My Childhood Demons Returned

Just days before filming with a top entrepreneur

Read time: 4 minutes

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The Ghosts Of My Past

5 days.

That’s all I had before one of the most pivotal moments of my entrepreneurial journey.  

A full week of content shooting with a powerhouse figure in the creator economy.

Someone who was flying to Manchester from Dubai to help me take my personal brand to the next level.

Finally, after 10 months of endless hustle, pouring all my money into this newsletter, I was on the brink of a breakthrough.

Then it happened – BOOM. Out of nowhere my eczema flared up all over my face and neck like a wildfire.

Just days before I was meant to get in front of the camera.

Suddenly, I wasn’t the entrepreneur standing on the precipice of greatness.

I was that scared kid again, sitting alone in the school cafe, hearing the taunts, the whispers, the laughter.

“Krusty the Clown” they used to call me. I’ll never forget that childhood nickname.

It’s wild how the mind doesn’t forget the pain, how it can drag you back into the pit of insecurity faster than you can blink.

The voice of the victim started screaming at me.

Maybe I should reschedule the shoot.
Maybe they’ll think less of me when they see my skin like this.
Maybe I should just hide for a little while until it gets better.
Maybe I should wait.

But here’s the thing my friend…

Goliaths don’t wait. They fight.

The Silent Saboteur: Battling Imposter Syndrome

Being bullied for something you can’t hide or change does something to you.

It burns itself into your psyche, and no matter how strong you become, that old wound never fully heals.

The problem is… That voice isn’t just insecurity. It’s imposter syndrome. And it knows exactly when to strike.

Even when you know you’ve poured absolutely everything into getting where you are, it has this way of making you feel like a fraud.

Like at any moment, someone’s going to pull back the curtain and expose you.

It convinces you that you need to hide your imperfections.

It tricks you into thinking that the things that make you YOU, are somehow the very things that disqualify you.

And the more you give in to it, the more it takes from you.

It doesn’t stop at your confidence.

It takes:

• Your opportunities

• Your momentum

• Your drive

It’s like a parasite that grows stronger the more you feed it with your doubts.

That’s the real battle. Not the one against the outside world, but the one inside your own head.

Every time I’ve been knocked down, I’ve learned one thing: the only difference between the Davids and the Goliaths is who chooses to get back up and keep swinging.

Because in the end, the only person who gets to decide whether you belong in the arena is you.

And trust me, that’s a choice you have to make over and over again.

Why Your True Self Is Your Greatest Asset

The most powerful weapon you have in life and business is your personal brand.

But not the version of you that’s carefully curated and airbrushed.

Not the version that’s filtered through the lens of perfection.

The real you. The one with scars, flaws, and all the raw experiences that have shaped you into who you are.

That’s where your power lies.

I’ve said this time and time again. The only thing worse than imperfection is inaction.

The world doesn’t reward those who sit on the sidelines, obsessing over their flaws, waiting for the stars to align.

If I had waited for my skin to clear up, for my confidence to be at 100%, for everything to feel just right, I’d still be stuck where I was years ago.

Hiding.

Perfection is intimidating. It creates distance.

But when you show up real and vulnerable, people connect with you.

They see themselves in you.

Your personal brand is your biggest asset.

It’s your reputation, your story, your unique voice in the world.

If you can show up as your true self, with all your imperfections, you’ll build something that no one can take away from you: trust.

Trust is the currency of today’s world.

When people trust you, they believe in you. And once they believe in you, they don’t just follow you – they become part of your journey.

If you’re waiting for the perfect time to build your personal brand: Stop.

There is no perfect time. There’s only now.

When every insecurity is telling you to wait, to hide – that’s exactly when you need to step into the arena.

Show up. Be real. Be vulnerable.

Because when you do, you’ll find that your flaws aren’t something to hide – they’re what make you unstoppable.

Every time I’ve pushed through the fear, every time I’ve stood in my discomfort, doors opened that I didn’t even know existed.

Pick Up Your Stone

Now you have a choice to make.

Do you show up, embrace the discomfort, and lean into your authenticity, even when it’s terrifying?

Do you let people see the real you, even when it feels like you’re not ready?

Or do you keep waiting? Waiting for the “perfect” time, the perfect skin, the perfect moment that never comes?

Action leads to opportunity. Waiting, hiding, and playing small leads to nothing but regret.

So here’s my advice:

1. Identify your flare-up. What’s the insecurity, fear, or self-doubt that’s been holding you back? What’s the thing you’ve been telling yourself you need to “fix” before you can take action?

2. Decide to show up anyway. No more waiting, no more hiding. Choose to show up, not in spite of your flaws but because of them.

3. Take action—today. Not perfect action. Messy action. Scared action. Action that makes you uncomfortable. Because that’s the action that will change everything.

David didn’t wait until he felt ready to face the mighty Goliath. He picked up his pebbles and walked straight into battle.

Backed by the power of self-belief.

And?

He emerged victorious.

So what are you waiting for? What’s your excuse?

Pick up your stone. Show up. Fight.

Because when you do, you’ll realize that the only thing that’s been holding you back this whole time…

is you, David.

Now join me and let’s dare to be great.

Yours truly,

-Nigel Thomas