The Silent Way You’re Self-Sabotaging
Okay, this is going to sound a little bossy, but since no one is saying it out loud, I guess I will.
Stop gatekeeping what you created.
I say that with love, but also with clarity, because I see so many people, including myself at times, sitting on something really good and barely talking about it.
You made something meaningful. A product, a service, an offer, a workshop, a book, a creative project, a business, or an idea you truly believe in. You poured time, energy, and care into it. You probably created it because you had a problem you needed to solve, a gap you wanted filled, or a frustration you wished didn’t exist.
And then when it came time to share it, you got quiet.
I have done this. More than once.
I have built things I was proud of and then felt strangely shy about promoting them. I told myself, “If people want it, they’ll find it,” or “I don’t want to be annoying,” or “Maybe it’s not actually that good.”
Maybe you have told yourself similar things. Maybe you are worried about what people will think. Maybe you are afraid of being judged, or looking salesy, or being “too much.” Maybe you are secretly scared that no one will care at all, which honestly can feel even harder.
So instead, you gatekeep.
You post about your work once, vaguely, and then sit back and wait for something to happen. You hope someone notices, reaches out, or magically finds it.
But that rarely works.
People cannot choose something they do not know exists.
No one can benefit from your work if they never hear about it. No one can invest in what you created if it lives only in your head, your camera roll, or your laptop.
When I remind myself of this, something shifts for me. I remember that if I created this thing because I needed it, someone else out there likely needs it too. They are scrolling, searching, wondering, and quietly hoping for something that speaks to their problem. My work might help them, but only if I am willing to talk about it.
And no, this does not mean turning your social media into a screaming sales billboard. Please do not do that.
Social media is not a billboard. It is a place for storytelling, honesty, and connection. It is where attention lives, and attention is earned through realness, not shouting.
Instead of yelling “buy this,” I try to think differently.
How can I speak to a real problem someone is having?
How can I share this in a way that still feels like me?
How can I show why this thing exists through my own experience?
There are so many ways to share your work that feel organic.
You can talk about why you created it.
You can share what it solved for you.
You can show behind the scenes of your process.
You can tell stories about who it is for.
You can explain what you learned along the way.
You can repurpose your content so it lives in more than one place.
None of this has to feel pushy. It just has to feel honest. Will there be people who think you are cringey, annoying, or don’t want it? Well yeah, but you’re not doing it for those people.
For me, it always comes back to one question: “If I am not proud enough to share what I created, why is that?” And if I don’t believe in it, why should or would anyone else?
Because when I truly believe in something, I want people to know about it. I want it to exist beyond just me.
So I am choosing to stop gatekeeping.
If you made something that matters to you, let it be seen. Not perfectly and not loudly, just clearly and consistently.
Someone out there needs exactly what you built.
And you deserve to give them the chance to find it.
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Michelle Gallant
Writer | Creator | Less Hustle, More Life
Cover Image Captured by: Amanda Rentiers Photography
