Writing is both a torture and a pleasure.
I can’t remember where I first read this line, but the moment it registered in my brain, I knew it was nothing but the truth.
(Well, at least for me.)
I became interested in words when I was young but only pursued it professionally when I was 25.
Whenever I thought of starting a writing project, my brain gave me endless reasons why I shouldn’t.
Before I got hired as a copywriter, I had already written dozens of emails, social media posts, and articles for me and my clients.
And to be honest, I love sitting at my table, putting words on paper, or typing them on the screen.
But once it’s ready for editing, I hate it so much that I want to delete everything.
Sounds like a love-hate relationship with writing, but that was my reality.
After I mustered all the courage to apply for a writing job, I’m happy to say that I’ve worked for more than 2 years in the role.
But if there’s something I regret the most, it’s that I should’ve started way earlier.
Since I can’t bring back time, the best thing I can do is share with you all the mindset blocks that stopped me from writing online.
Being aware of these blocks will help you see them in a different light.
Writing is hard.
But if you’re itching to share your ideas, you know that NOT writing is even harder.
So bear with me until the end because, along with each mindset block, I’ll share with you what I did to overcome it.
Let’s get started.
Trap #1: Too Much Content Consumption
If you’re a writer or an aspiring one, you’re probably an avid reader.
And there’s nothing wrong with it.
Unfortunately, this love for consumption can also stop you from taking action.
After graduating from college, I bought tons and tons of books from people I admire.
Whenever I wanted to learn something, I’d buy a book about it and devour the information like a mad woman.
The problem is that I learned and learned.
But at the end of the day, I had nothing to show for it.
In short, I was only mentally masturbating.
The truth is that learning is very addicting.
It gives you a superficial feeling that you’re doing something productive.
When, in fact, you’re just there sitting in your chair, glued to a book or a screen.
Mindset Shift
If you ask me if I’ve stopped consuming content, I haven’t.
I’m currently subscribed to the Medium paid version, YouTube Premium, Blinkist, and Audible.
I also regularly listen to podcasts on Spotify and have some books on my iBooks.
It looks overwhelming, but now I’ve created a strategic consumption system to maximize what I’ve learned.
It’s new, so I’m still experimenting with what will work best for me.
But I want to say that at this point in my life, I became pretty good at avoiding mindless education.
I decided to start a writing project to become more intentional about what I read or watch daily.
And you can also do the same.
You don’t have to let content consumption stop you from writing online.
In fact, you can use it to turbocharge your writing power and share great ideas.
You just need to start a project where you can apply what you’ve been learning.
This way, you can avoid falling into the tutorial rabbit hole – forever learning but not doing anything.
Trap #2: The “It’s Not Profitable” Belief
If you’re like everyone else, you want to be rewarded for your work.
Especially if it takes too much effort and brain power.
Unfortunately, writing can take a considerable amount of your time.
But it can’t guarantee any reward, no matter how hard you work.
In 2018, I started a personal blog.
But after spending so many hours on it and not earning anything, I realized it was not worth my time.
So, I quit.
But did I spend my time wisely after quitting? No.
I just found myself watching Korean dramas and consuming useless entertainment.
Mindset Shift
The reality is, writing is a profitable skill.
But you have to accept that it takes time and a lot of practice before you reach a point where people want to pay you to write.
I write day in and day out in my full-time job, and it pays me more than most of the jobs I’ve done before.
Now, I decided to start this writing project even though I might not earn a single penny because I consider this a way of improving.
Before you get good at anything, you need to practice.
Like a lot.
I’ve written hundreds of B2B copy already.
However, I know I still have a long way to go to become the writer I want to be, so this project is a perfect avenue for me to hone my writing skills.
If you want to get paid to write, I suggest you take client work or get a writing job that pays you a salary.
But if you’re not looking for a quick monetary return at this point in your journey, I encourage you to start writing like I am doing in this blog.
It may not have the monetary return you expect, but it has other priceless benefits.
It will help you think critically, understand deeply, and learn intentionally.
Trap #3: Lack of Great Ideas
Having zero ideas to write about is a complete myth.
For the longest time, I let this mindset block stop me from writing online because I thought I had nothing original to write.
But the thing is, originality is overrated.
If you stress yourself out to share original ideas, you will never write a single word.
Try to look at your favorite creator’s work on the internet.
You’ll notice that a lot of their content is not really original.
I’m not saying you should regurgitate the information you find online.
AI can do that at scale.
Instead of aiming to be original, aim to share a unique perspective.
And how do you do that?
Mindset Shift
Humans want to connect with their fellow humans.
And if you want to start writing online, the best way to be unique is to share ideas using your unique lens.
You see, every one of us has a different set of skills, talents, mindsets, and experiences.
Share more about what you’ve learned, what you’re learning, and what you want to learn.
Share your discoveries in an interesting way.
If you want more ideas to dissect and package as your own, consume more long-form content.
Why? Because not everybody does.
Which means it will give you the edge to think from a holistic point of view and connect the big picture.
Trap #4: Imposter Syndrome
One of the main reasons I procrastinated writing online was that I didn’t feel I was good at writing.
I don’t have a writing degree.
I don’t have a huge portfolio full of fantastic copy.
I don’t have a major credibility that screams, “I AM A FREAKIN’ WRITER!!!”.
Reading these reasons now makes me think I was stupid.
But I can’t blame myself too much because if you’re in the moment with imposter syndrome, it’s hard not to believe them.
The most important thing to remember here is this:
Self-doubt shouldn’t be a reason not to pursue something you genuinely want to do and get better at.
If you let imposter syndrome stop you, you’ll waste years overthinking, procrastinating, and not doing anything.
Mindset Shift
Research shows that even successful people feel they’re not still good enough despite having the accomplishments most can only dream of.
So you shouldn’t expect to overcome it in an instant.
If you don’t feel qualified to write online, there’s only one thing you need to do to qualify.
And that is… to actually start writing online!
You’re not guaranteed to be an expert in the first few months or even years.
But if you want to pursue writing, you need to embrace the fact that you’ll be writing crap at the beginning.
It’s okay, and it’s normal.
You don’t need to be perfect; nobody expects you to be.
I’ve written an entire article on how to overcome imposter syndrome, so feel free to read it if you want to dive deeper into this topic.
Trap #5: Constant Comparison
The internet has brought so many amazing benefits and transformations to human evolution.
Without it, I won’t be able to work in the comfort of my home for more than 6 years.
Unfortunately, if you can’t manage your attention, the online world can bring you more harm than good.
I first loved reading before I even discovered my love for writing.
If you’re an avid reader like me, you probably expose yourself to a lot of great content.
I can still remember the first time I tried to write after being inspired by one of my favorite authors.
I enjoyed writing at first, but my first draft was total crap.
If you make your favorite writers’ content the standard, then prepare to be disappointed with your work.
When I was trying to become a copywriter, I joined copywriting groups.
And you know what happened?
It made me feel terrible because I compared myself to the copywriters there.
I remember belittling myself after seeing how good their copy was and the ridiculous amount of money they earned.
If you can relate to these experiences, you probably also fall into the comparison trap.
Mindset Shift
“Just stop comparing yourself to others” is easier said than done.
I know because I used to tell myself that – a lot of times.
Honestly, it didn’t work for me, and it probably won’t work for you too.
Because the only thing you can do is completely shift your mindset around it.
Instead of aiming to stop comparing yourself to others, make their work your inspiration.
Because if there’s one thing I learned, it’s useless to compare yourself (a beginner writer) to someone who has been writing for half a decade or more.
They’ve already put in the work.
They’ve practiced their way to being good at what they do.
They produced millions and millions of words, both offline and online.
If you look at it this way, you’ll soon realize that a better way to spend your time is to study how they went from being a beginner to a master.
A lot of creators, authors, and writers are transparent about their journeys.
Figure out the steps that got them there and do them.
Final Words
No matter how we want to blame external factors, at the end of the day, these mindset blocks are our personal responsibility.
The writing process is an internal game, and no amount of motivation can help you start doing it.
Either you just sit down and write or wait until you feel fed up with not writing at all.
The choice is YOURS.
