Belief is a very powerful thing.
It can drive you forward or it can stop you in your tracks.
There are many self-limiting beliefs around writing and book publishing that stop people from achieving their dream of publishing a book.
You may not have been good at English at school. you may struggle with dyslexia or dysgraphia, or you may have been told you’re not smart enough or good enough to publish a book.
The thing is, if you don’t really believe that you can publish a book, then you probably won’t try.
So what can you do?
1. Watch your language
Words are very powerful, especially when you talk about yourself, so watch what you say. If you hear yourself saying you can’t do something, you’re not smart enough or good enough, then stop. Take a breath and reflect on what you’re saying.
2. Ask yourself is it true now?
We are constantly evolving and changing, so what might have been true when you were younger, may not be true now. For example, you may not have been good at English at school, but you’re older, have much more life experience and are much more articulate now.
3. Re-frame what you’re saying
I’m constantly learning new things and new technology. Years ago, I wouldn’t have dreamed of writing a book. Now I can create something and upload it onto Amazon in no time. What you can’t do now, you can learn and figure out. So when you say that “I can’t…”, re-frame it and change it to “I can’t … now, but I can figure it out”.
As Henry Ford famously said, whether you think you can or can not, you’re right.
So let’s be positive.
A massive turning point in my life was when I was at a low point in my life and a little voice in my head asked: “Why not?”. It’s a technique that I use even now. Becuase when you believe that you can, there’s very little that will stop you.