Are You Suffering in a Beginner’s Hell?
Three mindsets to help you write before results arrive
Are you stuck in an endless beginner’s hell as a writer? Do you feel impatient and sometimes, an intense longing to see millions of views on your content?
You read about successful creators and have an intense itch to write and gain money, traction, and followers. You start with high hopes, but nothing happens for months.
Gradually, everything feels pointless. The stories that once inspired you to write are now making you feel like a loser. Demotivation becomes your constant state and eventually, you feel like quitting!
This is not just your story but mine too! I experience this a lot even today! But now, I know better!
Here are 3 mindsets that helped me as a beginner when I started writing seriously on Medium.
1. Taking action is the antidote to self-doubt
As a beginner, you’re lost in the ocean of online advice. Every guru out there is telling you to be consistent, use to-do lists, and write daily.
None of it is wrong. I feel the online world is the only place where everyone is so eager to help others who are 2 steps behind them. If not for this online advice, I would still have been a couch potato as I was a few years ago.
But for complete beginners, this can be overwhelming. When there are so many options to choose from, it can become a distraction. It may lead you to doubt your skills and potential and eventually quit.
But the ultimate truth that matters the most?
None of those tools and hacks will work unless you write!
It’s all there is to this online game. You need to put in the work for a long period before you see any tiny result. Had I known this one fact back in 2020 when I wrote my first Medium article, I never would’ve quit for the next 1.5 years!
Stop obsessing over tools and hacks. Choose one platform, study it, and write a lot! That’s what matters. And that’s what will help you discard self-doubt.
2. Volume leads to quality
You are not really a writer if you haven’t written loads of shit as a beginner. That’s how our mind works. The more you write, the better you‘ll get at the skill.
Imagine writing your 100th article. You’ll be better than most. Your stories will start attracting the attention of readers. Your skills will improve. New writers will start seeking your help in DMs. Isn’t it a pretty picture?
This will happen when you write a lot. I’m 70 articles old on Medium and still, I know I haven’t written enough. My 70th article is much better than my 1st. I’m hoping my 200th article will still be better than my 70th.
That’s what growth looks like. This growth comes only when you put out an insane amount of volume.
So, don’t chase perfection. It’s a myth. Chase consistent action. Quality is the outcome of consistent writing.
3. Purpose brings your money.
If you’re a side hustler like me, you’re, of course, writing to eventually monetize your skill. I did too.
But writing for money alone will force you to make wrong choices. You’ll end up writing about ChatGPT or shallow salesy content that will easily help you go viral and make a few bucks.
But is that how you want to grow your audience or make money?
If you’re a side hustler like me, you’re probably spending extra hours writing in search of a meaning to life, not just the money.
Guess what?
The biggest sense of fulfillment comes when I write intending to serve others. When you have a noble purpose for writing, it automatically shines through your content. And such genuine content touches the hearts of your audience. Believe me. It happens. But it takes time!
The most joyful moments for me as a writer are when my newsletter subscribers write heartwarming replies to my newsletter issues every week. It changes your entire perspective about writing!
It shows you the power of creating an impact with your words. But this happened only after I sent over 65 newsletter issues without any likes or comments!
Believe me, when you have the right intention, money will eventually come to you. But the best part? When you’re in love with your purpose, money will be just a bonus for you.
Lastly,
As a beginner, it’s tough to stick around. Lack of followers, traction, and money- Every sign prompts you to believe you’re incapable and to quit!
But here’s a truth that differentiates the serious writers-
It takes a lot of writing in the void, in the beginning, to eventually gain massive results later. The best part? Your beginner phase is the most amazing! No one’s watching you. That means you have plenty of time and room to experiment!
So, my final advice to you? Keep writing!
Even if the world tells you otherwise, don’t ever quit!
Maybe, a year from now, you’ll be giving this same advice to your massive audience who is eager to learn from you!
Best of luck!
