Subconscious Reticence is a Brake on Your Full Potential
Never Be Afraid to Hang Your Art on the Wall©
Subconscious reticence, the silent brake on your full potential, can manifest in various ways. It might be the hesitation to share your ideas in a meeting, the fear of starting a new project, or the self-doubt that creeps in when you’re about to hit ‘publish’ on a blog post. It holds you back, often without you even realising it. But once you recognise it for what it is, you can start to release it and move forward, unlocking the power of your unique perspective.
Recently, I was coaching an experienced manager. She had worked in her industry for years, was well-regarded by her peers, and had a wealth of knowledge to share. Naturally, the topic of her personal brand came up.
She hesitated When I asked about posting more frequently and building her presence online.
“I should post more, but what if I don’t come across the right way?” she said. “I’m not sure anyone would find it interesting. I’m not exactly prolific when it comes to sharing.”
Her sentiment is something I’ve heard many times before. It’s not just new grads who wrestle with reticence. Even those with years of experience and valuable insights to share often hesitate to put themselves in the spotlight.
Witnessing such valuable voices being stifled by their own self-doubt is frustrating. Due to this hesitation, the world is missing millions of unique perspectives. What a loss.
Regrettably, this sentiment is all too common. I’ve encountered this kind of reticence, even in individuals with over 20 years of experience. However, it’s particularly prevalent among those just starting or venturing into new territories. Holding back is a missed opportunity. Reticence is silencing millions of valuable perspectives. What a shame.
Today, I want to discuss this hesitancy — the reluctance to put yourself out there and hang your art on the wall. I want to show you how to flip that script and use reticence as a signal to push yourself forward.
The Big Problem with Reticence
When I talk to people about why they hesitate to share their ideas, the pattern is always the same: they focus on potential adverse outcomes.
“What if I mess up?”
“What if I say something wrong?”
“What if someone criticises me publicly?”
These worries aren’t just unproductive — they’re stifling. They keep you from moving, leaving your ideas trapped inside.
But here’s the thing: reticence itself isn’t the problem. Reticence is natural. How we choose to interpret and use it makes all the difference.
Flipping the Script: Reframing Reticence
So, how do we change this? How do we overcome reticence when we’re trying something new and uncomfortable? It starts with asking a different kind of question.
Instead of “What if I look foolish?” ask yourself, “What if my perspective is exactly what someone needs to hear today?”
That simple shift can change everything. Instead of imagining worst-case scenarios, you envision the positive outcomes — the impact you could have. Your mind starts looking for ways to succeed instead of reasons to hold back.
But there’s more. Flipping the script isn’t just about succeeding or helping others. It’s also about unlocking the joy of completion. Every time you finish a creative artifact, no matter how small, you experience that deep satisfaction of bringing something into the world. Finishing — a post, a video, or a design — is a powerful reward. You don’t need others’ validation for that. The process of creating and completing is a victory in its own right.
Think about it. When you ask, “What if I succeed?” your brain shifts into a new gear. Suddenly, you’re planning for success rather than preparing for some imagined failure.
Why Holding Back Costs You More
I know what you might think: “That sounds great, but I’m still hesitant.” And that’s okay. Reticence is normal. It’s part of the process.
But here’s the reality: while you’re hesitating, opportunities are slipping away. Your unique perspective stays unshared. Your potential to influence or help others? Wasted.
That’s a much scarier outcome than any criticism you might face. The cost of not sharing, of not putting yourself out there, is more significant than anything else.
Taking the Leap: How to Start
Now, how do you take that first step?
This is where the metaphor of ‘Never be afraid to hang your art on the wall©’ comes into play. It’s about putting yourself out there, not about being perfect. Like an artist proudly displays their work, consciously develop the courage to share your ideas and perspectives. It’s about saying, “This is me. This is what I think, and I’m not afraid to share it.”
Let me give you an example. Look at this image:
You may see a blank canvas with a small black dot, and some might question, “What’s this all about?” Others might dismiss it as meaningless.
And that’s okay — because this is my art. It reflects my sense of being one entity in a vast universe. No matter how small I may seem in the grand scheme of things, my existence still matters. I’m proud to hang this on the wall, regardless of what others think.
That’s the essence of creativity. It’s not about seeking validation from everyone; it’s about sharing your perspective, knowing it’s unique and valuable. Your perspective matters and the world needs to read, see, and hear it.
Taking the Leap: How to Start
Now, let’s discuss how you can begin to release that brake — that subconscious reticence holding you back.
I know what it’s like to feel hesitant. For most of my life, I didn’t even realise that reticence was quietly restraining my potential. It wasn’t until later in life that I fully comprehended how much I had been holding back, and I made a conscious decision to change.
Since then, I’ve published over 300 articles on Medium, made videos, and trained myself to become a confident public speaker and presenter. And trust me, every step of that journey was uncomfortable at first. But I realised that the discomfort was a sign I was growing.
If I had let reticence control me, I would never have shared those 300 articles, stood before an audience to speak, or realised my full potential. Releasing that brake has been one of the most liberating decisions of my life.
That’s why I encourage you to take that first step — even if it’s small. Whether you write a post, share a video, or offer unique insight, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Just put it out there.
Leveraging AI to Hang Your Art on the Wall
The AI era of creativity offers a powerful tool to help overcome reticence. Whether you’re experimenting with AI to generate new ideas, streamline your workflow, or polish your final product, it’s an invaluable partner in the creative process.
AI can be that quiet assistant that helps you refine your work, remove the fear from the blank canvas, or suggest new directions when stuck. The beauty of AI is that it’s always ready to collaborate, offering a judgment-free space to experiment, iterate, and complete your creative endeavours. When used thoughtfully, AI can reduce the friction in the creative process, allowing you to focus more on completing and sharing your work rather than worrying about every detail being perfect.
By helping you overcome those small barriers, AI supports learning to love “hanging your art on the wall.” It’s not about AI doing the work for you but enhancing your ability to create, finish, and share. In that sense, AI becomes part of discovering your creative voice and gaining confidence in sharing it.
The Hidden Cost of Creative Reticence
Let’s explore reticence a little more deeply. Reticence is not just about missing opportunities to express your voice—it affects your entire life and career trajectory in ways you might not even recognise.
Creative reticence is like a silent force that holds you back, a brake on your full potential. It keeps you from exploring your capabilities, limits the risks you’re willing to take, and, most importantly, narrows the scope of your growth. If you spend your life suppressing your creative energy, you’re missing out on the chance to inspire others — and discover yourself.
In a career, this can manifest as stagnation. You might stick with what’s safe, never proposing bold ideas, never pushing the envelope. Without taking those creative leaps, you risk blending into the background. Your work becomes predictable, and so does your career path. I’ve seen brilliant people become stuck in roles far beneath their potential simply because they were too hesitant to let their creative voices be heard.
But here’s the thing: creativity, once unlocked, has a compounding effect. One small step toward sharing, like posting a single thought online or voicing a new idea in a meeting, can lead to more significant, bolder actions. The creative energy you release feeds back into your confidence, propelling you forward.
The Quiet Joy of Completing a Creative Endeavor
There’s another side to this: the joy of creation itself. Even the smallest creative endeavour brings with it a sense of accomplishment. It’s a feeling that’s hard to quantify, but it’s something we all crave — that satisfaction when you finish something, no matter how minor.
Whether writing an article, creating a design, or building something with your hands, finishing brings a unique sense of fulfilment. That’s because creativity is about more than just producing; it’s about completing a personal challenge, bringing something from nothing into existence. And once you’ve created, even if imperfect or small, you feel the reward of having made an impact — even if it’s just on yourself.
I’ve felt this deeply. Whenever I complete an article or a project, no matter how minor, it’s a quiet victory. I’ve pushed through the internal resistance, that subconscious reticence, and produced something tangible. That feeling of completion, of crossing the finish line, is an often overlooked but critical aspect of creativity. It’s not always about creating a masterpiece; sometimes, finishing is enough to spark the momentum for bigger things.
Creative Expression: A Career Catalyst and Personal Fulfillment
There’s also a symbiotic relationship between creativity and career success. When you open yourself to creative expression, you signal to the world that you’re willing to take risks, share your ideas, and be visible. It’s the opposite of staying in the shadows; visibility can lead to new opportunities. You become known as someone who thinks outside the box and isn’t afraid to try new things — and in today’s world, those are the people who stand out.
But beyond the career benefits, there’s an even more personal reason to push past reticence: it’s good for the soul. Completing a creative endeavour, no matter how small, gives you a sense of purpose and fulfilment. It reminds you you can produce something meaningful, an incredibly satisfying realisation.
When you hang your art on the wall — whether that art is a thought, a story, or written/spoken — you invite the world to see what you’ve created. And in doing so, you grow. You push beyond your reticence, unlock your potential, and experience the joy of creation, with the reward of enhanced self-confidence.
The Bottom Line: Your Art Matters
Reticence may hold you back, but it doesn’t have to stop you. It’s part of the journey, and often, it signals that you’re stepping into something uncomfortable, something that can lead to growth.
But here’s the key: courage isn’t the absence of reticence; it’s moving forward despite it. Every successful creator, thought leader, and entrepreneur you admire feels it. The difference is they didn’t let it stop them.
So, whether you post your first idea, write a thought piece, or hang your art on the wall, do it despite your reticence. Do it imperfectly, but do it.
Because the world needs your perspective. Someone out there is waiting to hear precisely what you have to say.
Go on, ‘never be afraid to hang your art on the wall©’. Shine a light on what you create.
About the author: Greg Twemlow, Founder of XperientialAI©.
Greg Twemlow: “Empowering future leaders and organizations by designing and delivering AI-integrated experiential learning programs that blend technology, ethics, and philosophy. Through consultancy, mentorship, innovation coaching, and thought leadership, I help CEOs, business leaders, and individuals ethically and efficiently implement AI solutions while fostering a culture of trust, integrity, and wisdom in an AI-driven world.” Contact Greg: greg@xperiential.ai
