I hate posting online.
And I hate posting on social media even more.
You wouldn’t really expect to read that from someone with a weekly blog and newsletter, would you?
For an introvert, sharing your life online is about as enjoyable as making conversation in an elevator.
You don’t really want to do it, but you know it’ll make the journey slightly less awkward.
For me, writing online and posting to social media is the same.
There’s friction. And lots of it.
But it’s actually making my journey slightly less tedious and my brain far less scrambled.
Let me tell you why you need to start posting online, and how to do so even if you’re scared s***less.
Posting Online Is Scary
Now, I don’t really mind posting blogs (such as this one).
I feel like after I click publish it disappears onto page 7 billion of Google, never to be seen again (we’re playing the long SEO game baby).
But social media is different – because I know people are going to see it.
Seriously, I physically shudder when I hit that publish button on LinkedIn, and I know I’m not alone.
Sharing your thoughts with strangers, and even people you’re close with (especially in a public space), is scary as hell.
I don’t use social media for ‘pleasure’ anymore. My Instagram has been deleted, Facebook is long gone, and I’ve never used TikTok.
I was never one to post regularly, only occasionally when I wanted to seem cool or edgy (it didn’t work).
I now see social media as a platform where I can create, not just something for me to consume.
But creating on social media means putting yourself out there.
And that’s where the challenges arise.
Confronting Judgement
“At age 20, we worry about what others think of us. At age 40, we don’t care what they think. At age 60, we discover that they have not been thinking of us at all.”
Ann Landers
What were the last three things you saw in your social media feed?
I bet you can’t even remember one.
Whilst that can pose as a challenge for creators (because everyone’s memories and attention spans are fried these days), it can also create a much less intimidating path for you if you’re looking to start publishing your work.
People aren’t thinking about you.
If they are thinking about you, it’s probably for about five seconds before they go back to what they were doing, or move onto the next fleeting thought.
The number one reason you’re afraid to start publishing your work online is because you don’t want people to judge you.
I was afraid of that.
And I still am.
But you have to realise that you’re not in people’s thoughts as much as you think you are.
Even the terrible things some celebrities have done are forgotten.
Logan Paul filmed a dead guy in a forest and scammed hundreds of people out of millions of dollars with his cryptocurrency scams, but he’s currently the WWE United States Champion, and is the owner of a company sponsoring some of the most prominent brands and sports teams in the world.
Even though a lot of people hate him, he just keeps doing s**t without worrying about what others think.
Something you post on social media isn’t going to ruin your reputation.
And if it does?
Well, I think countless celebrities have proven that you can move past anything and still be successful.
In time, everyone forgets.
And pfft, don’t even get me started on how we all just disperse into atoms when we die and nothing us or anyone else has done will even be remotely remembered in a few thousand years.
Unless you were Jesus – but even his movements were recorded pretty vaguely.
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
And whilst we’re on the topic of celebrities (Jesus & Logan Paul), I want to address the other big challenge that you’ll inevitably encounter when publishing your content online.
Imposter syndrome.
The older I get, the more I realise that imposter syndrome isn’t really a thing.
Everyone else is just making it up as they go too.
This sense of being an imposter stems from your feeling of inadequacy.
But I think inadequacy is really just inexperience.
You’re no less-skilled than those who are five steps ahead of you, they just know how the game works and what’s required to get there.
And they only know that because they started off as an ‘imposter’ and worked it out for themselves.
From the exact same position you’re in now.
At times I ask myself, what right do I have to be talking about finding your purpose and staying disciplined in a public space for all to read?
But then I remember all of my favourite pieces of content that others have created.
Often, it is the vulnerable, completely unwarranted but very much needed stories, experiences and triumphs of others that I remember most.
I don’t care that they aren’t ‘qualified’ to talk about the things they’re talking about.
No qualification can beat personal experience.
The thing you’re going through that you think no one else is going through?
There are thousands, if not millions of people that want to hear what you have to say – because what you have to say might be the answer they’re so desperately searching for.
No matter what you’re doing, what position you’re in or what you’re sharing with the world – it’s still your own life.
How can you be an imposter in your own life?
Remaining Authentic Online
If anything I’ve said above has made you somewhat less anxious to post online – I’m so glad.
But I want to close with the most important point of all.
One of the biggest issues with social media is the gap it creates between the person we truly are, and the person we are perceived to be online.
This whole content creation thing is incredible, and it can benefit both the reader and the writer immensely.
But that’s when it comes from a place of authenticity.
When you’re afraid of what others will think, you’ll dilute your ideas and start conforming your opinions to a point where they’re not really yours anymore.
But the flip side is even more dangerous.
When you’re egocentric and more comfortable online (usually due to a large follower count), you’ll start saying and doing things that don’t truly align with your values.
For now, I encourage you to remember the former, don’t dilute your unique perspective – the world needs to hear it.
And if you somehow grow a considerable follower count in the future, remember the latter. Remember why you started and who you really are.
Click publish – it’ll be forgotten soon anyway.
