Creativity and Self-Doubt

“The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.”

- Sylvia Plath

All artists– even the most successful ones– doubt themselves. This is because art is mysterious and subjective. There is no “right” or “wrong" way to create, so there is no real way to measure if you’re “good enough.” If we focused on the truth that there are no “good” or “bad” artists, it would give us a sense of freedom; but instead, we tend to get into our heads, out of fear of being inadequate and making mistakes.

Art should not be perfect; it should be human.

Anne Lamott said, “Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft… Perfectionism is a mean, frozen form of idealism, while messes are the artist’s true friend. What people somehow (inadvertently, I’m sure) forgot to mention when we were children was that we need to make messes in order to find out who we are and why we are here — and, by extension, what we’re supposed to be [creating].”

Every time we come to the blank canvas to begin our artistic journey, we must overcome feelings of trepidation and gather the courage to make our mark on the world, as children do– freely, intuitively and expressively.

"If you hear a voice within you say, 'You cannot paint,' 
then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced”

- Vincent van Gogh

You might be a beginner, afraid of making mistakes, or an expert– still trapped in a prison of your own making– ruminating on thoughts that you're not enough. Either way, if you are procrastinating out of fear, I encourage you to simply get started as soon as you can. Use whatever materials you have on hand and put marks or words on the page as quickly as possible. Many artists loosen up through under-paintings, while writers brainstorm through messy first drafts. Each creative endeavor is a puzzle that we solve along the journey. Making mistakes is a fundamental part of that process.

It’s usually our thoughts about the process– not the process itself– that cause the most anxiety. Once we take action, we silence those thoughts by being present as we work. We do what we can– that’s all we can do. We must have faith that we will figure it out as we go– that we will bring what we have to offer into the world– and that we will keep learning and growing through our work. But we can only do that by taking action. If you want to be an artist, you simply need to create art.

Remember, art is a form of therapy for each artist. Judgement of the work is merely a byproduct of that integral process.

“Don't think about making art, just get it done.
Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad,
whether they love it or hate it.
While they are deciding, make even more art.”

- Andy Warhol

Art is not a competition; it’s the telling of your truth. There is no right or wrong in revealing your story. So instead of doubting yourself, remind yourself that you know who you are, and all you have to do is be authentic in your creative practice.

Art is not about judgement; it’s about expression. It’s not about perfection; it’s about being honest. Art doesn’t have to be pretty or proportionate, or even make sense; it simply has to be sincere. So go inward, into the depths of your soul, and create from that place of your inner knowing. It's from that instinctual place that you can’t go wrong. It’s from your true nature that you free yourself through your art.

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

I WOULD LOVE TO HELP YOU THRIVE ON YOUR CREATIVE JOURNEY!

“CREATING FROM YOUR INTUITION" : https://elizabethbeckerart.com/collections/learn/products/visualizing-the-art-you-want-to-create

“OVERCOMING IMPOSTER SYNDROME" : https://elizabethbeckerart.com/collections/learn/products/overcoming-imposter-syndrome

“AN INTUITIVE GUIDE TO DISCOVERING YOUR ARTISTIC VOICE" :https://elizabethbeckerart.com/collections/learn/products/an-intuitive-guide-to-discovering-your-artistic-voice

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