The stress of "putting it out there"

There’s no turning back now! This past weekend I announced to the world my Fitzgerald projects. Even as a soft launch, the press release isn’t out for a few more days, it was both terrifying and exhilarating.

I’m not much of a put-it-all-out-there kind of guy. At least not to wide audiences. But in today’s world, if you want to get it done, you have to be.

I’ve got many struggles ahead of me. As I knew would be a challenge, I’m finding it difficult to write social posts that come across as authentic. That’s primarily because I’m a communications professional and am used to a formal approach to my content. It’s ridiculous, because I’m often described as an “authentic” person. I’ve got to find a way to make that come through. My passion also gets in the way. I need to sound less like a flashing billboard.

The past week was stressful. It was put up or shut up time. It was also time to pull the trigger on major purchases, like press release packages and media-relations databases. And none of this is for my novel.

The novel has taken a back seat to the Edmund Fitzgerald 50^th Anniversary site and my passion for ensuring that this anniversary year the legend is honored and expanded. I knew this would be an issue when I made the decision to move forward developing that site. As a result of my attention there, I’m months behind schedule on my project.

I’m not worried. Most of it is written and the framework is in place for the rest. And, as I’ve announced elsewhere, I’ll be releasing it as a serial podcast, which gives me flexibility with timing. But worry and stress, especially the underlying kind, are two different things. I’m experiencing a seesaw between bubbling stress and positive energy. Which is what it’s all about, I suppose.

This week will be more work promoting the 50^th anniversary site. See you on the other side of the press release.

There. My first post is done. Now I can stop obsessing on making the first one perfect and move on…