Listen to it, podcast-style 👇
We've all been there
You’ve come up with this great idea that you want to share with the world, something you think would really help people. You plan just how you’re gonna present it, make your script, write your drafts, and prep your equipment. Then all of a sudden, in the wee hours of the night just as you go to sleep, you’re suddenly hit with a terrible thought:
"Am I even good enough to be MAKING this?!"
This is exactly what I went through when planning and creating my own audio course. Imposter syndrome is REAL folks, and any content creator would agree.
I planned to create an audio course on healing acne from within, not just physically but by also improving one’s mentality and self-esteem. However, I am very well aware that I’m no dermatologist, nor am I a certified therapist. I started to think, am I even credible enough to be giving this advice? Would I be judged because I’m no “expert”?
And so I proceeded to spiral down this path of not thinking I was good enough to be giving this advice. I expressed my concerns to my friends- other content creators and they expressed the same feelings! I realized I wasn’t alone in this, but I still felt that with my kind of topic- health and self-care, I still needed some sort of accreditation or something.
It was when I spoke to my boss about my creator insecurities when she asked me a question that helped me re-evaluate my concerns:
“How did you go about healing YOURSELF from your own skin and self-care problems in the first place?”
The truth was, I listened and watched other people’s skin journeys. Seeing what worked for them, trying out the similarities, going through that trial and error process, and finding what worked for me.
I didn’t resonate with some of those creators, but there were definitely ones that stood out to me and proved essential in my own journey to healing myself.
And that’s what began my fight with imposter syndrome and all these worries and doubts about my course.
A couple things I realised and what to remember whenever you’re faced with creator insecurities:
1. Your personal experience is a valuable learning tool that should not be underestimated.
At the end of the day, you’re sharing YOUR story and what worked for you.
Never underestimate just how powerful your own experiences and realizations are.
You’ve gone through and learned whatever it is you did, saw it worked, and now want to share that experience with others hoping it’ll work for them too, and there is nothing wrong with that. Do not discredit yourself just because you lack a piece of paper or a digital PNG that says you’re an expert at it.
2. Everyone learns differently from different people.
People are different and have different preferences on the type of learning tool they want to use, to the type of creators they engage with.
Just because Jenny from the block won’t need your course, doesn’t mean other people around you won’t.
I realized that because everyone’s skin and body is different, not everyone will be able to resonate with just one creator. That’s why there is always a need for more! There is somebody out there who needs your help, and you won’t be able to cater to everyone.
Understand that you give a NEW and DIFFERENT approach or point of view to the topic of your choice.
3. You’ve done the work
It’s not like you just woke up one day and decided to create a course on how to jump rope when you’ve never even touched a jump rope in your life!
You’ve been doing what you do for years and months, spent time to do your research, study, and analyze your topic. Don’t discredit all the work you’ve put into it.
4. Certifications don’t necessarily mean more trust
A good report card doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get a good job after graduation now does it?
Now, I’m not saying being certified isn’t important, but it’s not the only thing that matters. Building an audience and really helping people requires trust that doesn’t just come from that kind of credibility, but also from your personal experiences.
People relate to you better once they know more about you. When you express vulnerability and show them that you’ve been where they were not too long ago, and that it’s possible for someone like themselves to learn and become better.
You don’t want to be the teacher that’s completely out of reach. You want to be THEM, just a few weeks or months after you’ve shared your knowledge.
5. Be kind to yourself
Do you think all these horrible things, and question other creators constantly? I highly doubt that, so why is it that we’re much harder on ourselves than anyone else?
We have to stop and remember to treat ourselves like we would our best friends. We wouldn’t question our besties’ course after finding out all the things she went through and work he/she put in.
Be kind to yourself and don’t put yourself down before you’ve even put the work out.
The Bottom Line
Let’s put the creator insecurities to the side people, ain’t nobody got time for that.
Share what you have to share. If you end up helping at least one person, then you know you succeeded in what you were trying to do in the first place.