That’s what I have today. Not because I don’t have anything to say, but because I have so many half-baked ideas floating around in my head. But that much is a daily reality for me. For some reason, today, I am struggling with latching on to one idea and running with it.
When I face writer’s block I immediately think of Seth Godwin’s piece on “Talker’s Block.” He points out that we don’t seem to face talker’s block and if understood why, we could find the key to overcoming writer’s block as well.
Why don’t we face “Talker’s Block”?
- We talk many times every day
- We talk in public without much fear of what others will think
And so we overcome writer’s block by
- Writing often
- Writing in public
And for both writing and talking, we should be willing to do it poorly until we become good at it and can do it well. I’m not sure how good I am at either (ok that’s modesty, I actually think I am quite good at both), but I do try to talk and write in public every day.
I’m on board! But today, I have no topic! There’s a point to this: I am purposefully posting today, even though I am intimidated by the thought that this won’t be perfect.
Why? Because when I tell people about the importance of building a personal brand via blogging and relationships on social media, the NUMBER 1 reason they cite to avoid it is fear of “posting something that makes them look bad. Once it’s posted, it’s out there forever for someone to find and it could stop me from getting a job.”
Or it could be the reason you DO get a job…
I know that you’ve been measured and judged for your entire life. Things like grades are set up to compare you to “perfect.” Goal: 100%. If you didn’t achieve it, you’ve made mistakes and are less than perfect. Whatever.
Here’s the truth (and the point behind this post):
Present is better than perfect.
Don’t wait until everything is just right. While you’re hiding and “getting ready,” people are out there getting their hands messy, making an impact, learning how to do things better. Don’t get left behind!
