I just filmed a Facebook Live Broadcast in Bangkok, Thailand at rush hour.
Talk about a good practice to overcome blogging self-consciousness.
The deal; if you overcome self-consciousness on the blogging front you dissolve crippling fears which block success.
A few moments ago I responded to a comment on my blog that questioned me. The individual really questioned themselves and missed some points in the post.
The old, self-conscious, unclear, non-assured me would spam the comment, in addition to getting angry.
The new, not too self-conscious, assured, clear and loving me responded kindly, helping the reader see what they missed and offering a helpful, uplifting blogging lesson in the process.
Follow these 4 tips to slay blogging self-consciousness.
1: Do Live Videos
Check it out:
Not sure if there is a better way to overcome self consciousness than being surrounded by hundreds of Thai while you are the single farang doing live videos in front of soi dogs and street vendors.
Live video purges self-conscious blogging fears quicker than any practice because you put yourself on the spot. I love doing them in public, especially, because I get to see where I am at in terms of clarity and confidence.
2: Reach Out to an Influencer
Find a star in your blogging niche. Reach out to them via social media, Skype or some other channel. Just do it.
Some will be busy. Others will not know you and choose not to respond. A few may set aside time for a little email dialog or even a phone call.
Reaching out to top bloggers is a quick way to see any “Why would little old me bother reaching out to this blogging big dawg?” self-conscious, fear-based energy rattling around in your meat suit.
Tim Ferriss is huge on doing this. I recall him advising readers to do this in the 4 Hour Workweek because it forces you well outside of your comfort zone to navigate gate keepers for reaching highly successful folks.
Note; set aside 10 minutes daily to do this. No need to chase folks around for hours on end. Do it to clear self-conscious energies.
3: Guest Post on a Top Blog
No joke; when Zac asked me to guest post here I felt excited but also a pang of fear sprinted through my mind. I focused on myself, feeling totally self-conscious about my rough and ready, less than formal, wacky writing style, but quickly accepted his invitation.
Guest posting – or even pitching – top bloggers in your niche unearths oodles of self-conscious energies where you worry what folks will think of you, how they will respond, their criticism, and all types of fears focused squarely on you and your place in the world.
Do it.
Thank me later.
4: Embrace this Truth
The world does not revolve around you.
Sorry to break it to you.
Ego speaks a delusional language over-inflating your importance and presence in your blogging niche.
1 or 2 or maybe 10 folks may show up for your first live video. Engagement may be low.
This is not an insult but merely a call to being humble, unassuming and to put your self conscious energies to the side.
Do not trust ego and its insane idea that thousands of folks will view your live video, skewering you alive via criticism, laughing you off the stage.
By the time you reach that point you will have largely let go self-conscious ways so you will not be bothered at all by critics.
Self consciousness says “all these people are looking at me,” or “All these people will look at me,” when like 1-2 may note you and move on with their lives.
You are not that important.
But this is humbling and eradicates many self conscious energies.
Even icons famous around much of the world would go unnoticed in certain regions.
Just the way it is.
Do you feel self-conscious?
Has this tendency hurt your blogging career?