Flipping the script on fear and doubt.

• I’m an imposter.
• I’ll always be complacent.
• I can’t keep up.
• I don’t have enough money.
• Nobody believes in me.
• There’s no need.
• It’s a stupid idea.
• Someone already did it.
• Give up.
• Stop trying.
• It’s awkward.
• It’s too hard.
• I’m not good/smart/creative enough.
• I don’t have what it takes.
• I’m not doing what I should be doing.
• I have no idea what I’m doing.

How many of these (lies) have you told yourself already this year? I’ve already had my inner-self — the voice of doubt, second-guessing, and fear — rear its ugly head on more than one occasion. Yours likely has as well. We tell ourselves these things all the time and, too often, we actually believe them.

I had each of these statements written down in a journal I dug up from a few years ago — things I had written down after 5 Club, a local gathering of creatives and entrepreneurs put on by Jon Acuff. I remember that morning like it was yesterday (probably because it was one of the only times I’ve been in public at 5am in recent memory). We all sat around and shouted these fears out from around the room and each was met with collective head-nods and “mmm-hmms”. While you were reading them, maybe you sneaked out a “mmm-hmm” of your own. Well, let’s flip the script on them together:

• I’m not an imposter.
• I’ll never be complacent.
• Things are not changing too fast.
• I can keep up (and get ahead).
• I have enough money to get started.
• Someone believes in me.
• There is a need.
• It’s a brilliant idea.
• Someone already did it. I can do it better.
• Don’t give up.
• Keep trying.
• It’s awkward. But it’s worth it.
• It’s not too hard.
• I am good/smart/creative enough.
• I have what it takes.
• I’m doing exactly what I should be doing.
• I may have no idea what I’m doing. But I’m doing it. And that’s something.

As hokey as this little dose of inspiration may be, I hope that you’ll look within and realize that you do have what it takes to get started and/or to keep going — with yourself, with your brand, your business, or whatever may be in front of you.

One of our core values at Proof is to be smarter today than we were yesterday. We’re always learning, always growing, tinkering, and trying new things. We certainly don’t have it all figured out, but we’ll continue to meet the doubt, lies, and obstacles head-on everyday and push ourselves to get better.