I think one of the biggest obstacles I face as an entrepreneur – especially as a writer-entrepreneur – is the fear that everything I could possibly say, all the value I could possibly give, has already been said or done (or, specifically, written) before.

This idea paralyzes me. It stops me from creating for this blog. It stops me from reaching out to new, potential clients. It stops me from doing my best work for the clients I already have, when dirty thoughts like, “Well, this other copywriter would surely know how to say this better than I can and so I must be a really fucking shitty writer!” sneak all up in my brain uninvited.

Frankly? Feeling like it’s all been done before really fucking sucks.

It sucks because I’ve been an online entrepreneur and writer since I was 10 years old. It sucks because I ran my first e-zine at that same age, and knew right then and there I wanted to leverage the Internet somehow to make money (this was in like 1997 or so, mind you). It sucks because when I sat behind my big old grey box wearing my jellies shoes and slap bracelets and created those cutesy little online magazines in 5th grade, my favorite part was writing the ads I posted across different AOL message boards (the Style Channel, anyone?) (BTW, AOL message board ads of 1997 are the online sales pages of today. Truth.)

It sucks because I can’t really imagine myself doing anything other than writing. (And trust me guys, I’ve tried. And it’s all been in vain.) It sucks because – as much as I absolutely adore the Internet & the freedom & wondrous ideas & experiences & friendships & information it’s given me – if I didn’t spend so much time on the Internet, I would probably still feel at least somewhat original. (I actually wrote a blog post on my blog about whether you can really be unique on the net….back in 2010.)

But when you have an entire world wide web of information (and, mostly, writing) at your manicured fingertips? It’s easy to feel like you are really nothing but an imposter. A fake. A total rip-off of someone else.

How many of you have come up with what you thought was the absolute perfect idea for a blog post, or a super-sweet new service…only to do a quick Google search& stumble upon 3-10 others exactly like it?

I know it’s happened to more than one of us.

And it doesn’t feel good. It feels fucking terrible.

We creative types like to think we’re original.

And smaht. (Yes, smaht. Just like my Nana on Martha’s Vineyard would say.)
And different. And wise. And just plain…awesome.

So finding out that in fact, most of what we want to say or produce has indeed already been said or produced before?
It stings. It hurts our little creative hearts.

But there is indeed a silver lining to this sob story. And that’s this:

Nobody’s ever said it (or done it) like you before.

This simple little mindset shift can do miraculous things for your business. And your self esteem.

The same applies to people in business. We like different people, things, experiences for different reasons.

And, if it makes you feel better (’cause all that up there sounds way too woo-woo), science agrees. Studies say people have to hear new information multiple times before it truly sticks.

Like, you could be speaking to someone who has heard the same idea a thousand times before. Likely, you will. But if you’re talking about a subject in a fresh way (which you will be, because you’re talking about it your way), you could say something that finally makes them go, “OMG, I finally fucking get it, dear Watson!”

Now, you don’t want to rob that person of what could be a life-changing moment of clarity, do you?
Exactly.

I know it’s not going to be easy.

I know you’re still going to encounter people and experiences and ideas and go, “Damn it, I thought I invented that!” but you have to remember that THAT’S OKAY.

Because you’re you. And you can only do things your way.

And the world – or, at least, that one person who just doesn’t quite get your thing (yet) – NEEDS your way.

And because Edith Wharton would be very proud.