Every time I facilitate a workshop, speak an event, click ‘publish’ on a blogpost, and even sometimes click ‘join’ an online meeting. My insides churn. A voice whispers ‘don’t waste their time, why would they listen to you’. It can be called stage fright, fear, self-doubt or many other things.
There is faint line between perfection and good enough. There is also an intersecting faint line between drive and damaging self talk. The lines and their intersection point is difficult to discern. However, this ability may be what we call mastery. Knowing when to ship. Knowing what your perfect is at this moment, in the time allotted. But none of this takes away the nerves of shipping. And by shipping, I mean, like Seth says, putting your work out in the world for others to interact with. ‘Here I made this.’
But here’s the thing. You can’t become a master without shipping.
So nerves are part of it. Fear is part of it. Getting it wrong is part of it. Perhaps the goal is not to ‘no longer be nervous’. Perhaps the nerves, the fear, and yes even the ‘getting it wrong’ moments, are signals we are on to something. And so, perhaps the internal work we need to do alongside continuing to ship, is mental and emotional strength and maturity. Just like professional athletes do.
They don’t teach you that it business school.
Do it anyway.
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