Quit Playing Small
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What does it mean to play small?
Hello, my friends. Welcome to the Ryan League podcast. I hope you're having a fantastic day. Today, I want to talk to you about something I've been noticing more and more lately. It is an epidemic of people playing small. You know what I mean? It's like there are these people with phenomenal ideas, incredible talent, and a massive amount of untapped potential. But what they do is they consistently talk themselves out of showing up. It's like they're having an endless internal meeting with themselves and always coming to the same conclusion that what's on the inside of them It's not worth sharing. It's not worth pursuing. It's not worth posting. But here's the thing. While they're busy debating themselves, someone else is out there doing it, sharing their ideas, posting their content, and taking that leap of faith.
Why? Well, because they didn't talk themselves out of it.
Why do people avoid self-promotion?
So why do people play it small? I want to break it down because, you see, I believe for some people, it's a fear of failing, which I talk about a lot. Nobody wants to risk putting themselves out there and falling flat on their face. Sometimes it's actually perfectionism. That's why people play small. You see, they think their idea isn't polished enough yet. I play it small because it's not ready. Other times, it's the fear of judgment. Yeah, that's another reason I think people play small. They have this, what will people say if I do this? What will people think of me? That's another episode, by the way. And then there's the classic assumption. Someone else could probably do it better. So why should I even try? Another one. Oh, the one that I really want to hone in on today.
Oh, the one I got to double click on today. It's the one I hear the most. Oh, I hear this over and over again. Woof.
The one I hear the most is, well, I just don't want to be self-promoting. Yeah, I just don't want to put myself out there. I don't want to be one of those people.
How can fear of judgment hold you back?
But here's what's funny. In the process of avoiding self-promotion, so many people end up becoming self-diminishing. It's like they're hiding their light under a bucket and wondering why it's dark. Let me ask you this. What would it look like if you got over it? Yeah, what would it look like if you started to believe that your voice, that your ideas, that your contributions could genuinely add value to somebody else's life? What if you believe that your life, that your dreams, that your books, that your podcast could genuinely add value to someone else's life? Let me tell you how I broke out of that cycle because I used to feel the exact same thing.
What are the consequences of self-diminishing?
I think I had three or four years not on social media because I didn't want to be self-promoting. You see, I broke out of this cycle because, well one, I started believing that I had something to share that mattered. There's something that I know. There's something I've experienced. There's something that I do that could inspire someone else to improve the quality of their life. And maybe it's a book that I've read and I could share something with somebody that could help them have a breakthrough. Maybe it's a friend of mine that I know that has a new podcast and you should start listening to it. And it could be the thing that heals somebody's marriage or perhaps it's just a perspective that could help somebody get through a tough day.
How can you overcome the fear of putting yourself out there?
I just one day woke up and started thinking, Man, you know what? What if instead of making this thing about self-promotion, what if I just woke up every day and tried to add value to somebody's life? Could I have a career? Could I have a life? Could I make all of my content about adding value to somebody else's life? That's what helped me break out of it. That's what helped me break the cycle. Let me make this personal for you. I've got this friend who has recorded, okay? This person has already recorded 20 videos for social media displaying his remarkable art. Okay, he's an artist and he's cold with it, okay? But guess what?
What value can you offer to others?
You already know what I'm going to say. You already know what I'm going to say. He has not posted a single one.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What does it mean to play small?
0:00–1:24
2
Why do people avoid self-promotion?
1:24–2:52
3
How can fear of judgment hold you back?
2:52–3:46
4
What are the consequences of self-diminishing?
3:46–4:35
5
How can you overcome the fear of putting yourself out there?
4:35–5:24
6
What value can you offer to others?
5:24–6:42
7
Why is it important to share your talents?
6:42–13:22