One of the most important drivers of self-esteem

When I started publishing on Substack, I needed a lot of time, not only to write the article itself, but also to edit, refine… and deal with all the insecurities that come from making something public that, even if it's informative, comes from you.

It doesn't matter if you have 7 subscribers, when you take a step for the first time, you feel instability and excitement, but you also feel like you could fall.

Well, now with a little over 300 people (if you are a traveler, I take this opportunity to tell you that you are great and thank you for your trust), I spend much less time publishing.

Paradoxical, isn't it?

Yes, of course, it's partly because I've gained experience and refined my writing muscle, but also because I've stopped letting other things influence me so much.

Self-esteem is not built by telling yourself nice phrases (be careful, don't confuse it with talking to yourself kindly, which is important).

Self-esteem is built by doing, exposing yourself and committing to yourself.

Taking yourself seriously enough to bet on what you do… but not so much as to measure every word or anticipate every possible comment others might make.

So, if you're unsure about something, don't wait to feel more confident to start.

Start. And it's very possible that confidence will come later.