They haven’t heard you before

Lately, I’ve been afraid.

Afraid of writing a book no one wants to read.

Afraid it won’t be good enough.

Afraid it’s too late.

Afraid the moment has passed and I missed it.

And then yesterday, the worst thing happened.

I discovered a TV show that reads a lot like the book that’s been whispering to me for years.

Close enough that I nearly threw in the towel.

Because if the story already exists out there – if someone else has already done it – what’s the point?

I spiraled.

I questioned everything.
I did the thing writers do when doubt gets hold.

And then I remembered a sticky note I made last year.

A man asked me to speak to his group about storytelling.
I hesitated.

I said, Your audience is full of professional speakers. They’ve been telling stories and getting paid for it forever. Why would they want to hear from me? Haven’t they heard it all already?

He didn’t miss a beat.

“They haven’t heard Cat before.”

That was it.

That one sentence pulled me back from the edge.

And I wrote it down as a reminder. 

Because the truth is:
There will always be similar stories.
Similar themes.
Similar ideas circulating in the world.

But there has only ever been one you.

Your voice.
Your lens.
Your way of seeing, naming, and shaping experience.

That’s the part no one else can replicate.

And it’s also the part we’re most afraid to trust.

So I’m staying with this book.
Not because it’s guaranteed to succeed.
But because it keeps asking me to write it.

So I’ll ask you what I’ve been asking myself:

What are you afraid of right now?

Afraid you’re too late?
Afraid someone else already said it better?
Afraid it won’t land?
Afraid it will?

Here’s what I’ve learned, both as a writer and as someone who helps others shape their stories for books, brands, and platforms:

People don’t connect to ideas.
They connect to authors.

They don’t follow stories.
They follow the person telling them.

And whether that story becomes a book, a talk, or the narrative that carries your business forward – the work doesn’t begin when the fear goes away.

It begins when you decide your voice belongs in the room anyway.

Let’s story together,
Cat

PS: If you’re sitting with a story you can’t shake – a book, a brand narrative, or a body of work you know matters – but fear has you circling instead of moving forward, this is the work I do.

I help people turn raw ideas into the kinds of stories that anchor books, shape brands, and open doors. If you’re ready to invest in that clarity, you can learn more about working together here → https://catmargulis.com/coaching

(And if not now, keep listening. Your story will let you know when it’s time.)