You can visit the first post in this series here: 5 Ways to Sabotage Your Creativity & Productivity

As epic as you might feel diving into your story, there are pitfalls that contribute to self-doubt and overwhelm to be aware of in your writing and publishing journey.

Last month, I spent many posts on overwhelm and how detrimental it is to both your writing mindset and quality of life. But as you know, I enjoy breaking concepts down into manageable chunks to better understand the pieces that make up the whole.

While there are many contributions to overwhelm, and they are different for everyone, there are five biggies I’ve come across in my writing career:

·      Comparisonitis

·      Lack of Goal Setting

·      Shiny Object Syndrome

·      Over commitment

·      Impatience

Over the next few months, we’ll break each of these down to help set ourselves up for success instead of distraction.

The first key contribution to self-sabotage: Comparisonitis.

Comparisonitis. It isn’t a word you will find in Merriam-Webster, but it should be. It’s real, and just like overwhelm, comparisonitis is vicious. It will hold you back if you let it.

The key is to focus on yourself, which can be difficult to do. For many, distraction is easier than focus, and like most thing, it takes an active effort not to compare ourselves to others in many aspects of life. The book industry is no different. But if you use what precious time and energy you have, comparing yourself to others, you’re not focusing on your goals. Which means you’re straying from your own path to success. If you’re looking so closely at someone else, you’re also not being authentic to who you are and what your needs are in your journey as an author.

I say “you” but I also mean “we” and “me” because I am not immune to this.

Everyone has different skill sets. Unique challenges and roadblocks. Different strengths and inspirations, definitions of success and failure. Their own life experiences and decisions, sacrifices, and work habits that have gotten them where they are today.

Can other author journeys inspire you? Hell yes they can! But to compare yourself to anyone else could lead to negative and limiting beliefs about yourself. YOU WILL GET IN YOUR OWN WAY. The negative energy you spend wishing, resenting, and envying takes away from your energy and focus in your own goals, dreams, and aspirations.

Go into writing and authorship understanding that some creatives will write faster, better, or make more money than you once they publish.

Whatever the comparison might be, focus on your endgame - you and your book. Your career and business plan. Your writing habits and aspirations. What works for Barbara and David in the writing group won’t necessarily work for you. Their life is different, their experiences and expertise - even their struggles are unique, just as yours are.

Don’t let their success affect yours. It’s an active practice to stay on course, but staying on point and keeping your mindset honed on your goal lines is the best gift you can give yourself. It’s taken me nearly ten years to finally, truly, see that.

More about my personal journey next week when I chat about how it all started for me, co-authoring, comparisonitis, and finding my own path – twice.

Food for thought.

Is there anyone in your everyday life (industry or personal life) you may compare yourself to? Is it a healthy appreciation for their journey? Or does it feel a heavy and icky, like maybe you need to stop paying so much attention to their accomplishments and lifestyle?

Instead, make a list of things you’re proud of and celebrate all that you’ve achieved in your life thus far.

*If you have followed my coaching for a while, you've likely read my posts about this before. THESE SABOTAGES ARE SO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER. 

How severe is your comparisonitis? Do you struggle with this sometimes (perhaps not only in your writing journey)?