On Social Anxiety and Building in Public

I have social anxiety. Nothing crazy. No diagnosis.

But I struggle. I’m afraid of speaking up. Of interacting with strangers.

I’m also extremely introverted. Which doesn’t help. I just want to be alone with my laptop and my code 🧑‍💻 (or by myself on a mountaintop 🏔🙏).

How can I build in public when I’m afraid of sharing?

I’m working on it.

But social anxiety is deeply ingrained in me. It takes time.

I want to build something real. Something that matters. And for that I need visitors and customers. I need to connect with the world instead of closing myself off from it.

This is scary.

A few weeks ago I launched Tribe of Builders.

A website built around reaching out to fellow builders.

I built my own nightmare. And reaching out to the first few people was terrifying. I felt it physically. Elevated pulse. Adrenaline pumping in a fight-or-flight response.

The first few times I fled.

I sat down with my laptop to reach out. But didn’t do it.

A few days went like this (for real).

Until I finally mustered the courage to reach out. After DM’ing a few people I felt relieved. (It’s never as hard or scary as I imagine it to be.)

Reaching out quickly became easier and easier. I still have a hint of anxiety about it. But nothing compared to what it was just weeks ago.

I’m growing 🌱 And the community has welcomed me with open arms ❤️.

To build something and share it with the world takes courage.

Most of us find it difficult to speak up and reach out. Especially when our creation is on the line.

But we need to do it.

If you are creating something beautiful, the world deserves to know.

I have created many projects I never shared with anyone. 55+ YouTube videos. Two full websites in just the last year. Countless blog posts and other projects that never had the chance they deserved.

I told myself it was because they sucked. But the real reason was fear.

I was too scared to share. Too afraid to connect.

If you struggle like me, remember that it’s all in your head. If you have something that solves a problem for someone, tell them. They deserve to know.

Sharing is the generous thing to do, however difficult it may be.

I’ll continue working on my insecurities and I hope you will too. The world is better off if we do.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for building. Thank you for sharing.

Based on ideas from this thread.