“Has anyone done this before? This idea is too good to be original.” “What if I’m targeting the wrong audience entirely?” “I think this is valuable, but will anyone else?”

These questions have paralysed me more times than I care to admit. The fear of other people’s judgment can be more crippling than actual failure because, at least, failure provides data. Paralysing worry about hypothetical criticism provides nothing except delayed action.

Here’s what I’ve learned: you can’t control how others receive your work, but you can control whether you create it. You can’t guarantee everyone will appreciate your contribution, but you can ensure it never sees the light of day by overthinking it into oblivion.

The truth is, someone probably has tried something similar before. Your audience might be bigger or smaller than you expect. Some people won’t see value in what you’re offering. So what?

Your job isn’t to create work that everyone loves – that’s impossible. Your job is to create work that matters to the people it’s meant to serve. Your responsibility is faithfulness to your calling, not management of everyone’s opinions.

The world is full of critics and short on creators. It’s easier to tear down than to build, simpler to judge than to risk being judged. Don’t let the threat of criticism stop you from sharing your unique contribution.

Stop asking whether your work will be well-received. Start asking whether it needs to exist. If the answer is yes, create it anyway.