Savusavu, Fiji Papayas
I came across this article today:
A Mixtape Changed His Life…..14 Years Later He Is Picking Up the Pieces
I remember watching Seventh Wood’s freshman year mixtape on YouTube. He was the most athletic and skilled high school freshman I had ever seen. He made moves that some NBA players would envy. Most high school hoops fans believed he’d be the next Russel Westbrook or Derrick Rose.
But between his freshman and sophomore year his unconscious doubt-thoughts arose. Seventh stopped playing on instinct. He overthought everything because fear-doubt appeared to scare him into doing so. Instantly, his game suffered. The dude who recorded his entire sophomore year as a mix-tape did not release the mix because he lacked the consistent, confident, eye-opening play he boasted as a 14 year old.
In open gym through his college years he dominated like his freshman self because he had unlimited confidence in informal settings. But in game situations his talent became useless because his doubts made him play poorly, through his college career.
If Seventh faced his fears as a kid to slay his doubts he would be an NBA player if not all star now. Instead, he is playing at a small college.
I give him credit for realizing that doubt killed his once promising game. Even though my talent levels were 10,000 below his, as an 8th grade hooper I could score at will, dribble like a little wizard and defend with the best of them because I brimmed with confidence. But my unconscious doubt arose between the 8th grade and high school. Progressively, my game became worse whenever I played in a high school game. However, after I graduated high school and stopped playing JUCO ball I could actually compete against high level D1 players playing pick up ball at the park. Confidence!
I was 6 foot, 190 pounds of confident, skilled muscle, scoring, defending and breaking down future pros like would-be LA Laker Derrick Caracter when he was a high school All American. I let my talent shine on the playground because I had immense confidence oozing through my being. Put me in a regulation game and my doubts made me look like a stiff role player.
How About Your Doubt Thoughts?
Do you let your blogging doubts kill your blogging talents?
Skilled, seasoned bloggers often blog for crickets due to unconscious doubts triggered in the mind.
Most bloggers play small even if these folks write skillfully. Why? Playing small reflects doubt thoughts back to you. If you play small at least you will not be criticized because no one will see your blog. Playing small also erases your talents over the long haul because failing eventually saps your will to blog.
Like sophomore year Seventh Woods and freshman year me, once unconscious doubts arise and you resist these fears you cannot show off your talent and succeed on a public stage. Failure follows. Frustration follows.
Meanwhile, talented players with unlimited self-confidence – like Kyrie Irving (whose game I’ve followed since he was 16 years old in NJ) become the best players in the world based MAINLY on their almost delusional level of confidence paired with serious skills. Many NBA guards have insane skills. None have Kyrie’s confidence.
I have seen playground players in New Jersey and NYC with NBA level skills but playground level confidence. Kyrie took his NBA level skills and other-worldly confidence to the top.
The Solution
Face your doubts to allow your blogging talents to shine.
Step into your fears.
Publish the blog post even though the ego tries to pick apart your work. Broadcast live even though the ego tries to criticize your appearance. Write and self-publish the eBook. Create the course.
Face, feel and release blogging doubts. Step into self-doubts. Allow your talent to shine.
Stepping into doubt feels uncomfortable. But if you see freedom on the other side of doubt you will edge into these unpleasant energies.
The blogging world wants to see your talent.
Success desires to meet you.
But you need to feel your doubts to avoid wasting your blogging talents.
