A Drawing Almost Left Unsubmitted
My daughter almost didn’t submit her drawing to a competition.
Not because she wasn’t ready. Not because it wasn’t finished.
But because she didn’t believe it was good enough.
We talked it through. We sat in the doubt for a bit. She hit submit. And… she won.
The Psychological Tricks That Get in Our Way
Watching her go through that emotional rollercoaster was a mirror. The doubt, the fear of judgment, the sudden need to over-edit something that’s already great—I’ve seen it in adults just as often as in kids.
We call it different names:
Imposter Syndrome – “Who am I to be doing this?”
Anxiety – that persistent sense of “what if something goes wrong?”
Dunning-Kruger Effect – the awkward self-awareness where you worry you know too little or too much, and second-guess either way.
These thought patterns sabotage our best work. They kill momentum. And they often show up right before we’re about to do something meaningful.
But here’s the thing: If you’re feeling imposter syndrome, you’re probably exactly where you need to be.
How I Apply the Same Lessons as a Creator
When I was working on my book S.E.C.U.R.E., I had butterflies. Nerves. That same gnawing feeling of “what if I’ve missed the mark?”
I’d promised people I’d publish it. I’d built a mailing list. I’d shown previews. But when it came time to actually release it? The doubt crept in hard.
I hit publish anyway. And here’s what I remind myself now:
If you get feedback—good or bad—it means people are engaging. If you learn from it—you grow. If you update your work—you improve it.
That process? It’s uncomfortable. But it’s also where the real magic happens.
The Real Reason to Share Your Work
Whether it’s a drawing, a report, a product, a blog post, or a book—when we create, we rarely do it just for ourselves. We do it to help, to express, to serve, to connect.
And that means pushing through the fear is part of the job.
I tell my daughter: you’re allowed to feel nervous. You’re allowed to doubt it. But if you care about what you’ve made, and it might help or inspire someone else—send it anyway.
One Soft Reminder Before You Go…
If you're navigating the digital world and want to feel more confident about your security and privacy, my book S.E.C.U.R.E. is now available as a free digital download for anyone who signs up to my mailing list.
🟢 Grab your free copy here 📦 Prefer to own it without subscribing? You can buy it here
Let’s all get a little more comfortable with hitting submit. You never know whose life your work might impact.