After high school, I joined the U.S. Navy as a Hospital Corpsman and served five years on active duty, followed by two years in the reserves. When my service ended, I returned home to Iowa and began college.
For years, I thought self-doubt meant I wasn’t ready.
I supported myself and my family while earning my Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Iowa—a journey that took seven years.
A few years later, I became a writer. One story idea stayed with me, and for the past nine years, I’ve worked to bring it to life. Today, I have a completed manuscript.
It has not been a simple path. I have not published yet, and self-doubt has often been a constant companion. With every obstacle, that doubt seemed to grow louder.
But I’m learning that self-doubt is often fear in another form—the fear of failing, being judged, or discovering that our work is not enough.
Courage is not the absence of fear. It is choosing to take action despite it.
Whether we are pursuing an education, changing careers, creating something meaningful, or beginning again, we do not need to feel completely confident before we take the next step. We simply need the willingness to keep going.
