Ep. 05 - Why Pressing “Publish” is So Hard
Hopefully, you’re feeling more confident in your message from the last episodes. If not, that’s okay. The confidence can be built by repeating it. Once I’m comfortable with how it sounds when I say it to others, I then start to use it in more concrete places, like my website and my social media bios.
Which brings us to the topic of this episode. Why pressing publish can feel so hard.
Why We Hesitate to Publish
Do you have entire offers, lead magnets, articles, video scripts sitting on your hard drive? Everyone I’ve ever worked with, even those who were just starting off, had SOMETHING that they’d been sitting on but hadn’t yet released.
Let’s talk about why BEFORE we start designing our content ecosystem so when we have the structure around creation, we feel confident sharing our unique perspective.
An easy answer to WHY is perfectionism, but I think, while that may be part of it, there’s something deeper to consider.
The internet can (not always) be the opposite of a welcoming place. And frankly, it tests our own worth in ways that therapy wishes.
In many parts of the internet, folks are committed to misunderstanding either by taking work out of context, or by insisting you include a very specific situation, or by claiming someone else said it first/better, or just being a general troll.
While this is very unlikely to happen to you, we’ve all observed it if we’ve spent any amount of time online. And I find in some ways, it creates hesitation in us. Maybe not all of the time, but in sharing the type of content people need to see.
Not just generic educational stuff, but sharing content that showcases your voice and experiences. The content that lets folks see the sides of us that help them to vibe check and make a decision on whether to work with us.
When we overthink our content, what we’re really doing is questioning our worth. Whether to lend our voices to the conversation.
Our creativity and our businesses are a part of us. Fear of rejection makes sense. And sure, other people will say similar things to you. But as we discussed in the earlier episodes on messaging, no one shares the exact set of qualities that you do or able to explain it in the same way.
The Other Issue with Content: Effort vs. Results
When working with folks, one of my least favorite parts is discussing how realistic it is to see immediate results.
The answer? Not very. Especially if you’re value-driven and don’t want to push people who aren’t ready.
Going back to the gardening analogy from last episode, long-form content, solace your YouTube channel, podcast, or blog is like planting a tree.
There are plants that have a much quicker return: herbs, flowers, and annuals. We’ll discuss that more in the next episode.
But overthinking pressing publish and sharing your work with the world doesn’t make the results come faster. Waiting to plant your seeds just pushes out the timeline when your ecosystem comes together.
It’s a cliche but it’s true: the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.
And in honesty, it’s the reps that help you to find your voice and improve every time you record or write.
ACTION STEP
This episode’s action step is going to be pretty simple. Check your notes app, your hard drive, your Canva, and find one post or article that may be finished, but no less than 90% there. Format and schedule it. Get it out there. Start exercising your publishing muscle.
I’m going to do the same, which is part of why I didn’t drop all of these episodes all at once. I did a couple at a time because I didn’t want to give myself the opportunity to overthink and tweak.
Next time, we’ll get more into how to intentionally build not a customer journey, but a content ecosystem that gives folks options in how they engage in our work.
