How to Face Fears & Overcome Challenges While Following Your Dreams

Have you ever dealt with fear and self-doubt when attempting something new and challenging? I certainly have as I began my journey as a new writer. Just over a year ago, I took a leap from being in corporate to following my dream of becoming a writer, and let me tell you, it hasn’t been a smooth ride.

Like any skill, mastering the art of writing takes time, effort, and resilience in the face of setbacks. In this article, I will walk you through the biggest challenges I have encountered and share the mindset that is helping me overcome them. It’s my journey of facing fears, embracing setbacks, and nurturing a growth mindset that stresses the importance of effort and perseverance required to achieve our goals. 

Redefining My Childhood Definition of Success

But before we dive into the present, I want to bring your attention to my childhood. As an introverted child growing up in India, I often shied away from participating in sports or anything competitive for fear of not succeeding. I was part of a society where participation meant little unless you were the best. The kids who won accolades were revered, but there weren’t many discussions about the hard work and perseverance it takes to achieve such success.

It wasn’t until seventh grade that I gathered the courage to participate in a public speaking competition. It was an experience that stayed with me for years to come. I chose a topic that I was passionate about, prepared for it with the help of my parents and teachers, and gathered the strength to step onto that stage. But in the midst of delivering my speech, the unthinkable happened. I forgot my lines. I panicked, and as I desperately searched for my words, I saw a schoolmate mocking me in the audience. 

Even though I managed to finish my speech, the whole experience left me feeling humiliated and deepened my fear of speaking in front of a large audience. It wasn’t until college that I attempted something similar.  

Little did I know that success involves years of hard work, countless setbacks, and the determination to push forward despite your fears. Fast forward to the present, as a new writer, I find myself facing the same challenges I did as a child when attempting something new. 

Challenges That Came With Following My Dream

I never had any formal training in writing, so when I decided to take it up full-time, something that I had been doing for joy in the past few years, it came with unforeseen challenges. 

Alongside the joy and fulfillment that writing brings, I grappled with the fear of publicly putting myself out there, the self-doubt that questions the quality of my content, and the need for social validation of my work which I discuss with you in this post. 

Facing Self-Doubt & Social Validation

Writing was a great way to express myself as an introvert, but it also meant putting myself out there. Each time I posted an article, I doubted myself by asking questions like: ‘Is it good enough?’, ‘How will it be perceived?’, ‘Is anyone going to read it?’. 

On the days I posted my article, I checked social media numerous times to see the response. Were there any comments? Did anyone like it? Despite these doubts, I continued to write each week. I was happy in my weekly routine of ideating, writing, and marketing the article. 

Facing Fears & Stretching My Abilities

As I continued to write, I desired to expand my reach, be published, and write for publications with my target audience. But I feared rejection and wasn’t sure if my content was ready for publishing. After months of writing on my blog, I decided to go for it.

For my first proposal, I chose one at the top of my genre with millions of viewers despite people telling me it may not be the best place to start since I was never published elsewhere. But I aimed for them anyway. What is the worst that could happen, I thought?

I came up with a plan and spent weeks working on a few articles. I revised and improved the articles based on the constructive feedback I received from a coach. I was really enjoying the whole process. 

Finally, when I felt ready, I sent the proposal. It felt great to do all the work and improve my craft along the way. But, unfortunately, before I could bask in the relief of being done, I heard back from them the very next day, saying it wasn’t a good fit. Deep down, I knew that I had given it my best effort.

Reflecting On the Setbacks

Immediately after their response, I felt discouraged. All that work into the process should account for something, right? Unfortunately, my impatient mind wasn’t ready to see the long-term benefits. The rejection strengthened my already existing self-doubt, and I was slowly becoming the enemy of my progress. 

My disappointment slowed me down, making me miss the commitments I had made to myself to continue to read and write. If I wanted to continue to write for a long time, I knew I had to evaluate my issues and find a way to overcome them. 

Overcoming the Setbacks & Moving Forward

To overcome my challenges and setbacks, I relied on many resources like working with writing coaches and depending on books like ‘The Artist’s Way‘ by Julia Cameron and ‘Mindset’ by Dr. Carol Dweck. These resources have given me the strength and wisdom needed to persevere and carry on with my journey: 

1. Trusting the Process

Books like The Artist’s Way have taught me not to be harsh on myself initially and to trust the process and the journey. The author Julia shares that it takes artists several work-in-progress pieces to achieve mastery. However, most budding artists who may need to gain this understanding give up prematurely when they face rejection or negative feedback on their work.

2. Applying the Growth Mindset

Author Dr. Carol Dweck in her book, mindset talks about having a growth mindset when dealing with our failures. When you have a growth mindset, we believe we can grow and learn new skills through effort. We realize that failure doesn’t define us. It is just another problem we need to deal with and learn from. The author shares that Michale Jordan became what he is not because he was naturally gifted but because he worked hard and learned from his setbacks. Being cut from his high school basketball team made him work harder than before to achieve his goals. 

3. Getting past Self-Doubt by Improving the Craft

One of the ways to get past your doubts when learning a new skill is to put in the effort and improve your craft. To improve my craft of writing, I relied on the experts. The direct feedback you get for your work is different from any online course you may take. Coaches spend the time to review, suggest specific changes and ask questions that make you think of things you haven’t otherwise thought of. 

4. Dealing with the Need for Validation

When I worked in corporate, I got accustomed to constant feedback about my work through performance reviews, promotions, or bonuses. All these meant I was doing the right thing, and my work accounted for something. Even as a writer, my old habits of seeking validation for my work continue to exist. I was seeking outcomes and validation prematurely. 

To help me overcome these obstacles, I needed to dig deep to determine why I was doing what I was doing. Regardless of the accolades, I was writing to make a difference in people’s lives. When we focus on our mission, the recognition would just be a byproduct of the work.

5. Looking at the Whole Journey

When we begin to doubt ourselves, it’s easy to focus on our immediate growth and get discouraged but ignore our long-term growth. I needed to pause and look at my entire journey to measure my growth. My own process of writing has evolved in the past year in terms of the resources I rely on, the tools I use, and the quality I am producing. When in doubt, look a the entire journey to see how far you have come. 

Embracing the Challenges and Reaching for Your Dreams

Throughout my writing journey, I have confronted my deepest fears, grappled with self-doubt, and experienced the sting of rejection. But with each setback, I have learned valuable lessons and found ways to keep moving forward. 

I may not have had the tools as a child, but as an adult, I can practice what I learn while becoming a writer. I can trust the process, look beyond the immediate results and celebrate my incremental progress. I can look at failures as opportunities for growth and not let them discourage me from my purpose of helping people live meaningful lives. 

When pursuing your own goals, your will face many setbacks and challenges along the way. You can acknowledge them and learn from them but not let them stop you from moving forward. Remember that self-doubt and fear is a natural part of learning something new. Believe in yourself and trust the process and resources to help you get where you want to be. Reach for the dreams you are afraid of despite your fears.