Get Out of Your Own Way and Unlock Your Writing Potential

Are you sabotaging your own writing goals without realizing it? In this transformative episode of Anointed Scribe: Diary of a Christian Writer, Urcelia dives deep into the subtle yet powerful force of self-sabotage that keeps Christian writers from fulfilling their God-given calling.

With a practical Christian writer's guide, she'll share how you can break the chains of self-sabotage for good. Explore the hidden fears that drive procrastination, perfectionism, and self-doubt, and discover how to confront them with biblical truths and practical strategies.

Drawing on wisdom from C.S. Lewis, Charles Spurgeon, and her own writing journey, Urcelia provides profound insights and actionable steps to help you break free from limiting beliefs and step boldly into your purpose.

Whether you’re struggling to start your next writing project or wrestling with comparison and fear of failure, this episode will challenge, inspire, and equip you to write faithfully and thrive as God’s anointed scribe.

Key Takeaways: 

• The root causes of self-sabotage and how they manifest in your writing life.
• Biblical affirmations and truths to reframe your mindset.
• Practical tips for overcoming fear and taking consistent action.
• Encouragement to trust God’s timing and celebrate progress, no matter how small.

Episodes and resources mentioned in this episode:

> Episode 7

> 31 Days of Affirmations for Christian writers (Download from the Resource Library)

Don’t let fear and self-doubt hold you back any longer.

Tune in now, and remember—for such a time as this, you have been called to write boldly and faithfully for His glory!

👉 Download the free Resource Library for printable tools to support your writing journey.

👉 Listen now to uncover the secret to becoming an anointed scribe!

Transcript

Have you ever felt like you are standing in your own way?

Maybe you've sat down to write, but instead of putting words on the page, you find yourself scrolling through social media, tweaking your website, or convincing yourself that now isn't the right time to start.

Or perhaps you've begun writing, but halfway through you hit a wall. Doubt creeps in comparison, takes over, and suddenly the vision God gave you feels impossible.

As Christian writers, we often face this quiet struggle called self sabotage. It doesn't announce itself boldly, it whispers through procrastination, perfectionism and fear. It keeps us from fulfilling our calling and from writing the stories God has placed on our hearts.

But today we're going to confront it. We're going to unearth the hidden habits holding us back and replace them with truth, faith and bold action.

If you've ever felt stuck, uncertain, or sensed that you might be what's stopping you from achieving your own writing goals? This episode is for you. This is episode 10.

I'm Urcelia Teixeira, ex real estate agent turned award winning author of Christian fiction. It wasn't that long ago that I wrote my first novel on a bucket list whim, setting the course for a spiritual journey that transformed my life.

But the journey through self publishing hasn't been easy as I soon found myself obsessing over book sales rankings and getting to the top of the shelves, all the while trying to stay rooted in Christ and live out my purpose.

But God has graciously been teaching me how to navigate the spiritual pitfalls of the brutal book publishing industry, and now I'm sharing them with you. Welcome to the Anointed Scribe Podcast where each week I open my personal diary to share soul nourishing stories designed to inspire, uplift and equip you for your writing life.

If you're already a Christian author or one in the making trying to balance faith with business, you're in the right place because for such a time as this, you have been called to thrive as God's anointed scribe.

Are you ready? Let's get started.

Hey, it's your author friend Urcelia and I'm thrilled to have you back for another deep dive into the Word of God and how we as anointed writers can break the chains of self sabotage that keep us from fulfilling our heavenly purpose.

As always, it's my aim and hope to bring you back to Scripture and God's perspective on how we should run a successful author business without sacrificing our Christian beliefs and relationship with our Creator.

Fair warning though what I share in my episodes will challenge the thoughts and beliefs of being a writer according to the world's standards and practices. But I'm hoping that it will inspire and encourage you to take it to the Lord in prayer and to do your own Bible study on whatever topics I'm sharing.

Because although I'm sharing my experience and the spiritual lessons I've learned along the way in my journey as a Christian writer, your journey will be different from mine because the plan God created for you is unique to who you are as his child and what he needs you to do.

So if you've been with me from the beginning, welcome back and thank you for subscribing. It fills my heart to know you're finding this podcast helpful. So do let me know by leaving a review, please.

Or if this is the first time you're tuning in, I want to personally welcome you to the Anointed Scribe Tribe. I pray that this podcast and today's episode blesses, stretches and grows you in some way as a Christian writer and entrepreneur.

And to help you even more, I've created an entire resource library folder that's filled with tools and printables to inspire and guide you along the way.

It's entirely free, so do follow the link to get access to it in the episode and show descriptions okay, are you ready to dive deep into today's topic of self sabotage?

Yes. Great. Warm up your coffee, grab your notebook and pen, and let's confront the habits and fears that are holding us back. Because it's something I discovered I did without even realizing it at the time.

And I'm pretty sure you might have done it already too.

So what is self sabotage and why do we do it? Well, according to Dictionary.com self sabotage is the act of behaving in a way that interferes with one's own goals, well being, or relationships.

Merriam Webster says it more bluntly and defines sabotage as the act of deliberately damaging or or destroying something so that it doesn't work correctly.

And it goes on to say that it is often portrayed as an indicator of low self esteem or a subconscious psychological defense mechanism.

Now I can already sense you thinking like I did. This doesn't apply to us as writers. But just stay with me a minute because it absolutely applies to us as writers.

You see, self sabotage can look like procrastination, perfectionism, or even a fear of criticism that keeps us from hitting publish.

It's not just about what we do, it's about the underlying beliefs driving those behaviours.

We mostly refer to these having limiting beliefs. Limiting beliefs are negative, self deprecating thoughts or perceptions that can prevent you from reaching your full potential. They are likely to be false and can cause you to feel low, lose motivation, and be less productive.

So let me give you some examples that I know will resonate as it did with me when I first looked into this issue under the magnifying glass.

Examples of self sabotage for writers look like this.

Spending hours researching instead of writing.

I've absolutely done this, and this is especially prevalent among those of you who write historical fiction. I've gone down that rabbit hole a few times when I wrote my Alex Hunt archaeological thriller series, which required a lot of historical research.

So yeah, I've been there and done that.

Another example of self sabotage might be abandoning projects when they get too hard when you hit a plot point you just can't get past. Again, my hands up. How about yours?

Oh, and then there's this ugly old chestnut constantly comparing your work to others.

Did you know? This too is a form of self sabotage?

In fact, you don't even know you're sabotaging yourself when you intentionally go to another author's website or website or Facebook page to see what they doing. To spy on them, so to speak.

To suss out in quotes the competition. Because you've now somehow convinced yourself that you're there to learn from them. But here's the sad truth of it. In those few seconds or minutes you're scrolling through their posts, your brain's natural human response on a psychological level is to compare yourself to them.

It's nature. And if it's a seasoned author who has already found breakthrough in their career case, who walks away feeling like you've been done in somehow. Yep, you.

And here's another way self sabotage shows up in your waiting for the perfect time or conditions to write. When you've had a rough night of sleep and you haven't had enough sleep.

When the house is quiet, you wait for when you have the perfect view from your window. Or finally took the plunge to buy that writing software that promises to make it all easier.

Guess what? If you're waiting for those things you will never write, if this is what's holding you back now. It is entirely possible, of course, that you've never found yourself in any of these situations I just mentioned.

Perhaps self sabotage looks different for you. Perhaps you've caught yourself sitting down to write, determined to finally make progress. You even start only to get up hours later, having done everything except right or very little writing.

Or maybe you've convinced yourself it wasn't the right time in your life.

Or you've spiraled into overthinking every idea until it feels pointless.

Or you over edit and you can't move on to the next chapter.

Perhaps the words you once felt so called to write remain locked away. Not because you lack ability or drive, but because something deeper is holding you back. Well, spoiler alert, friend, all these situations are actually examples of self sabotage.

It's a subtle yet powerful force that keeps us from fulfilling the very goals we claim to want most. And as writers, we often chalk it up to writer's block or a lack of inspiration.

But if we're honest, it goes so much deeper.

Self sabotage Whispers what if I fail?

What if no one cares about what I have to say?

What if I make a fool of myself?

What if? What if? What if it convinces us to procrastinate, to dwell on past mistakes and insecurities, or to wait for one day when the stars align? None of which ever leads us to actually writing or publishing the book God asked you to write.

At its core, self sabotage is actually rooted in fear.

And while fear of failure is something we often acknowledge, there's another fear we rarely admit. The fear of success.

What madness is this, you ask? Well, CS Lewis captured this tension beautifully when he wrote this.

It is not humility to underrate yourself. Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.

A man is never so proud as when striking an attitude of humility.

What Luz is doing here is he's reminding us that shrinking back, hiding our gifts, or diminishing the calling God has placed on our lives isn't humility. It's false modesty.

True humility isn't about pretending we're less capable than we actually are. It's about using our capabilities to glorify God and serve others without seeking personal gain.

It'll make sense in a minute because I'm adding to this Charles Spurgeon's quote, who provides a deeper spiritual perspective on fear. And he writes this the fear of God is the death of every other fear.

Like a mighty lion, it chases all other fears before it. Now think about that. When our focus is on honoring God and obeying his calling. All those lesser fears, fear of failure, fear of criticism, fear of success, they're all chased away.

It's when we lose sight of this reverence and trust in God that fear begins to paralyze us, which then feeds the patterns of self sabotage.

You see, I believe it's not just our failures that scare us.

It's the weight of our own potential too.

It's the realization that God has placed within us something extraordinary, something that could change lives if we would only step into it.

But stepping into that calling feels risky, right? It demands vulnerability. It demands trust.

It means accepting that the stories we write might challenge people, that they might bring criticism, and that they might stretch us in ways we're not prepared for. And these thoughts that feed the self sabotage is so sneaky.

It's so deeply rooted in your subconscious that you don't even realize it until you take time out and you think about what it is that's stopping you. In that moment, I'm reminded of a conversation I had with my husband some time back, who as it happens, of course is my number one fan.

We were talking about my books and he commented how he believe how he believed they'd be turned into blockbuster TV series like the books written by Harlan Coben, for example, who incidentally is one of my biggest writing inspirations of this declaration of his.

Well, this declaration that he made made me smile because seeing my stories play out on the big screen would of course be awes.

But my husband then goes on to say how I should prepare myself for TV appearances and interviews and probably also walking the red carpet.

Now, as far fetched as that statement might sound, and I did laugh in the heavenly realm, this is entirely possible if it is God's will for me, right?

But what happened next is what's really relevant to our conversation today because, and it caught me off guard. How I responded to my husband's admiration and belief in my writing abilities and work is what really hit home much later on when God shone the spotlight on this issue in my life.

You see, in that moment I laughed it off and honestly rejected the idea to the point where I was almost annoyed by it. Because what I didn't realize at a conscious level was that I went into full self sabotage mode that came directly from a place of insecurity and fear.

It was a knee jerk reaction I didn't want to share in my husband's vision and confidence in my work. It's not that I didn't believe in my books and my writing.

That part was easy to accept because God wrote them through me. But the part where my husband told me about the television appearances and interviews that might come my way, that's the part that made me instantly reject this dream.

Because I've never had the confidence to speak publicly or step into any kind of limelight. The mere thought of being interviewed about my book Netflix series makes my heart skip and my palms sweat.

It still does, to be honest, because I'm still being transformed in this area. I'm still growing.

You know what else?

My mind instantly went into comparison mode too.

In split seconds, I compared myself with big authors like Harlan Coben and William P. Young, who wrote the Shack. And I saw myself fumbling and falling over my words, making an absolute fool of myself on international television.

Not because I didn't also want this dream, but because I was scared that if it did happen one day, if I did pray for it and asked for it and it happened, I wasn't good enough.

That I was too flawed.

Never once did I stop to think how having a TV series would place the biblical messages God's having me write directly in the lounges of thousands of people who needed to hear God's truth.

You see, for Christian writers, this fear often masquerades as humility.

We tell ourselves that staying small is noble, that not putting ourselves out there is a form of modesty.

But get this.

Holding back doesn't honour God.

It limits his ability to use us and the good works he has prepared for us to do.

Imagine for a moment if Moses had refused to lead because he thought he wasn't good enough. Or if Esther had remained silent, fearful of what might have happened.

Their willingness to step forward wasn't about self promotion.

It was about obedience to God. It was about their faithfulness toward the task God needed them to do.

So let me ask you this.

Who are you not to write?

Who are you not to let the glory of God shine through your words?

Shrinking back doesn't serve anyone. Not your readers, not yourself, and certainly not God.

When we stop and reflect on this, we see that self sabotage is more than just a bad habit. It's a mindset that needs to be renewed by the word of God.

Psalm 35:7 tells us that the Lord delights in the prosperity of his servant.

You see, God isn't asking you to write flawlessly.

He's asking you to write faithfully. And when you step into that obedience, he multiplies your efforts in ways you can't even imagine.

But how do we get there? How do we move from a place of fear and self doubt to one of confidence and action?

The first step is recognizing the patterns, recognizing those behaviours that are rooted in fear and stopping you from doing the work God needs you to do.

Are you constantly putting off writing, waiting for the perfect idea or moment?

Are you abandoning projects halfway through because they get hard?

These behaviors aren't just random, they're signs of self sabotage and they need to be confronted with prayer and with the Word of God.

One way to combat this is by reframing your thoughts with affirmations rooted in Scripture.

Start speaking God's truth over yourself.

I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I have been called to create. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

These aren't empty words, they are powerful declarations that align your mind with God's promise promises.

In fact, I believe in this practice so much that I created an entire episode around it. So if you want deeper insight into using Biblical affirmations in your writing business, then go find episode 7 and then print out the 31 Days of Affirmations for Writers PDF I created to go along with it, which is in the resource library.

I'll add a link to both of these in the show notes for you to make it easy.

So then once you've aligned your mind with God's promises, you have to take action, right?

As the Bible teaches us in James 2:26, faith without works is dead. So do go ahead and take small, consistent actions, writing even when you don't feel like it. Celebrate the small victories.

A finished chapter, a brainstorming session, even a single paragraph.

These small steps build momentum. And as Psalm 127:2 reminds us, God gives to his beloved even as they rest.

Finally, learn to leave room for grace. We don't do that at all. We just go, go, go. Life will inevitably throw curveballs. Deadlines might get delayed or unexpected challenges might arise.

That's life. But instead of letting those moments derail you, trust that God's timing is perfect, as Jeremiah 29:11 reassures us of this.

For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.

And as you walk this journey, don't forget to celebrate how far you've come. We often focus so much on what's ahead that we forget to thank God for the progress we've already made.

Each step forward, no matter how small, is evidence of his faithfulness.

Let me leave you with this.

Your words, your stories, and your unique perspective are needed now more than ever.

But they won't reach the people who need them. If you allow fear to hold you back.

If you give into self sabotage, you sabotage God. And I know that is not what's in your heart.

Remember, we often overestimate what we can do in a single day, but we underestimate what God can do through us in a lifetime of faithfulness.

Keep showing up, keep writing, and trust that God will use your words in ways that far exceed your imagination.

And you know what?

If one day I do end up on a red carpet or get that TV interview, I can be absolutely certain that God would have already prepared me for that exact moment.

So, dear friend, the world needs your light. Don't hide it. And don't hide behind it either.

Write boldly, write faithfully, and let God do the rest. Because for such a time as this, you have been called to thrive as God's anointed scribe.

I'll see you next time.

Thanks for listening to today's episode of the Anointed Scribe Podcast. I hope you're leaving feeling inspired, encouraged, and on fire to step boldly into your calling as a writer chosen and set apart to fulfill a unique purpose in God's plan.

If you found value and liked today's episode, would you stop right now and share this episode with someone else who's struggling to balance their faith with building their author career?

I'd also really love it if you take 30 seconds and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. This is the only way that I know you're actually liking the show. Plus, it lights me up to hear from you.

And if you want more of the lessons I learned in my personal journey, good news because I drop new episodes every Friday.

So go ahead and subscribe or follow this show so you don't miss the next one. Then head on over to anointed scribe.com for today's show notes and free access to my entire resource library to keep you rooted and on course.

There's also a link where you can shoot me a message or ask a question, or if there's a specific topic you'd like me to talk about in a future episode, you can use the message link for that too.

I look forward to our next episode together. And remember, for such a time as this, you have been called to thrive as God's anointed scribe. I'll see you next time.