Everywhere you look, it seems like another person you know is writing a book, or worse, launching their book, which is why it’s easy to feel defeated when you’re doing everything “right” and still not getting results.
Before I wrote my first book, I watched random online tutorials, downloaded useless free information, and read every article I could find about how to write a book.
One person would say, “Just sit down and write whatever comes to mind,” while another would advise setting my alarm for 5am every morning and writing in my journal. I didn’t have any idea how to start writing an actual book and I was very frustrated with the whole process. I wondered if I would ever write a book, and had even more doubt about whether or not anyone would want to read it.
I kept stopping and starting for years. Something else would always get in the way.
One day, I finally realized that what was stalling my progress was right between my own ears. It was my mindset. Once I cracked that code, I wrote 7 books in one year. And the following year, I began teaching others how to do it, too. That was 12 years ago.
Read on for some sneaky limiting beliefs that may be holding you back, and how to turn them into your superpowers.
Limiting Belief #1: “I’m not a good enough writer to write a book”
Guess what? You don’t have to be a good writer to write a book. That’s what editors are for! If you have done the necessary groundwork and have a solid outline, following the outline to write your book becomes a straightforward process. Your outline helps you get your ideas down in a clear and concise way. Your editor fix any spelling and/or grammar mistakes later.
How to turn it into your superpower
First, challenge your belief that you are not a good writer. After all, it’s just a made-up belief and you have no proof that it’s real (spoiler: it’s NOT!)
Ask yourself why you think you’re not a good writer. Is it something that was said to you in passing? Was it a comment from a teacher? It is because you see a lot of red squiggly lines in Microsoft Word? Don’t worry, those are there to help you, not make you feel bad.
Dig deep and really think about why you have this belief.
Once you have the answers, think about what it would be like to be the opposite. What would it be like to be a good writer? Would it make it easier to write your book if you believed in yourself and believed it could be done?
You don’t have to take action now. Just let it sit with you and try to broaden your perspective. Keep challenging yourself.
Limiting Belief #2 – “I have to do X first before I write my book”
“I’ll write my book as soon as I get one more certification in my field.”
Sound familiar?
We all have a list of things we need to do, and an idea of what order we want to do them.
But if you’ve been procrastinating on writing your book for months or years, it’s probably time to re-prioritize.
Do you really need to get yet another certification before you write your book? Or is it that the act of writing the book scares you so much that you keep putting self-imposed “requirements” in place as an unconscious method of self sabotage?
How to turn it into your superpower
It’s common to put off things we’re not “ready” for.
But you know what?
It’s common to avoid things that are scary because that keeps us safe. However, doing things that scare you is the definition of brave! These are the things that will change you the most.
The time to start writing your book is now. It will take longer than you think, so start now. You can always edit and refine it later and books are no longer set in stone, so don’t worry about making it perfect.
The education, experience and qualifications you have now are PERFECT. They got you here, didn’t they? And you currently have clients, right?
Stop thinking that you are not enough. You don’t need more initials and more courses. Just start writing.
Limiting Belief #3: “I won’t be able to do it”
How many times have you thought about writing a book, then immediately thought, “Nah, I won’t be able to do it. I don’t have what it takes.”
You’re not alone. This is another belief that comes from a place of fear, and we all have them.
The problem with this belief is that it can prevent more empowering beliefs from forming.
Everyone has a fear of failure, especially authors! We are all afraid to “put ourselves out there”, warts and all. No one wants to publicly fail. I get it. Heck, I wrote my first book under a fake name because I was so afraid it would fail! (This is true. But it became a best seller instead. That’s another story for another day.)
How to turn it into your superpower
Think about all the other published authors there are in the world. Do you think they are all 100% confident all the time? I can tell you that 99% of them have had feelings of self-doubt along the way.
You can absolutely write a book!
Find a writing group, a mentor or join a writing class so you can have support. You don’t have to do this alone.
Download my free Signature Book Blueprint to see a step-by-step blueprint for your book.
Limiting Belief #4: I don’t have time to write a book
If you believe you don’t have time to write a book, you’ll be right. You’ll always find ways to keep yourself too busy to work on your book.
Remember what good old Henry Ford said: “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.”
Saying you don’t have time is really saying that you’re choosing not to make writing a priority.
The truth is, if you really want to be an author, you have to write your book! You have to set time aside on your calendar and make it happen.
How to turn it into a superpower
You don’t need huge blocks of time to write a book. You just have to do it with consistency.
Don’t be afraid to say NO to other opportunities and invitations.
If you can block off 30 minutes a day, you can have your book done in less than 6 months.
You CAN write a book
It’s time to turn your limiting beliefs into empowering beliefs! If you find yourself procrastinating on writing your book, think about what may be holding you back. Write down 10 limiting beliefs, and don’t be afraid to see them on paper. Beside each limiting belief, rewrite it as a positive statement.
We all have them, remember? It’s what you do with them that counts.
Will you push through and keep going? You bet you will!
It’s important to remember that limiting beliefs are often just that—limitations that we place on ourselves. By recognizing and addressing these beliefs, you can gain the confidence and motivation you need to achieve your dream of becoming a published author.
If you don’t believe that you can do it, you can borrow my belief because I believe you can. I’ve taught hundreds and hundreds of people to write books and I’ve seen it all. I created a free 33-minute training to help you get started and you can watch it here.
Remember, you can always reach out to me here. Let’s get you writing your book!