For a long time, I thought I had to be different to matter.

I put a lot of pressure on myself to be “unique.” Not just good, not just creative—unique.

I thought the only people who really made it—the innovators, the visionaries, the artists—were the ones who came up with ideas no one else had ever imagined before.

Like they were born with something no one else had.

And if my ideas were too familiar, too close to something I’d already seen? I’d shut them down before they ever had a chance.

That belief… killed so many of my ideas.

It made me second-guess things that actually felt exciting.

I would think, “It’s already been done,” or “That idea’s not worth it.”

But what I was really doing was silencing the very voice inside me that was unique.

Until one day, I just stopped.

And asked myself—so what?

So what if it’s been done before?

You moved to California, and that was a dream come true.

You learned how to ski—and no, you weren’t the only skier on the planet.

You became a PM at Meta, and you definitely weren’t the only one.

But those things still changed your life.

So if not being unique didn’t stop you, then…

Why should it stop you now?

Belief #1: That I Need to Be Unique

This one runs deep.

I used to think that if something already existed, it wasn’t worth doing.

But uniqueness doesn’t come from the idea—it comes from you.

Your life. Your voice. Your lens on the world.

Two people can create the same exact offering, but the way they express it will never be the same.

Because no one has lived your life.

No one has your exact string of memories, heartbreaks, inspirations, and experiences.

Uniqueness is not the idea. It’s the expression.

So don’t let “oh, that’s already been done” stop you.

It hasn’t been done by you.

Belief #2: That It’s Too Late

I’ve had this voice in my head so many times:

“You should’ve started this earlier.”

“You missed your chance.”

“You should’ve done this right out of school.”

During the pandemic, I’d think:

“If I started YouTube back when I was teaching PM at General Assembly, it would’ve been perfect.”

Or,

“If I just started sharing sooner, I’d be so much further along.”

 

But here’s what I realized:

👉🏼 That thinking does nothing.

👉🏼 It doesn’t give you back time.

👉🏼 It doesn’t help you start.

👉🏼 It just paralyzes you in guilt.

The best time to start is now.

Not last year. Not in your 20s. Now.

Every moment spent replaying the past is a moment you could be using to build your future.

Belief #3: That I Need to Learn Just a Bit More

This one’s sneaky.

Because it doesn’t sound like a blocker—it sounds responsible.

You tell yourself:

• “I just need to learn a bit more first.”
• “I’ll take one more course.”
• “I need to study that strategy a little longer.”
• “I should wait until I’m better at editing before I post anything.”

And before you know it, months have passed.

You’re still watching tutorials. Still researching. Still preparing.

The truth? Learning is endless.

You’ll never be “ready.”

You learn the most by doing. By showing up. By starting—even if it’s messy.

Progress matters more than perfection.

And sometimes, “I need to learn more” is just procrastination in disguise.

So ask yourself:

How do you procrastinate through preparation?

What are you pretending to perfect that just needs to be started?

Belief #4: That I Need External Energy or Motivation

Especially during the pandemic, this one hit hard.

I’d go through my 8 to 10 hours of Zoom calls, log off, and just… sit.

Drained. Uninspired. Completely flat.

I kept dreaming of spontaneity:

➡️ What if I went to more events again?

➡️ What if I saw more people?

➡️ What if the city felt alive again—maybe then, my creativity would return.

If you’re both introverted and extroverted like me, you get this.

Extroverts refuel through people.

Introverts through space.

But here’s the thing: External energy isn’t sustainable.

You can’t depend on it to create.

You have to be your own energy generator.

You have to learn how to ignite something within yourself—especially when the world around you is quiet.

The energy you’re looking for is already in you.

The outside world can inspire you, yes—but it’s on you to be consistent with your own creative fuel.

Final Thoughts: Let It Be Simple

All of these beliefs had one thing in common:

❌ They slowed me down.

❌ They made me overthink.

❌ They disconnected me from my own momentum.

And I’m done with that.

What I’m choosing now is simpler:

✅ Start before I’m ready.

✅ Create even if it’s been done.

✅ Show up, whether or not I feel inspired.

✅ Trust that my voice is enough.

Reflection Questions:

• What belief is keeping you from starting?
• What story have you been telling yourself that’s no longer serving you?
• What’s one small action you can take today—no waiting, no perfecting?