Does it ever feel like there are two different versions of you that show up on any given day? One of you is confident. You know your topic. You know your practice area inside and out because you talk about it every day. You are confident that you know how to talk to your clients and potential clients about what you do.

Then there is that other person inside of you that sometimes tries to tell you you aren’t worthy of getting out there and building your reputation and your relationships by presenting or creating content for social media that will demonstrate your knowledge.

This other person sometimes lurks deep inside. When it surfaces, it says things like:

“Oh, you don’t know as much as you should.”

or

“Who are you to put yourself out there?”

or

“Why would you do this when someone else who is highly respected is already doing that?”

Let’s discuss.

I Love This Quote

I heard a quote the other day that I really liked. This is the gist of it.

“You don’t need to get approval from the Mayor of the Internet to do anything.”

As much as I would love to be named Mayor of the Internet, I’m not even the Mayor of the Internet. For now, I’ll just settle for deputy mayor and grow into it.

There Is No One Way

The point here is that there is no one right way to do anything.

There is no one wrong way to do anything.

There is no perfect way to put yourself out there.

There’s just putting yourself out there and learning before you go and as you go, then learning what you did and didn’t do that you might want to tweak next time.

It’s Okay To Jump In

It’s okay to jump in. It’s okay to build a business development plan, a content marketing plan, or a marketing plan that takes into account all of the things you know are important, such as:

• Who are your clients?
• Who are your potential clients?
• Who do you want to do business with?
• Who would you like to have as referral sources?
• Who would you like to report on or blog about you?

Then, after you have thought about those questions, ask yourself:

• Where do these people hang out?
• Where do they spend time?
• What do they like to read, watch, or listen to?
• Where is the best place for me to talk to them and interact with them and build relationships with them?

Once you know, go and do that. Learn what you need to do, and then dive in. Dip your toe in slowly if you want or need to. You will surprise yourself when you become more comfortable going through this process.

What If People Judge You?

Let’s say you are thinking about making a comment on someone’s post on LinkedIn, but you’re worried because you think someone is going to judge you for what you say.

Or maybe you’re getting ready to post something of your own that is based on information you know to be true in your practice area, or something that your clients care about, or something coming down the pike, or whatever it is that might be valuable to them.

It could be a post that will demonstrate your personality, your perspective, and your approach. Suddenly, that second you, that inside voice, keeps jumping up in your head (and it is all in our heads) that says:

“No, don’t do that. Don’t put yourself out there because people are going to think you’re silly.”

Or

“You know what? There’s somebody already doing that. Why would you put yourself out there as well when they already have it covered? After all, they’re more well-known than you are.”

Or, thinking this voice is really you, you say:

• What if I feel silly?
• What if I stutter a little bit?
• What if I hem and haw?
• What if I don’t spell everything perfectly?”

There are so many what-ifs, aren’t there?

• What if I mess up?
• What if I don’t sound right?
• What if I’m not accepted?
• What if I don’t get a lot of likes?
• What if I don’t get a lot of reactions?
• What if nobody shares my content?
• What if nobody makes a comment on my content?

What Will Happen If You Let The “What Ifs” Keep Holding You Back?

You can what if so much that you stifle all of your creativity and all of your opportunities to establish your reputation and your relationships to the point that you pull back and you don’t do it at all.

It’s Time To Give Yourself Permission

Then you’re frustrated because you see someone else putting themselves out there and you think,

“I could have done that. Why didn’t I do that? I know about that topic!”

You need to give yourself permission to jump in.

This Is Their Problem, Not Yours

Let’s get back to the part about people judging you.

If there are people who are judging you, that’s their problem. That really is their problem.

Seriously, if someone is going to make fun of you or think poorly of you because of the way you interact, the way you post on LinkedIn, the way that you say something on a podcast episode, or the way you have picked up your telephone and you’ve created what I call handheld video, then that truly, truly is their issue, not yours.

They are not your people. They are not your clients, potential clients, referral sources, or media that you should even care about because who wants to do business with people who are so judgmental?

It’s Okay

It’s okay to be a little bit hesitant. It’s okay to wonder every now and then if you really know enough, or if you’ve structured something correctly and should go ahead. That likely means you care about your personal brand, your words, your values, and serving others to the best of your ability.

When those times hit, I want you to think back on the times when you were able to present yourself in a way you felt good about. Call upon those times and remember that feeling of accomplishment and of helping others who needed to hear what you had to say. Remember that sigh of relief after you’ve done it and realized, you know what?

“I do know how to do this!”

What If, Indeed!

What if someone messages or emails you and asks for more information?

What if someone reads your words and visits your profile on LinkedIn because you’ve given them just enough to become curious about you?

What if suddenly there is a little spike on your law firm website bio because someone has followed you and your content all the way to your bio?

It only takes one or two of those results for you to realize that putting yourself out there was completely worth it. Those experiences also serve as a great tool to tamp down that second person, that questioning person, so that you find the confidence and the permission to go ahead and get out there and be the professional you know you are and that you need to be to grow your reputation, your relationships, and your practice.

Which Version Of You Will It Be?

So which version of you is going to show up today?

Is it the original you that knows your topic, that has enough confidence to move forward with sharing your thoughts and your perspective with the people you care to interact with and want to get to know better?

Or is it going to be that second person that almost every one of us has sitting deep inside, and sometimes not so deep inside?

I hope it is the original one, the one that has something valuable to share with your people, with your connections, and with your followers. Those people probably need to hear, read, and/or see what you have to say, and if they don’t notice this time, then maybe they will next time.

Don’t give up. Be your own Mayor Of The Internet!