By far the biggest fear people have when it comes to getting more attention and visibility is "what if it actually works?"
There's an overwhelming fear that getting booked on TV, going viral, building a larger following will backfire.
Someone somewhere will take issue with your message
They'll judge you for getting attention
They'll pull apart your credibility
And I can see why this fear is so strong. We're surrounded by takedowns and "well actually" arguments all the time.
The other day I was driving the dog to our favourite dog park. This is really the only time I get a chance to listen to morning radio. On this day the two morning hosts were trying to engage their audience in a lively debate.
The launching point was a post written by popular American media personality and finance expert Dave Ramsey. In the post, Ramsey wrote four key areas every couple should agree on before getting married:
religious beliefs
how to raise the kids
money
the in-laws (where are the boundaries)
The hosts took issue with the advice and wanted to enlist their listeners to sound off on it. They dismissed it as being too obvious. One host mentioned she's in an interfaith marriage, so they don't agree on religion. Ok, maybe they agree on how to respect each other's religion. And ok maybe they also agree on how to honour both religions in the household. But they don't agree on religion, right?
As I'm listening to the hosts try to pick apart (and then kinda agree with) Ramsey's advice I found myself thinking "no wonder people are afraid to share their opinions".
And then I thought "But does Dave Ramsey even care?"
He's written numerous best-selling books.
He has a popular podcast, TikTok, Youtube.
His followers are in the millions.
Does he really care that two morning show radio hosts in Toronto kinda disagree but also kinda agree with what he says?
With everything you share, there will be people who disagree. There will also be people who are transformed by what you share.
Ramsey's followers are loyal. They will follow and quote his advice because it changed everything for him. It's not original. It's not unique. But he's the messenger. He brought these ideas to people who desperately need it and they love him for it.
I have this same devotion to my coach and mentor Hina Khan. She's not the originator of what she teaches. But she's the entry point for me into this work. I read what she recommends. I follow her coaching and my life has transformed because of it.
If you are concerned about the people who will judge you, you're putting your attention on the wrong people. Let them judge. Let them have their opinion and their say.
Share anyway. Because the people who need your message will be transformed by it.
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