I've just had the privilege of reading excerpts of the daily journals/"free writings" of over a dozen writers.
I was staggered by two things, the talent showing itself in the quality of the writing and the amount of self-doubt.
The quantity of energy devoted to self-doubt is huge. It's wasted.
This is a subject I have an honorary doctorate in; I've near-endlessly second-guessed quite a number of the words and actions I've ever let out into the world.
Seeing how much fuel a lot of good writers are wasting with fear has hit me hard--the way going to a slaughterhouse can make a person a vegetarian.
I think I've (unknown to myself) classified a lot of that second-guessing as a virtue. For myself, I've peeled the Virtue label off. It's a natural impulse among humans, completely understandable. But doing that harsh internal cross-questioning is not where I want to spend a lot more of my time.
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4 comments:
Hi Peggy!
Great blog! :)
I totally agree with you! So many people stifle their creativity, their ability and their determination with self-doubt. I think if we all got behind ourselves a lot more we'd be a much more powerful society.
Erin
Hi Erin,
Thanks for visiting. Your site is also interesting--reminded me to round up a DVD of The Secret. I loved your $500 story.
On the self-doubt front--I just had a flicker of a thought: to use some kind of cue--like every time I go to the mike to warm up my tea--as a moment for a self-doubt vacuuming.
here, here or do i mean there, there? hmmm ;)
Well, etymologically speaking, I think "there there" is soothing, and here here or hear hear means: "yay! I agree! me too!" Either is welcome
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