Two Steps Ahead
On struggling with inspiration & feeling inadequate.
If you follow me on Notes, you might have seen me post about experiencing writer’s block. I seem to slowly be coming out of it now (as evidenced by writing this post), and I’ve been reflecting a lot on creativity and where inspiration comes from.
When I hit moments in time where I am struggling, it’s those one-liners someone has said in passing that I’ve stashed away in my brain for years that pop up. When I couldn’t seem to write last week, the one that I kept thinking of was, “You only have to be two steps ahead.”
I can’t remember now who I heard this piece of advice from first. I vaguely remember it being on a podcast, maybe? But since then, I’ve heard it said a few more times.
The advice essentially means that to be a creative and run a business, offer a product or service, or anything that involves putting your (he)art out into the world, we only have to be two steps ahead of who we’re speaking to. I have grappled with perfectionism throughout my life and spent a lot of time just not creating anything because I was worried I wouldn’t have enough to offer.
But the thing is, you don’t have to know the entire subject matter to share your experience. You don’t have to be an expert knitter to teach someone how to knit a simple scarf, you just have to know how to knit the scarf. You don’t have to be a best-selling novelist to share how to create compelling characters, you just have to write compelling characters. You don’t have to own a bakery to show someone how to make a croissant, you just have to know how to make the croissant.
My point is, that a lot of times we find ourselves in limbo because we want to be great at something before we share it with the world. And of course, integrity is hugely important, but you don’t have to have everything figured out before you start. You only have to be two steps ahead.
When I was struggling with what to write last week, I kept thinking that I needed something profound to share. I needed real substance, and importance, spewing from my fingers as I type, or else everyone will read right through me and know in all actuality, I’m a fraud.
But then I thought about it, and I realized that the people I love learning most from are not the ones that are considered experts. They are the ones that I can relate to, that know just enough about what I want to learn but are still on the journey with me. And that I would follow whatever they say not because of their knowledge, but because of who they are as people.
They are constantly evolving and not stuck in doing the same thing just because it worked last time. They are willing to get their hands messy, to try new things, to fail, and they do it all so you know that you can trust them with your time and money.
I’m not here trying to be the next best Substack writer, I’m not here trying to be an expert on slow living, motherhood, or anything like that. I’m just here to write my experience as I experience it, and to hopefully help at least one person who’s two steps behind me on their way.
I’d love to know, is there something in your life you’ve been feeling called to create but have been too scared that you weren’t good enough? Can you just be two steps ahead, instead?
Yea absolutely! And sometimes you don’t even have to be two steps ahead either. I think it’s perfectly ok to work things out as you write. That way you and your readers can discover things together. Even better ☺️💫
Gosh, I hugely relate to your post and that feeling of the pressure to write something profound too. Your post reminds me of the Denise Duffield Thomas quote - 'Don't be a guru, be a contributor' - I remember reading that a few years ago and feeling this relief that it was OK not to know everything. And you are so right when you say that the person you love learning from the most aren't the ones that considered themselves to be experts.