If you’re a creator struggling to make consistent income, it’s likely not because you lack skill, knowledge, or resources. The real blockers? Mindset traps. In this article, I’ll share five major mindset pitfalls that hold creators back financially—and exactly how I’ve navigated and overcome them over the years.
These aren’t just theories; these are lessons I’ve learned the hard way, tested through launching dozens of digital products and offers. Whether you’re just starting out or feeling stuck, this breakdown will help you identify what’s keeping you broke and how to break free.
1. Fear of Judgment: The Hidden Enemy
Hands down, the biggest obstacle for most creators isn’t fear of failure, lack of confidence, or even money—it’s the fear of judgment. This fear silently paralyzes more people than any other.
You might think you don’t have a valuable skill set, but here’s the truth: your experiences, your wisdom, your unique perspective are magic. They can save someone time, money, stress, embarrassment, and more. If you’re over 18, you have life experiences that others would love to learn from.
Don’t underestimate the value of what comes naturally to you now. For example, recording videos might feel easy to me because I’ve done thousands over the years. But for millions of people, it’s a huge challenge—and they want to learn.
Positive self-talk is key. Remind yourself daily that what you bring to the table is valuable and needed. If you want to dive deeper into overcoming fear of judgment, check out my previous video where I unpack this topic extensively.
2. Fear of Failure: Embrace the Numbers Game
Fear of failure is real, but it’s often just a mask for fear of judgment. Let me share some real talk from my journey:
- Since July 1st last year, I’ve launched about 10–12 offers.
- Only 4 of those sold 500+ units; the others didn’t perform as I expected.
Here’s the mindset shift: I don’t get emotionally attached to every offer. If one fails, I own it, learn from it, and move on. It’s not the market’s fault—it’s my responsibility to figure out what works.
There’s a lady I followed on Instagram who launches a new offer every 2-3 weeks. Most of them didn’t work out, but she kept hustling. And eventually, one offer hit six figures in less than two months. That’s perseverance.
Failure is just feedback. Look at it as a chance to tweak, improve, and keep moving forward. Remember the baseball analogy: Hall of Famers hit successfully only about 30% of the time. They fail more than they succeed. The best just keep swinging.
For example, my product Threads Unleashed sold $5,900 in its first week. When I launched Threads Unleashed 2 four months later, I made $5,400 on day one—because I learned, built trust with my audience, and hyped it up longer.
Launching offers is a numbers game. Don’t expect a home run on your first try—or your fifth. Keep launching, learning, and improving.
3. Self-Doubt: Managing It, Not Eliminating It
Years ago, I tried to write a book called Smashing Self-Doubt. I reached out to 80+ successful people asking one question: How do you smash self-doubt? I got about 20 responses, and the answers surprised me.
The truth is, even the most successful people—like financial guru Dave Ramsey and bestselling author John Acuff—still battle self-doubt daily. They don’t get rid of it; they get better at managing it.
This was a game-changer for me. Instead of fighting self-doubt like an enemy, I learned to accept it as part of the journey and focus on better managing it. That clarity gave me confidence.
4. Impostor Syndrome: Just Teach the Person Behind You
Impostor syndrome is incredibly common—even stars like Tom Hanks, Ryan Reynolds, Lady Gaga, and Serena Williams admit to it. Roughly 70-75% of people deal with it at some point.
Here’s a simple mindset hack I learned from John Douza:
“Just act like a third grader teaching a second grader.”
Meaning: you don’t have to be the absolute best or know everything. You only need to be one step ahead of the person you’re teaching. That’s enough to provide value and build confidence.
5. Lack of Confidence: Keep the Promises You Make to Yourself
Entrepreneurship is a confidence game. Many creators get stuck buying course after course or consuming endless content, but what they really need is to boost their confidence.
One of the best confidence hacks comes from Ed Mylet: “The fastest way to boost self-confidence is to keep the promises you make to yourself.”
Here’s what I mean:
- I’ve walked 10,000 steps every day since April 9th, 2024, only missing four days by accident.
- I do 100 push-ups every single day since May 1st last year, never missing a day.
- Even when I didn’t feel like going to church, I told myself I would—and I went.
These aren’t about big achievements. They’re about showing up for yourself and building trust internally. Start small—maybe it’s making your bed every morning or choosing a healthy snack. The key is consistency and keeping your word to yourself.
Wrapping It Up
These five mindset traps—fear of judgment, fear of failure, self-doubt, impostor syndrome, and lack of confidence—are the silent killers of creator success. If you can start to recognize them and implement the mindset shifts I shared, you’ll be miles ahead of most creators out there.
Remember, you have magic in your experiences and wisdom that others need. Failure isn’t the end; it’s feedback. Self-doubt and impostor syndrome don’t disappear—they just become manageable. And confidence? It grows when you keep the promises you make to yourself.
If you have questions or want to dive deeper into earning a living by selling digital products, drop a comment below or check out my daily videos for more real, raw, ramble-style content.
Keep pushing. You got this.
— Adam Dukes
PS: If you want to join thousands of creators getting daily tips, grab my free 1-page Passive Income Cheatsheet at adamdukes.com/newsletter. Let’s build your creator journey together.
