

This was originally posted on Write Over the Edge, a blog for writers. Check them out.

4 Ways to Know You're a Writer

Being a writer can be something you know inside, but it is not until you see it that it is realized. If you know you’re a writer then this might seem a bit basic. But if you aren’t sure then this can help you recognize the desires you already have. Here are four ways to know you are indeed a writer:

1.      You’ve read something written by someone else and thought you could do better.

And then you actually attempted it. You sat down and put fingers to keys or pen to paper. It doesn’t matter if you succeeded in doing better or gave up in frustration. Just the fact that you tried means you want to write and create something.

2.      When you are inspired your first thought is to write.

What inspires you? It could be other stories, television or events and people, but if the first thought you have afterward is, “This would make a good story,” then you are already thinking like a writer. Although it may seem natural to you, most people don’t think that way, only writers do.

3.      You can’t not write.

The best reason to become a writer is because you have to write. If you have a passion that burns inside you, an itch to grab a pen and paper or place your fingers on keys and not doing so hurts, then you are a writer. And you will need that passion to make it through to your dream’s end.

4.      You want to be a writer.

This may seem a little obvious, but the desire to be a writer is not something everyone has. Sometimes talent has something to do with this, but sometimes it doesn’t. Just because a person can craft sentences that would make the hardest heart weep, does not mean this person wants to write or even cares that this talents flows from them. Our desires make us who we are and if you want to be a writer then go and do it! You may not have talent and you might have to work harder than any other writer you know, but if you want it hard enough you will be able to write and write well.

Even though these things are specific to writers, the principles are true for pretty much any occupation or hobby or dream. You’ll never know what you can achieve if you don’t try. I once had an artist tell me, “Anyone can paint,” and I remember thinking “Nuh-uh,” but in a sense he was right. Painting is comprised of knowledge: shapes and colors, shading and techniques. These things can be learned. Anyone can paint.

The same is true for writing. It’s a combination of words that convey information often in predetermined styles and with effort anyone can learn this. As great as talent is, without effort it will only collect dust and fade away. But with effort even the tiniest speck of talent can blossom into a flower bigger than you or I would think. It is not a matter of being better than every writer who ever lived, but being the best you who ever lived. There is only one person who can do that: You.

This was originally posted at Write Over the Edge where I am one of the contributors. Check it out for other great writing discussions!