Personal bias has always been a thing for me. I used to consider myself somewhat of a perfectionist as I would not show out my work unless I felt it was perfect.
But nothing can be perfect, right?
Wrong!
Well, technically. — Let me explain :
They say beauty lies in the hands of the beholder.
We all have personal biases and standards we rate as perfect.
Sometimes we subconsciously set bars for ourselves and our work and unless we reach such standards we consider it not worthy of sharing.
That is where the issue lies. Being scared of negative feedback and rejections.
I failed to understand that the lows are what make the highs so interesting.
But I overcame this fear well over a year ago
This is where—Show Your Work by Austin Kleon comes into the picture.
The Encounter
I first laid my hands on this book well over a year ago when I was contemplating starting a full-time make-up brand.
It was my third year at the university and I was seriously contemplating whether or not to take the make-up business more seriously.
I was sceptical as I felt my work wasn't good enough and didn't deserve to be shared. But then a friend recommended this book and that changed my life.
The thing is: we sometimes tend to think our work process or our stories won't inspire anyone or isn't worth sharing and that's something this book points out — Tell your stories.
Show your work is an Amazon best-seller.
It is a book that encourages anyone and everyone to not feel shy or unworthy of whatever it is their doing but to be confident and put their work out there.
Some of the key points discussed in the book include:
#1 You don't have to be a genius
As I stated earlier, I am somewhat of a perfectionist but this book made me see that I don't have to be perfect and my idea doesn't have to be the best for me to share them.
There is always someone out there that can relate and learn — or be inspired by your work.
#2 Just Start!
There is no other perfect time to start than now. That is why when I found out about Hive I didn't take too much time to jump on it as I have been looking for whatever opportunity I can find to show my work.
Waiting for the right time will not lead you to any work done, instead, you will realise that no time is right — You just have to start.
# 3 Your work is not your life.
This book doesn't teach the toxic productivity of work-work-work. It lets you understand that you have to know when to work and when not.
One should learn to take breaks and spend time with family and those they love. As those memories can be more precious than anything else.
#4 Give back
Also, never forget to give back to the community that helped you rise.
Like in Hive — Constantly engage with other creators, and acknowledge their support.
These are just some of the key points from the book I resonate with. But there are a lot more.
I strongly recommend this book to every content creator out there!
It is one of the things that keeps me inspired to be here on Hive.
We sometimes go through similar struggles and by sharing our work, we get to help/inspire others.
Sharing yourself and your work is always a good thing if the word you are sharing is positive!
PS: All photos from this article are from the official Austin Kleon website.
Thank you for reading, please feel free to leave a comment ❤