All You Need Is to Publish
Ever have a brilliant idea, scribble it down, then shove it into a drawer never to be seen again? Or how about a rough draft of a story that you never think is “quite right”, and thus it stays forever on your hard drive? I think many of us can relate. We all have ideas, stories, and thoughts that remain hidden from the world, often out of fear of judgment or the belief that it’s not perfect. But here’s the secret: All you need is to publish.
Let’s dive deeper.
Embracing Imperfection
The perfection trap is real. We tend to wait for that perfect moment, for the stars to align, or for our work to be just right. But here’s the reality: perfection doesn’t exist. If J.K. Rowling had waited for the “perfect” time or draft, we might never have met Harry Potter. If Zuck had waited to refine and perfect Facebook before launching it, someone else might’ve filled that space. Your “good” is someone else’s “perfect.” And you won’t know that until you put it out there.
The Magic of Iteration
When you publish, you give your ideas a life. They grow, evolve, and even pivot with feedback and real-world application. Think of it as the beta version of a software. It’s out in the wild, users are interacting with it, and with every interaction, the developers understand more about what works and what doesn’t. Your writings, artworks, and projects are similar. Once they’re out there, you’ll understand them better.
Imagine if Elon Musk had kept his ideas about electric cars and space travel just to himself. Without publishing his ideas and facing critiques, both positive and negative, Tesla and SpaceX might never have achieved their current success. Or if writers like George Orwell or Jane Austen had hesitated to publish because they feared their ideas weren’t fully fleshed out. We’d be deprived of classics that have shaped literature and thought.
In fact, the WIPs that are artists “studies” can be found in every museum, and represent a way to understand their works and processes on a deeper level.
Filter and Refine as You Go
Putting your work out there doesn’t mean it’s set in stone. Platforms today allow for edits, updates, and iterations. A blog post you write today can be updated tomorrow based on feedback or new insights. An artwork you share can be versioned. Your initial ideas serve as a foundation upon which you can build and refine.
Worst case? You delete it and make a new post, or a new account.
Overcoming Fear
The truth is that the primary hurdle in publishing isn’t the work itself, but the fear of judgment. But remember this: criticism follows when your work is being noticed. It’s making waves. And while positive feedback will boost your confidence, constructive criticism is what helps you grow, refine, and become better. So no matter what happens, you can’t lose.
Conclusion
In an age of digital platforms and endless avenues for expression, holding back is a disservice to yourself and the world that could benefit from your ideas. So, embrace the messiness, the imperfection, and the evolution of your work.
All you need is to publish. The rest will follow.
So, what’s stopping you?
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