You're Not Behind. You're In It.
The 4 things I keep hearing in the Press Publish Challenge — and what they actually mean.
We're three days into the Press Publish Challenge and the group chat is already one of my favorite places on the internet. People are posting, encouraging each other, sharing what they made — and being really honest about how it feels.
That honesty is the point. So I want to talk about a few things I keep seeing come up, because if you're feeling any of these, you're not alone. You're the majority.
"I'm already behind."
A few of you haven't posted Day 2 or even Day 1 yet. One person jumped into the chat to confess they hadn't started.
Here's the thing: showing up a few days in and saying "I'm behind but I'm in" takes more guts than posting on Day 1 when the energy was high.
The challenge isn't about being on schedule. It's about building the muscle of pressing publish when you don't feel ready. If you post Day 1 on Day 3, you still posted. That counts.
"I tried something new and it didn't go well."
One member used Canva for the first time. She said it wasn't easy and she was afraid it showed. Other people immediately told her it was great — because it was.
The gap between how your content looks to you and how it looks to everyone else is massive. You see the struggle. They see someone who showed up and made something. Imperfect content that exists will always beat perfect content that doesn't.
"This feels too vulnerable."
Day 2 hit different. Multiple people said it. The prompts are asking you to share things that feel personal, and that's uncomfortable.
Vulnerability is not a sign you're doing it wrong. It's a sign you're doing it right. The posts that scare you a little before you hit publish are almost always the ones that connect the most. Your audience isn't looking for polished. They're looking for real.
"I'm having a rough day."
Some of you are fitting this challenge around full-time jobs, tough days, real life. One member said she was having a hard day at the office but the supportive messages in the group helped.
That's what this is for. The challenge isn't separate from your life — it runs alongside it. On good days, you'll post something you're proud of. On hard days, you'll post something short and honest. Both are valuable. Both count.
The pattern here:
Every one of these feelings is a version of the same thought: I'm not doing this right.
You are. The whole point of a challenge is that it's challenging. If pressing publish felt easy, you wouldn't need a group of people doing it with you.
Keep going. Keep posting. Keep being honest in the chat. That's the work.
— Thomas
