Confronting my two biggest fears.

I write publicly to confront my two biggest fears:

• Being critiqued
• Putting mediocre work out into the world

I love creating things, but I’m a perfectionist. I tend to overthink everything. I stare at my work more than I actually work on it.

I used to keep a list of ideas. Things I wanted to bring into this world: graphics, apps, writing, games etc. Over the past 15 years since I began this list, I have only produced a couple of items at most. I have thought about some of these ideas for years. But I never started them. Why? Because it had to be perfect from the start.

I’ve realized the mistake in not starting: it’s the only way to improve. I could have produced so much, learned so much, and evolved so much.

But I also believe in not regretting the past.

A recent unlock for me has been to see my work as a series of experiments. I don’t get attached to my work. I put it out there and measure. I see what works, and then expand on it.

I wasn’t always an overthinker. I used to write publicly on Xanga and Twitter. And I did so without thinking much before posting. And unfortunately, it showed.

I went back to read some of my older posts and nearly died of embarrassment. It was so, so bad. I’m glad the internet has been scrubbed of that cringe. (At least I hope so. Please don’t go looking for it.)

My writing now isn't much better, but I'm convinced it'll improve.

I’m raising the stakes by posting on LinkedIn: it’s highly visible and connected to my professional reputation. And that makes me uncomfortable. But I'm getting my reps in while building in public.

If I revisit this writing in the future and cringe, I’ll consider it a win.