You may generally think about being vulnerable as how you might feel when we are sharing our deepest thoughts and feelings with a friend or when sharing a creative expression in a painting, music or dance.
Could academics also feel vulnerable about sharing their research? What I’ve noticed for my clients is that there may be a part of them that feels vulnerable when they are sharing their ideas and results and not even realize it. And, if you are avoiding your writing, it’s definitely possible that it’s making you feel vulnerable.
In writing about and sharing your research, you are revealing your life’s work and inviting critique. It completely makes sense that it makes you feel vulnerable and that it might be uncomfortable and lead to doing anything but writing. And, you’ve got lots to do, right?
It also makes sense from an evolutionary perspective that we would want to avoid being vulnerable or feeling vulnerable. If we were left alone in the woods to survive, we would feel vulnerable and all of our survival instincts would kick in.
Maybe it feels like writing shouldn’t make you feel vulnerable because you are not sharing your life story here, it’s just methodical, logical, analytical research… but the truth is, your research is a piece of who you ARE. That data IS in part a piece of your heart and your mind, your thoughts and your feelings, that are on the pages.
What could be more vulnerable than sharing your ideas and results about something that YOU discovered that you are hoping could be meaningful and create change in the world?
If reading this has made you wonder about how avoiding vulnerability may be affecting your actions and outcomes, I invite you to connect with me at support@melissaeanders.com for a complimentary Discovery Call.
Melissa E Anders 