Curious to discover the underestimated power of creativity? Want to understand how art, often dismissed as frivolous, actually serves as a critical pillar of self-development and societal benefit? Intrigued by the idea of creativity as a form of self-care, akin to exercise or meditation? Dive in to explore how your art, be it writing, painting, or music, has profound value and has the potential to transform not just your life, but the world.

We Need Your Art: Stop Messing Around and Make Something

Art isn't frivolous; it's profoundly valuable. Whether you're writing, painting, or making music, your creative work is both good for you and beneficial for society.

Our culture often diminishes the importance of creativity, suggesting it's something to outgrow. This narrative keeps many artists feeling ashamed and unfulfilled. Consider Jenny, who plays tennis for fun and fitness, and Esha, who writes because it brings her joy and purpose. Society questions Esha's commitment, asking if she's published or famous, while Jenny's hobby is never scrutinized. This cultural bias undervalues the immense opportunity for self-development that art offers.

Economically, artists aren't valued by traditional metrics like GDP, which fails to account for the joy and meaning art brings to the world. Despite contributing billions to the economy, artists often struggle financially. Corporations often capture the value artists create, leaving them underpaid and undervalued. Yet, art's true worth isn't in dollars; it’s in the joy, healing, and connection it fosters.

Creativity is a powerful form of self-care and self-fulfillment, akin to exercise or meditation. Through art, you confront yourself, your mind, and your ego, transforming inner experiences into tangible creations. Creativity is the missing pillar in self-development, offering momentum, power, and agency.

Even if you're not a famous artist, your creativity is vital. Society often misunderstands the importance of art, viewing it as a mere professional exercise rather than a profound personal practice. This misunderstanding can lead to creative shame and pressure to monetize your art. Ironically, even successful artists face skepticism about the legitimacy of their work.

Art has physiological and neurological impacts, changing your brain and body for the better. Studies show that creating art can lower stress hormones, improve life satisfaction, and even treat PTSD. Art also enhances community health, fostering connection and healing within groups.

In creative communities, art thrives and transforms spaces. It fosters connection and meaning, enriching lives and knitting communities together. Art isn't just entertainment; it's a powerful tool for personal and communal health.

Your creative work has immense value. It's time to take art seriously, recognizing its importance and generosity. Creativity is needed, responsible, and good. So, embrace your artistic calling, create boldly, and understand the profound impact your art can have on yourself and the world.

Can Creativity Be the Key to Personal and Societal Transformation?

Art is vital, and you are the artist we need. It's time to embrace your creative identity and understand that you don't need external validation to begin. Often, we wait for permission to create, which is ingrained in our culture. From childhood, we've sought approval—whether from parents, teachers, or bosses. But to truly thrive as an artist, you must pick yourself. You must coronate yourself.

Think about all the ways you're waiting for permission: delaying your big project until you're more experienced, waiting for industry contacts, holding off until your children are grown. These forms of self-sabotage stem from a fear of vulnerability and the courage needed to create. By choosing yourself, you reclaim your power and validate your own work.

Choosing yourself daily is essential. Even artists with traditional success often feel blocked or unfulfilled if they haven't validated themselves. Your worth shouldn't depend on others' approval. Instead, cultivate the bravery to champion your art.

To coronate yourself, simply start creating. Make art without waiting for ideal conditions. Set small, achievable goals—like writing 100 words a day or painting for 15 minutes. These tiny steps build your identity as an artist and protect you from burnout.

Adopt constraints to limit perfectionism and reduce fear of the blank page. Pick a regular time to create and set up your space efficiently. Show up every day for two weeks, focusing on small, consistent progress. Don't worry about producing great art immediately. Embrace bad art as part of the journey.

If you fail, treat yourself with compassion. Failure is normal and expected. Prepare an encouraging message for when you miss a day. At the end of two weeks, celebrate your progress and continue with small goals. This approach builds a foundation for a creatively abundant life.

Remember, art doesn't need to be daunting. It's human, messy, and imperfect—exactly as it should be. Your creative journey can be filled with ease and joy, grounded in small, divine promises. You are an artist, and the world needs your art.

Coronate Yourself: Embracing Your Inner Artist Without Waiting for Permission

When artists experience creative blocks, they often feel inadequate and consider quitting. However, resistance indicates growth and change. Steven Pressfield teaches that resistance invites creative evolution. Creating art exposes oneself, much like journaling, confronting ego, thoughts, and past experiences. Creativity is self-discovery, revealing both darkness and light, demanding expression of potential despite discomfort.

Navigating creative blocks like procrastination, perfectionism, jealousy, comparison, and burnout is essential. These challenges are not the end; they teach us about ourselves. Procrastination, for example, is ancient, not a modern issue. Victor Hugo wrote naked to avoid distraction. Social media is today's distraction, but intrinsic motivation can counteract this. Understanding procrastination is more fruitful than eliminating distractions.

Witnessing and interpreting procrastination involves asking, "What am I running from?" This understanding helps care for oneself without guilt or shame. Research shows mild procrastinators are often more creative, but chronic procrastination can be destructive. Rebuilding trust in oneself through small, consistent actions is crucial.

Perfectionism, another block, masquerades as a virtue but hinders creativity. Perfectionism leads to procrastination, lower-quality art, and unhappy artists. It prevents starting, finishing, or sharing art and impacts one's relationship with oneself. Embracing imperfection and making "shitty art" can help overcome perfectionism. Experimentation and mess are necessary for finding unique magic.

Jealousy and comparison are common among artists. Jealousy can guide desires, while comparison often distracts and disorients. Cultivating a growth mindset can use comparison to improve. Embracing one's unique creative process and avoiding comparisons with others’ routines is vital.

Burnout is a significant issue for creatives, caused by excessive stress and societal pressures. Artists must carve out space and time for art, face themselves, and avoid treating creativity like a corporate job. Recognizing that art is tiring and adopting practices like bare maximums and finding one's holy pace can prevent burnout. Embracing ease and joy in creativity is essential.

Recovering from burnout involves rest, play, and small, delightful actions. Understanding warning signs and what drains or refuels energy helps maintain a sustainable creative practice. Despite challenges, artists deserve compassion, ease, and joy in their creative journey.

Can Steven Pressfield's Wisdom Unlock Your Creative Potential?

We've explored creativity, embraced our inner artist, and confronted resistance. Now, it's time for the fun part: developing and enhancing your creative practice, your legacy, and your voice. Regardless of your medium—singing, sewing, designing games, or puppetry—your voice is unique, and it needs to be heard. 

Finding your voice isn't about being wildly innovative; it’s about being vulnerable and true to yourself. Brené Brown describes vulnerability as emotional exposure—art that reveals your worldview, emotions, pain, joy, relationships, culture, heritage, fears, desires, trauma, and love. Innovation is less critical than authenticity and personal truth. Your unique perspective, filtered through your experiences, is what makes your art special.

Consider influence and inspiration from others without falling into plagiarism. Austin Kleon’s "Steal Like an Artist" suggests we are apprentices to our artistic ancestors, learning and evolving from their craft. Embrace influences like Terry Pratchett's humor or Tolkien's epic storytelling, using them to inform and refine your voice.

Avoid self-censorship and people-pleasing. This dilutes your art, making it bland and universally mediocre. Instead, balance your audience's preferences with your creative vision, creating art that connects deeply. Be mindful of your tendency to accommodate others at the expense of your own expression. 

Fear of embarrassment, or being "cringe," often stifles creativity. Embrace the discomfort of trying new things and being seen. Remember, no one cares as much as you think. Your art should provoke thought and discomfort, leading to meaningful conversations and connections.

Navigating the digital landscape, share your art with intention, acknowledging the impossibility of perfection and embracing misinterpretation. Establish boundaries to protect yourself from online negativity. The internet offers unprecedented opportunities for artists; don't let fear of backlash hold you back.

Create without censorship and embrace your true, messy, and human self. Your vulnerability and authenticity will inspire others and change the world. Dare to make art that is true to you.

Unleash Your Authentic Artistic Voice: Insights from Brené Brown and Austin Kleon

Let's talk about finishing your art. We often get stuck at the final stage, abandoning projects when they're almost complete. This happens for various reasons: perfectionism, fear of ruining the work, boredom, or the allure of new projects. 

Perfectionism is a major culprit. Declaring a project finished means confronting your inner critic and accepting imperfections. Remember, your high standards often paralyze rather than protect you. Embrace the vulnerability of saying “enough” and recognize that perfection is impossible in art.

Fear of ruining your work can also hold you back. The final steps in many artistic processes are risky, but it's better to complete the project than leave it unfinished. Mistakes are part of the journey; be brave and finish your work.

Boredom is another hurdle. Art isn’t always fun; sometimes it’s tedious. Learn to push through the apathy and rely on habits built during inspired times. Keep going, the spark will return.

Shiny new object syndrome leads to starting new projects rather than finishing current ones. Understand your triggers and ask yourself what you're trying to avoid. Recognizing these patterns helps you stay focused.

Some artists endlessly tinker, never declaring a project done. Hank Green’s 80 percent rule suggests stopping at 80 percent completion. Beyond this point, you risk overworking your project. Learn to recognize when it's time to let go.

Permission to give up at the final stages can be liberating. Channel laziness into the last 20 percent of your creative process. It’s okay to half-arse the end, allowing you to finish with relief rather than tension.

Even if you hate your work, finish it. You're too close to judge its quality objectively. Completing projects is a skill that needs practice, regardless of whether you think the work is good or not.

Feedback can help you finish. Seek fresh eyes and constructive criticism, but be selective. Too much or the wrong type of feedback can derail your progress.

Finishing projects is vital for your creative journey. It’s a rebellion against perfectionism and an act of self-coronation. If you struggle to finish, start with smaller projects to build the habit.

Sometimes, quitting is necessary. Recognize when a project isn’t working, especially if it’s someone else's vision or if it’s been stuck for years. Quitting can be brave and make way for more art.

Embrace failure. It’s part of the creative process and a tool for growth. Failure teaches you to iterate, rethink, and push against the status quo. It offers more chances to roll the dice for success.

Failure won’t stop you; it’s a launching pad for future success. Processing failure healthily involves feeling the pain, seeking support, and continuing to create. Transform failure into curiosity and more art.

Silence, another form of failure, can be disheartening. Validate your work first, then share it. Keep creating despite the lack of external response. Your brilliance must be acknowledged by you first.

Handling failure makes you unstoppable. Process it, learn from it, and keep creating. Failure fosters growth and resilience, ensuring a long and abundant creative career.

Are You Letting Perfectionism Sabotage Your Art Like Hank Green Suggests?

We've covered failure, but now it's time for the exciting topic of success. Surprisingly, many creatives fear success more than failure. It's crucial to prepare for your inevitable success. Artists often rehearse trauma and worst-case scenarios, but barely spend time preparing for success. This conditioning leads to surprises when success finally arrives, often resulting in shame and impostor syndrome.

Defining success on your terms is essential. Success doesn’t always mean fame and money; it might be different for you. Reclaim the power taken from you as an artist and choose your own definition of success. This choice empowers you and places you back on your creative throne.

Delusions often get a bad rap, but having unrealistic dreams is vital for artists. You’re not meant to be practical; your job is to make the unrealistic realistic. Don’t rein yourself in out of fear or unworthiness; aim high and be exceptional.

Common fears of success include triggering others, corrupting your art, overexposure, and fearing your own potential. Success can evoke jealousy or ostracism, but you’re not responsible for others’ reactions. Success doesn’t corrupt your art; it enhances it. Set boundaries to protect your creativity. Overexposure can be managed by dictating how you want to be perceived. Fear of potential means facing limiting beliefs and embracing profound change.

Patience is a tough but necessary virtue for creatives. It takes time to get good at art and to accept your journey. Consistency pays off, and insecurity festers without patience. Embrace being a beginner, tolerate frustration, and understand that sucking at something is the first step to improvement.

Celebrate your milestones. Actors often celebrate collectively, but solitary creatives need to create their own celebrations. Don’t wait for external validation; choose to celebrate yourself. Celebrations can be small or big, personal and novel. Ask for support and gather with other creatives to celebrate together.

In essence, your creative journey is endless and vital. You are important, your art is important, and the world needs your creativity. Embrace your voice, your failures, your successes, and celebrate them all. Your art is your legacy, and there is no greater gift to the world.

Empower Your Creative Success: Embrace, Celebrate, and Thrive

Understanding creativity is essential for both personal fulfillment and societal benefit. Despite the cultural narrative that often diminishes the importance of art, it remains profoundly valuable. 

Creativity fosters self-development, joy, healing, and connection, both individually and within communities. However, artists often face economic undervaluation and societal pressures, which can lead to creative shame and the struggle to monetize their work.

Creativity acts as a powerful form of self-care and self-discovery, similar to exercise or meditation. Navigating creative blocks like procrastination, perfectionism, jealousy, comparison, and burnout is crucial. Resistance can indicate growth, and embracing imperfection and vulnerability in art is vital. Artists need to create consistently, celebrate small victories, and understand that art is human and imperfect.

Finding your voice involves being true to yourself and embracing your unique perspective. Avoid self-censorship and people-pleasing, and share your art with intention despite fear of backlash. Finishing your projects is important, even if you face perfectionism, boredom, or fear. Feedback can be beneficial but needs to be selective.

Failure is part of the creative process and offers growth and resilience. Handling failure healthily involves learning from it and continuing to create. Success, surprisingly, can evoke fears and impostor syndrome. Defining success on your own terms is crucial, and embracing patience and consistency is necessary for a long creative journey.

Celebrate your milestones and recognize the importance of your art. Your creative journey is endless, and your art is your legacy. The world needs your creativity, so embrace your voice, failures, successes, and celebrate them all.

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We Need Your Art: Stop Messing Around and Make Something

Amie McNee

7 Key ideas

18 MINS

Curious to discover the underestimated power of creativity?

Want to understand how art, often dismissed as frivolous, actually serves as a critical pillar of self-development and societal benefit?

Intrigued by the idea of creativity as a form of self-care, akin to exercise or meditation?

Dive in to explore how your art, be it writing, painting, or music, has profound value and has the potential to transform not just your life, but the world.