What a Jellyfish Taught Me About Writing
And Beating My Fear of Failure
When I was young, my parents took me and my sister to Felixstowe for a seaside adventure.
At one point, we were playing on the concrete steps that led down to the water—when something caught my eye.
A bright purple jellyfish floated nearby.
I panicked.
Certain I was about to be stung, I turned to bolt—only to slip on the wet steps and plunge my foot into the sea, sock and shoe soaked.
Bracing for the searing pain of a jellyfish sting, I looked back…
Only to see the jellyfish a safe ten metres away—and my sister doubled over laughing at my dramatics.
The Fear Was Worse Than the Fall
That day, I learned an uncomfortable truth:
Most of the "dangers" we panic about are nowhere near as real—or as close—as we think.
And it’s exactly the same in building your writing business.
You fear you'll fail.
You fear you'll look foolish.
You fear that no one will care what you create.
So you slip.
You retreat.
You get soaked in doubt without ever really being at risk.
Your Mind Makes Monsters Bigger Than They Are
Fear often strikes hardest just before you realize... it was only water.
The jellyfish was never the problem.
The real danger was losing your footing—your consistency—because of a fear that didn’t even exist yet.
Small, Steady Steps Beat Big Scary Dreams
If you're tired of slipping every time fear shows up, maybe it's time to stop reacting—and start building steady habits that anchor you no matter what.
That’s exactly what we do inside The Weekday Writer newsletter—
A daily dose of encouragement, strategy, and practical tips to help you build a writing business that lasts.
Ready to turn panic into progress? Join us…