Fear of a blank page is one of the most common fears. Who has not experienced a stupor before starting work? The fear is especially intense before a responsible job. A writer is afraid to write an initial line, an artist – to make the first stroke on the canvas. The aggravation of indecision at the initial stage is not surprising because the first strokes often determine the impression of the final work. So, we can assume that the most important thing in the work is to start.
Blank page syndrome goes far beyond the boundaries of the creative community. Fear of getting started can come into everyone’s life regardless of the activity. Is it possible to get rid of this syndrome? There are many popular strategies for avoiding the described oppression. Some people try to cope with the problem by temporary distractions from work, while others suppress excessive worries by thinking through a clear work plan. Let’s find out all the methods for dealing with this unpleasant syndrome.
Don’t Be Afraid of Work
The awareness that there is a large amount of work ahead and the first difficult minutes will only be the “tip of the iceberg”, slows down the upcoming work process. When you start a class, don’t be afraid of it. If you don’t like fussy preparation or painstaking work, you must be pleased with the end result. Understanding what you’ve started the class for and what will happen when it’s finished will stimulate you to get started sooner. So if you’re the type of person who’s most excited about the outcome of a job, get started on unpleasant tasks.
An Unexpected Beginning
Take the first step now. The recommendation may annoy you with the obvious premise, but it works. Want to make repairs? Tear off the first strip of wallpaper in the hallway. Dreaming of writing a book? Write the first lines that come to mind. Cannot start working out? Exercise right today (go for a jog in the evening, walk after work, play football with the kids) or just dive into the world of sports (read recent football news or watch a basketball game). So, you’ll quickly move from words to deeds.
Fear of Being Ridiculed
Besides the fear of imperfection and the unknown result, a barrier between you and your work can be the fear of being ridiculed. Man inherently a social creature, so any responsible activity we approach with the thought of how our decision will reflect on public opinion. People can both raise our self-esteem with praise and spoil the mood with their condemnation and criticism.
We cannot predict how other people will react to our changes. Would someone else’s opinion really matter that much if you fulfilled your dream (quit your boring job for freelancing, sign up for ballroom dancing classes, learn CasinoChan online casino strategies to hit a jackpot, or start selling flowers)? Just think about it: would it be wise to give up on your dreams for fear of being judged?
If you still have doubts, imagine if each of today’s celebrities had to take that first step, too. They might have remained in the shadows if they hadn’t one day decided to paint their white sheet. Try to free yourself from the weight of imaginary judgments. Only he who does nothing makes mistakes.
Visualizing Results
Fear comes from not knowing the subject. Often we are afraid to start because we don’t know thoroughly what awaits us in the process. Start to get into what you want to excel at. Learning from people who have succeeded in what you want to do will help you move away from the unattainable ideal image and toward practical goals. Imagine a perfect picture of your idea in the best possible way.