The One Question Trick To Know When Your Writing Is “Done”
You’re revisiting your brand new offer page, sales email, book chapter, or blog post for the tenth time. You wonder if it’s long enough, short enough, funny enough, smart enough, or even if it sounds like you.
While you’re writing, a little voice pops into your head…
This has been done before.
Who’s even going to buy this thing, come to this event, or like what I make?
What if I put it out there and people hate it?
Worse, what if I put it out there and I hear crickets?
What if it sucks and no one wants it?
What if it’s amazing and people go crazy for it?
We all get this. And with practice, you’ll be able to silence the mental chatter—for a while.
Yes, for a while. I’m not sure if it ever actually goes away. And maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe the noise is a perfect reminder to check in and see if we want it bad enough.
Perhaps it’s saying, “Hey, it’s me, are you SURE you want this?”
You answer, “Yes, I do, thank you for asking. Bye!”
And then you get to keep going.
Do you know how many times I’ve come close to NOT publishing a weekly blog post because I think it sucks? Or it’s not good enough?
Almost every week.
And those times when I ask this one simple question and then I know what I need to do—I hit publish, hit send, go live, and put my work out there.
Here’s the one question to ask yourself when you’re nervous to send, publish, go live:
Is this piece of writing useful?
If it might help just one person get some new insight or take another step forward, then it’s time for me to stop fussing with it and just get it out there.
Notice the question isn’t, “Is it perfect?” “Is it prolific?” “Is it brilliant?” “Is it the best?” “Will it be popular?”
The question takes the focus completely off of me and puts it onto the reader.
Will what I’m writing, sharing, selling, and giving away help someone?
Is this writing coming from my brain or my heart?
If the answer is yes, then you know what to do. Get it out there!
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