The Fear of Being Wrong

My wife recently gifted me a book by Rick Rubin, and in it, I came across this line:

If a creator is so afraid of judgement that they’re unable to move forward, it might be that the desire to share the work isn’t as strong as the desire to protect themselves. Perhaps art isn’t their role.

I immediately related this to my job as a software engineer, where you have to make decisions, pitch your vision, and persuade others.

It’s not an easy role, which is why you might be worried about being wrong — about asking a dumb question, or failing in front of others.

But here is the truth: being wrong is part of the process and it’s inevitable.

Share your work, even if it’s not perfect — you can always fix it in the next iteration. Ask questions, even if they feel naïve. Make a decision, even if you’re not 100% sure — that’s better than waiting for someone else to decide.

Don’t let the fear of being wrong stop you.