First 5 Step #2: See Yourself as Successful (Re-Air)

Publishing Secrets

In this episode, you’ll also hear:

• The root issue that keeps aspiring authors stuck
• Why we often believe success is impossible when it isn’t
• Three common examples of cognitive distortions that cause our own minds to work against us
• How to overcome these limiting beliefs and achieve your author goals

In Step #1 of this series, we talked about the importance of finding your fuel. This journey to becoming an author has its challenges, and the only way you’re going to push forward is by thinking about the people you want to impact and the transformation you can create by sharing your story. If you missed it, be sure to check out that episode here!

But here's the thing: if you don't deal with Step #2, it will short-circuit your progress. So let’s talk about this important second step to becoming a successfully published author: you need to see yourself as successful.

Your Mind Is Lying to You

All too often, aspiring authors don’t actually believe it’s possible for them to be successful. So what’s at work here? What causes aspiring authors to doubt their skills, abilities, and calling?

In coaching philosophy, there’s a concept called cognitive distortion. And as you may guess, this concept has to do with the brain and things being distorted.

When you experience cognitive distortion, your mind is literally playing tricks on you. Sometimes you’re conscious of it, but many times it’s unconscious. You have underlying beliefs — about yourself, about others, and about the world — that shape the way you view things. And if you fall for those cognitive distortions, it will keep you from writing and publishing your book.

3 Common Cognitive Distortions

There are many possible cognitive distortions, but three in particular show up often in aspiring authors. It’s important that you learn to identify them, so you can call them out and deal with them if they are at work in your own life.

1. Fortune Telling

In this context, fortune telling means making negative predictions. Think of it as a crystal ball that makes predictions without any factual evidence or support.

It’s the aspiring author who says, “I’m going to go through all this, and no one’s even going to buy my book!” or, “No one’s going to even understand why I wrote my book or understand the concept!” This person has already decided they’re going to fail — before they’ve even started writing.

Are you a negative fortune teller?

2. Feeling-Based Reasoning

A feeler makes their decisions based on how they feel, because they perceive feelings to be facts. To this person, if they feel like something is true, then they believe it must be true, even if those feelings aren’t based on factual evidence.

This person says things like: “I feel like this book is not coming together. So I might as well stop, because I’m just wasting my time,” and “I feel like I’m failing at this writing project, so I must be failing. I should just quit.”

Friends, we must be careful not to let our feelings drive our actions!

3. Hurdle Measure Bias

This third cognitive distortion is an excessively negative interpretation of challenges. When a person with this bias thinks about writing a book, it seems like an impossible goal. This often leads to procrastination and talking ourselves out of doing the very things we want to do.

This person says things like, “It’s too hard” and “It’s too much for me to handle” and “I’ll just do it later.” It’s a bit ironic when you think about it. After all, we know what Scripture says about us:

• We are more than conquerors through Christ (Romans 8:37)
• We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13)

We know that we have the power to do hard things, push through challenges, and be successful. But in the moment, the challenge ahead can seem bigger than the God inside of us.

Know Your Potential

Stop believing false things about your abilities and potential. It’s time to get in the Word and get clear about what God says about you. Start by saying positive affirmations to yourself about your potential to be successful as an author, to counter the negative things your mind is trying to make you believe.

Remember, if you don’t believe it, you won’t achieve it. You need to start seeing yourself as successful, because — through Christ — you are stronger than you think!

BIO:

My name is Tamara "Coach Tam" Jackson and I am a published author, Facebook© Certified Digital Marketer, host of the Top 100 Publishing Secrets podcast, and founder of The Christian Authors Network (C.A.N.) Facebook© community. I specialize in helping mission-driven authors, coaches, and entrepreneurs increase their exposure, impact, and income through strategic self-publishing and digital media appearances. Just say yes and we will work together to attract a tribe of loyal followers that 1) "get you", 2) love what you do, and 3) are happy to invest in your book, business, cause, or movement. Plus, we will accomplish all of this without fake, salesy, sleazy, or manipulative tactics. Yes you CAN write, publish, and profit in a way that honors God; join the community today at https://christianauthors.net/fbgroup.

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