How To Overcome The Fear Of Sharing Your Talents With The World

The world has historically moved forward thanks to people who have dared to share their talent with the world. Artists and scientists are just prominent examples. Then some people make a difference in their community.

No matter our talents’ impact, everyone’s gift is necessary to the world. Imagine that we are the stars in the night sky. Every little star is quintessential so that the night becomes brighter.

Reading this article probably means that you are passionate about something and would like to share it with the world. However, you might feel a particular fear of sharing your talents. Maybe you feel like people could benefit from your gift, but at the same time that no one would really care. Or you are tired of bottling your creativity and wish to find common-minded people to communicate with.

Your desires may have met a lot of resistance from your inner critic. Limiting beliefs get in the way, and you reject the idea of opening up to the world or procrastinate out of fear of failure and rejection.

But you can overcome the fear of sharing your talents with the world. Here are nine tips to help you get past your blockages and move closer to your goals.

How To Overcome The Fear Of Sharing Your Talents

Establish Your Why

All the internal or external pressure to share your talent may cause indecisiveness, insecurity, or even second thoughts. All this troubling your mind can be emotionally draining and force you to lose some of the original passion for your talent.

Reaching the source of emotions and aspirations that drive your efforts is key to keeping you moving forward. Fuel your imagination and your creative mind. Reconnect to your purpose and passion. Ask yourself, why did you choose to do what you do? What do you like about it? What inspires you the most? Why is your talent important to you?

Remember that what you do, you do it for yourself first. It would be great if people loved your gift, but it doesn’t have to be essential for anyone else but you. There is no point in doing something solely for the sake of others. Share your talents, not for acknowledgment or approval, because you wish to express yourself.  

Understand That Nobody Cares

One of the things that could be preventing you from showing your talents is fear of negative feedback and mockery. What will people think? What if they don’t like it?

As bestselling author Austin Kleon shares in his book “Show your work,” people don’t pay much attention to what we do. We believe that they spend their time quietly criticizing us. The reality? Everyone is just too busy with the same insecure thoughts to care for you.

The truth is that some will like your talent, and others won’t. And that is okay! In our times, everyone finds their audience. Reaching out to people who could potentially care for your talent is easier than ever.

Prepare For The Critic Slap

Be prepared that not everyone will consider you their cup of tea. Know that some of them will also be vocal about it. Mean people exist, especially on the internet. But then, some simply do not fancy what you have to offer.

Instead of blocking out the occasional judgmental comment, expect it. Always remember that people’s opinions (and the way they express them) are a reflection of themselves, not necessarily of reality. A negative comment does not equal rejection or disapproval and has nothing to do with your self-worth.

Embrace the fact that criticism is not a bad thing. It can be helpful when it propels you to move forward and improve yourself. Sort out the feedback you get and only keep the valuable stuff. And always be careful not to lose yourself in satisfying others.  

Reject Perfection Mentality

If you are waiting to master your talent to share it, don’t. According to Austin Kleon, no one started as a genius. Everyone has first been an amateur at what they do, even if they now excel in it. A promising rising artist is far more inspiring than an acclaimed one.

This world needs imperfection. The perfect image most people project through the media is not relatable. People crave something they can identify with. That can be your efforts to cultivate your talent. The fantastic thing about being at a beginner level is that you can improve. The sky is your limit!

Do Not Compare

You can be terrific at what you do. But chances are that your skill ranges between lousy and absolute genius. And that is the case for the grand majority of people. There is no reason to compare yourself with those who share similar talents.

We are unique individuals, and how we evolve and change is remarkable for everyone. Therefore, you should not care about how someone else is doing what you are doing better. Focus on your story and write it however you want. Instead, look to other people for inspiration and motivation.

You may find this helpful: How To Shift Your Mindset: 7 Mindset Shifts To Live A Better Life.

Visualize How Your Talent Can Benefit People

At the beginning of the article, I told you that the first reason to share your talents with the world should be yourself. Yet maybe the second reason could be that your talent is helpful to other people. Imagine how your gift could be important to someone other than you. Is there any way you can use it to contribute to society?

For example, maybe your talent is cooking, and you wish to start preparing meals for a local charity that gives a plate to the poor. Or you are a guitarist and want to start teaching people the tips and tricks of your art. Even your journey of sharing your gifts with the world can inspire people to chase their dreams and embody their purposes.

Helping others can give you a sense of purpose and accomplishment. It can boost your self-esteem and motivate you to shoot for your goals.

Connect With Others

No matter your talent, you are not the only one who cares to share it with the world. The internet is a vast and diverse space. You will definitely find people with common interests who have dared to put themselves out there. Let them become your source of inspiration and courage. Reach out to find out about their experience and ask for advice. Build your community of common-minded people.

Make A Plan And Begin Before You Are Ready

Take some anxiety off your shoulders by planning out a course of action. Answer basic questions like, how will I share my talent? Which medium will I use? What will be my audience? After researching and finally coming up with a doable plan, act on it!

There will always be room for improvement, other priorities that get in the way, or people that do not believe in you. At this rate, you will never feel ready enough to begin, and you will always hesitate at the starting point. Open up your phone and set a reminder to make your first step toward sharing your talents tomorrow!

Accept Vulnerability

Your talent can be very personal to you. Sharing it with the world may feel like too much exposure. You may fear that people will approach aspects of your personality you prefer to keep for yourself.

According to researcher and best-selling author Brené Brown, the uncomfortable feeling we get when we face uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure is called vulnerability. The word may kick to those who deem vulnerability synonymous with weakness and danger.

But it takes a lot of courage to be vulnerable, and it is all worth it. We feel vulnerable when we do something outside of our comfort zone. But no one has ever brought positive change to their lives by staying in the confines of their comfort.

Not sharing your talents with the world means that everything will remain as is. Nothing bad can happen to you as well as nothing good. Whereas, when you dare to step out of your box, you may be exposed to possible negative experiences, but you also have the potential to live some amazing ones.

Conclusion Sharing Your Talents

Limiting beliefs get in the way often gets in the way out of fear of failure and rejection. However, I hope this article shows you that you can overcome your fear and actually start sharing your talents with the world. Your talents are something to be proud of, not ashamed of.