Fear: The Writer’s Block

Have you ever wondered why you didn’t fully pursue your dreams and goals? Or maybe, like me, you rationalized that your dream didn’t require you to develop a certain skill? Maybe you even justified that you simply weren’t wired or gifted correctly to achieve this dream?   

I would like to share with you something about myself that I learned just over the past two weeks regarding fear. My discovery reinforced Reaching Higher’s claim that fear is the No. 1 thing which holds us back from reaching our dreams and potential.  

Last week I was listening to a podcast with bestselling author Frank Viola. Viola also coaches aspiring authors. As mentioned in my Mission Monday video, Viola believes that the infamous “writer’s block” is really a fear block. He elaborated, “Nobody has ever heard of a talking block.” Boy, that comment hit me! He explained that people go through life talking everyday to someone about something where they share their opinion and experience… and aren’t bottled up in fear about that.

As Viola was unpacking the “talking block,” I wondered, “What is it that blocks authors from putting down what they freely are willing to discuss on paper?” Then Frank proceeded to answer my internal thought: “Fear block stems from “judgment,” from being judged by readers, critics, family, other authors, etc. As a result, I proceeded to ponder about his claim. 

I kept hearing in my mind what I learned in Reaching Higher: “Fear is the No. 1 thing which holds us back.” A couple of days later I asked my dear friend, author and one of the most courageous people I know, Jo Bruce, about Viola’s statement. Jo enthusiastically confirmed what Frank claimed, sharing how the “fear of being judged” was her writer’s block. This block added years in delay to the release of her transformational leadership book, “Better Your Best.”

I then began asking myself, “Is this fear of being judged blocking me?” I don’t have an aspiration to write a book yet, but the conviction from hearing about this “fear of judgment” appearing in the form of “writers block” for authors caused me to dig deeper into my inner leadership.   Initially, I rationalized “no way” was this an issue, as I conquered this fear as a high school basketball coach. As a coach, I had a scoreboard over my head 20 times throughout the year broadcasting to fans, parents, and local media if I was a winner or loser. Additionally, those fans, parents and local media also had a front row seat to observing and judging my coaching and the team’s performance throughout the game. Think about it – what other areas,besides politics, have critics and TV channels dedicated seven days a week, 24 hours a day, to judgment?  

But I couldn’t convince myself. So I continued to ask myself the question, “What fear is blocking me?” Through this process, I realized there would always be a fear and fear was something I would always need to be at war with! 

So, while I don’t yet have a dream to write a book, I am writing this blog knowing that this written opinion about fear opens the door of being judged, of not liked, of discounted, of being not widely read, etc.    

In closing, I hope this blog convicts you to ask yourself, what are you fearful of being judged about? Then, just as important, what action will you take to go to war with it? Just remember, there is no such thing as a “talker’s block!”