Spoiler alert:
In the livestream,
and I talked about:Sustainability as a writer
How to keep our writing fresh and interesting
How to be consistent and writing routines
How to come up with new ideas
and many more…
But first, let’s talk about fear.
Fear stops you
It makes you hesitate, overthink, and talk yourself out of doing the thing you know you should do.
That’s exactly where I was when I decided to do my first Substack livestream.
The idea had been on my mind for a while. I knew it was a great way to connect with my audience, share insights, and push myself to grow. But every time I considered it, the excuses piled up:
What if I freeze?
What if there are awkward silences?
What if I’m not prepared enough?
What if I babble and make a fool of myself
What if, what if, what if…?
It’s funny how fear works. It convinces you that disaster is inevitable, that you need more time, more practice, more confidence.
But in reality? All you need to do is start.
So I dared myself to fail.
I scheduled the livestream. No turning back. No excuses. Just a clear deadline that forced me into action.
And here’s what I learned about fear in the process.
Fear can be paralyzing
Fear of failure is common. But when it comes to livestreaming, that fear takes on a few distinct forms.
1️⃣ Stage fright
Public speaking is one of the most universal fears. Even in a digital setting, the idea of people watching you in real-time feels intimidating.
I imagined the worst-case scenarios,
I’d stumble over my words
I’d say something dumb
I’d freeze on camera
But here’s what I realized: nobody expects you to be perfect. Mistakes make you human. A little stumble makes you relatable. People connect with authenticity more than polished perfection. The only way to get comfortable is by doing it.
2️⃣ Dead air
Another big fear? Awkward silence. That dreaded moment when your mind goes blank, and there’s nothing but cold chills running down your spine.
What if I lost my train of thought? What if I forgot what I wanted to say? What if I stop mid-sentence?
Turns out, this fear was overblown. In a natural conversation, pauses happen. You take a breath. You gather your thoughts. Nobody expects a nonstop stream of words. Silence isn’t the enemy, it’s part of the rhythm.
3️⃣ The “I’m not ready” trap
Fear convinces you that you need more preparation before you start. More notes, more research, more practice. But “preparation” often becomes a stall tactic. It gives you a false sense of progress while keeping you stuck in fear.
Ask yourself, how much preparation is enough?
You can have tons of research, a bevy of ideas, and a list of notes. But nothing beats speaking from the heart. Words will come naturally.
You’re already prepared. You just need to act.
Perfection isn’t the goal. Progress is.
3 lessons learned
1️⃣ Don’t overthink, just start
The hardest part isn’t talking, it’s not even the content. It’s that small window of time right before we go live, when we were looking at the screen, there were 3 people in the room, and panic starts to creep in.
That’s when it’s easy to give in to your fear.
But once I started talking? Something clicked. The fear faded into the background. Instead of obsessing over what could go wrong, I focused on what I wanted to share.
Overthinking kills momentum. The more you analyze, the more reasons you’ll find to delay.
The best antidote? Action.
Take the leap. Once you’re in motion, fear loses its grip.
2️⃣ You don’t need to overprepare
Before the livestream, I asked Khadejah if we should do a practice run. She said: Let’s keep it spontaneous and play it by ear.
That turned out to be the best decision.
I had bullet points for structure but didn’t script every word. And guess what? The conversation flowed naturally. Too much preparation can backfire. It makes you sound robotic, not relatable.
People don’t tune in for a TED Talk. They show up for real, engaging conversation.
So I embraced a mindset shift:
I didn’t need all the answers.
I didn’t need a perfect script.
I just needed to show up and be present.
And it worked.
3️⃣Fear shrinks in the face of experience
Something interesting happened once I got through the first few minutes:
I started enjoying it.
The thing I had built up as terrifying was actually… fun.
And now that I’ve done it once, I know it will be even easier next time. Topics for our next session are revealed in the livestream, watch it for a sneak peek 😀
Fear thrives on avoidance. The more you dodge something, the bigger and scarier it seems.
But when you face it head-on, you take away its power. You prove to yourself that it’s not as bad as you imagined.
Courage isn’t the absence of fear, it’s the decision to move forward despite it.
The power of collaboration
One of the biggest reasons the livestream went so well? Special thanks to my incredible collaborator,
!Having someone to bounce ideas off, keep the conversation flowing, and share the experience made all the difference. It turned what could have been nerve-wracking into something fun and dynamic.
A good collaborator doesn’t just help fill the gaps, they bring out your best self.
So if you’re hesitant about trying something new, find a partner. Someone who encourages you, supports you, and makes the process feel lighter.
Fear feels smaller when you’re not facing it alone.
Fear fades when you move
Fear will never disappear completely. But you can shrink it.
The key is to stop waiting until you feel “ready” and start before you’re comfortable. Because the only way to build confidence is through action.
What’s something you’ve been afraid to do?
What’s the one step you can take today to move toward it?
Fear fades when you move forward.
So move.
P.s: Watch the livestream for writing tips!
Dare to fail so you can dare to win - Moon AricaExpand your comfort zone here, tell me your thoughts:
Have you done your first live on Substack?
Do you fear public speaking?
Thanks for reading!
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