Which One of These 5 Deadly Self-Talk Lines Is Killing Your Writing Business?

Do you realize that you speak to yourself a bazillion times all day long?

• "What do I want for breakfast?"
• "Oh, my hair looks nice today."
• "This article needs a lot of work."

What's that got to do with my business?, you're asking.

Everything.

If you’re like most writers, you think your career barrier is out there somewhere. You believe companies don’t see the value you offer. Sometimes you’re convinced there’s a global Chief Marketing Officers’ or editors’ conspiracy against you.

Not true.

It turns out the blockade is closer home — inside you.

What goes on in your own mind is crucial when it comes to shaping your destiny. What’s happening in your business right now, whether good or bad, is an outgrowth of your inward chatter.

What you say to yourself makes or breaks your business.

Why You Must Urgently Address Your Inner Talk

Here’s why you should fix your inner conversations now:

• Your thoughts shape your reality: Your current reality is a direct result of your interactions with your inner voice. To change reality, change what you say to yourself.
• External changes are fleeting: Since your thought patterns shape your behavior, any external changes not supported by a matching internal shift are superficial.
• Most inner talk is venomously negative: More than likely, your inner voice default settings are negative. Left to itself, your inner voice will pull you down… every time.
• Your self-talk shapes your self-concept: What you say to yourself always forms your self-concept. Your self-concept determines your outlook and effectiveness in life.
• Your thoughts decide your feelings: Your feelings – whether positive or negative, vitalizing or devitalizing, morale-boosting or morale-killing – spring from your thoughts.

In essence, your internal speech is the helm of your life. Wherever it turns, there goes your life. Guide your vessel right and you’ll head straight for the splendid shore of your freelance writing dream. Mishandle it, you’ll drift back into the turbulent sea — and wreck everything you’ve longed for.

What Not To Say When You Speak To Yourself (And How to Fix It)

Let’s explore five toxic self-talk lines you should flush out of your system so you don’t sabotage your business. See which ones you recognize in your life and get practical tips on how to correct them.

Line #1: My writing sucks

Fellow writer, why dispirit yourself with this crushing self-jibe?

Believe me, you’re better than you think. This self-limiting belief makes you look worse than you are because of your fractured confidence. We are harder on ourselves than on others.

Perhaps your writing is awful for now, but with a bit of help, you can improve. Let me let you in on a secret – maybe it’ll make you feel better. Even writing rock stars feel like a fraud sometimes.

Don’t bash your writing.

Rather, tell yourself:

• My writing will get better with practice.
• I can always improve.
• My writing is a work-in-progress.
• The more I write, the better I’ll become.
• I’ve got what it takes to become a world-class writer.

If you bolster your belief in your writing ability, it’ll give your writing a boost.

Line #2: I can’t get clients who’ll pay my prices

Can’t or won’t?

Once clients pick up on this negative vibe, they low-ball you. At the root of this toxic line is a feeling of unworthiness coupled with despair.

I know it’s hard for you to grasp this right now, but there are clients who are willing to pay you what you’re worth and more… with pleasure. Your duty is to find them. Do you know that decent copywriters make $50k per year? The money is there to be made.

Here’s what you should say:

• I’ll eventually find clients who’ll pay my prices.
• Bigger and better clients are waiting for me.
• Today, I’m attracting my dream clients.
• My skills and expertise deserve better.

Once you affirm your worth as a writer, somehow, as if by magic, you start landing better clients.

Line #3: I always make terrible mistakes

Really? Who doesn’t?

Not only does fear of erring dry up your creative juices, it keeps you stuck on average since you’re not giving it your all. Worse, this phobia makes things seem harder than they are.

Mistakes are not the issue.

Everyone fails at some point. Change-makers dust themselves up, learn from it, and move on. You’re making mistakes because you’re in motion, getting ever-closer to your goals, if only by half an inch. And by hooking up with mentors, you’ll realize becoming a freelance writer is easier than you think and sidestep some slip-ups.

Tell yourself:

• It’s okay to make mistakes – I can learn from them.
• Mistakes are stepping stones to my destiny.
• Failure is a growth opportunity/learning curve.
• I’ll eventually get it right if I keep trying.

When you give yourself the room to fail, you create room to grow. Plus, you turn on the creativity faucet and your productivity levels shoot.

Line #4: No one will hire a newbie like me

Your fear is baseless.

Every veteran writer you admire was once a rookie like you — unknown, unnoted, untested. But they remained focused, took baby steps towards their writing dream, wrote their first frail piece and improved over time.

Don’t disqualify yourself because you’re new. This flawed belief can cause you to miss golden opportunities right under your nose because your bent self-worth skews your view. For instance, selling your expertise (or coaching, as it’s popularly known) is something a writer at any level can do to boost their earnings. Other doable content side-hustles are affiliate marketing, technical writing, and resume writing.

Say this instead:

• I can do this even if I’m new.
• It’s about the quality of my writing, not longevity in my field.
• Since I’m new I’m bringing fresh ideas!
• I’m a talented up-and-comer.

If you shift mental gears and see being new as an opportunity, you’ll attempt more and achieve more.

Line #5: I’m just not good at marketing

Now, this one’s brutal. You know why?

Because it shatters the core of your business — marketing. It’s not the best writers that make more money. Instead, it’s the best marketers who kill it. How on earth are you going to sell your services – let alone your clients’ products – when you doubt your marketing ability?

You won’t make money online if you’re always second-guessing your selling powers. Your enterprise is doomed before you even start.

Alternatively, tell yourself:

• I’ll get better at marketing since it’s a learned skill.
• The more I sell, the better I’ll become.
• I can only get better with the help of mentors.
• I love telling people about the benefits of partnering with me.

Once you become a more self-assured marketer, the more likely people will buy from you.

Master Your Inner Game and Make the Cash Register Ring

Don’t let your inner dialogue hold you back.

Through practice, you can reprogram your mind.

Erase the old, negative, and destructive talk which works against you and replace it with a new, positive, and productive talk which works for you.

Erase and replace one thought at a time, that’s all.

Master the voice within today, get unshackled, and do your best work that’ll advance your business.

Winning the inner game has double benefits. Not only will you earn more money, you'll become a better person all around.

So, which line is your nemesis? Share in the comments.