I hear it all the time:
“I’m too busy.”
“I’ve tried before and failed.”
“Other people are naturally better than me.”
These are the exact thoughts that keep us stuck. Let’s break them down.
“I don’t have time.”
The truth: you don’t need hours a day. You need focused, deliberate bursts. Even 20 minutes a day adds up to 10 hours in a month—that’s enough to see meaningful progress in any skill.
“I’ve failed before.”
Chances are, you didn’t fail—you just didn’t have the right framework. Jumping between random tutorials or quitting when motivation dipped isn’t failure. It’s a lack of structure.
“I’m not talented enough.”
This one cuts deep, but it’s a lie. Talent plays a role, sure, but process matters far more. I’ve seen people with “no natural ability” surpass others simply because they practiced consistently with intention.
Here’s the reframe: you don’t need more time, talent, or luck. You need a repeatable process that guarantees forward motion—even in small increments.
I’ve quit on so many writing projects because I felt like I was failing. I’d get halfway through an idea, lose momentum and then convince myself I just didn’t have the discipline to be a writer. One thing I’ve learned from your newsletters is the importance of having systems to lean on. That reframe alone makes me want to start again and treat it like building a muscle instead of expecting brilliance from day one. So now I’m working on structure through all of your many tips and slowly but surely it’s working. Thank you Idris Elijah and have a great upcoming weekend!
Reading this after going through your ebook makes me realize how much I was sabotaging myself. Before I’d sit down with my paints and immediately feel overwhelmed because I didn’t know where to start. The exercises in the ebook are helping me define what kind of painter I want to be and today’s newsletter nailed the other part…Small and focused sessions. I actually painted three nights in a row this week and it feels amazing. I look forward to getting into the second half of the ebook this weekend Idris Elijah!