Why Your Content Feels So Damn Cringy

Every time I hit publish, I cringe a little.

You know that feeling. You've spent time crafting a post, maybe even felt good about it while writing. Then you share it with the world and immediately think, "God, that could have been so much better."

Welcome to the club. Population: every content creator who's ever existed.

Here's what nobody tells you about that cringy feeling. It's not a sign you should stop creating. It's proof you're growing.

The Taste-Skill Gap Is Real

Radio host Ira Glass nailed this phenomenon perfectly. He talked about how creative people get into their field because they have good taste. But there's a gap between what you can recognize as quality and what you can currently produce.

Your refined taste outpaces your current ability.

That's the cringe you're feeling. You can spot great content when you see it. You consume it daily. But when you create your own, it doesn't match that standard yet.

This creates a weird psychological tension. The very thing that drew you to content creation becomes the thing that makes you doubt your work.

You're Not Alone in This

Research shows that 70% of people experience impostor syndrome at some point. For content creators, that number feels even higher.

Every post becomes a potential source of stress. Will it get enough likes? Will people think it's valuable? Content creators experience stress mainly based on the engagement they receive.

But here's the thing that successful creators understand: that discomfort is part of the process.

The Gap Is Where Growth Happens

That tension between what you want to create and what you can create right now? That's not a bug. That's a feature.

The gap is what makes you stretch. It's the space where you learn.

Think about it like powerlifting. You don't get stronger by lifting weights that feel comfortable. You get stronger by pushing against resistance that challenges you.

Content creation works the same way.

Volume Beats Perfection

Glass had more wisdom about closing that gap. The solution isn't to wait until you feel ready. The solution is to do a huge volume of work.

You close the gap by creating more, not by creating less.

Every piece of content you publish is practice. Every post that makes you cringe a little is teaching you something about what you want to improve next time.

The creators who succeed aren't the ones who never feel cringy about their work. They're the ones who feel cringy and publish anyway.

Reframe the Cringe

Next time you feel that familiar pang of "this could be better," try this reframe:

That feeling means your taste is working. You can recognize quality, and you're holding yourself to a high standard. That's actually a good thing.

The cringe isn't telling you to stop. It's telling you to keep going.

Your Content Doesn't Have to Be Perfect

I work with small business owners who are paralyzed by this exact feeling. They know they need to create content, but they're so worried about it being perfect that they barely post at all.

Here's what I tell them: your audience doesn't need perfection. They need authenticity and value.

That slightly imperfect post that makes you cringe? It might be exactly what someone needs to hear today.

The Path Forward

Stop waiting for the cringe to go away. It won't. Even successful creators with millions of followers still feel it sometimes.

The difference is they've learned to create despite it.

Your taste will always be a little ahead of your current skill level. That's what keeps you growing. That's what keeps you getting better.

So publish the post. Share the content. Feel the cringe and do it anyway.

Because on the other side of that discomfort is the creator you're becoming.