Creative people have many things in common. Most, if not all, at some point, deal with fear of failure in whatever their artistic, creative passion may be. It is so easy to question natural-born talent and creativity because it is something invisible within you, and cannot be proven by a certificate or diploma hanging on your wall.
As a creative person, you have this talent, but where are your credentials? If your creativity is that elusive, how do you know it will be there for you when you need it? Perhaps you worry that whatever makes those creative juices flow within you will suddenly dry up. Those doubts can cause you to hesitate, immobilizing you from taking the next creative step.
“What if I fail?” seems to be something that filters through every creative person’s mind. Think about it. In no other type of career do people experience this type of self-doubt supported by the outside world questioning their talent. Creativity is viewed by the general public as illusive and perhaps fleeting.
You must seek your creativity. Let go of fear and just do it.
How do we connect to our sometimes elusive creativity and harness it-without fear? According to a TED talk on creativity by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, suggests that if you are meant to create, don’t let anything stop you.
- Just do it. “Write, dance, or paint, whatever you are meant to be doing, just show up and do your job,” Gilbert says. You must move forward, do what you are meant to do, and trust that the creativity talent will join you in your work.
- Let go of your fear of judgment. Try addressing your fear in a step-by-step process. Approach your creative process in small manageable chunks, not thinking about the entire project as a whole. Make it fun. Turn fear into familiarity through a series of small successes. Learn to think of yourself and your talent with ongoing confidence. Realize that you are naturally creative and let those ideas fly.
- Release your inner child. As a child, letting our creative passion and talents flow came naturally. There was no worry about the end result. We were playing with some creative force that resided within us, and it felt wonderful. Tap into your inner child and focus only on the feeling with on you that makes you want to be creative. Let yourself play with your talent.
- Borrow some inspiration. All creative people get stuck at times. Getting inspired by the work of others can offer you the kick in your creative pants that you need. Whatever your craft, seek examples from those you admire. If you write, read the work of an author you love. If you draw, go to a gallery and soak up the talent. Most creative people take what they see in others work and change it to become their own. The talent of other people can be the seed of your creative growth.
Let your inner child be your creative guide.
Over the centuries, creativity has been thought to be fueled by finding a conducive environment in which to create, tapping into your personality traits, serendipity, and even spiritual muses. Finding a way to ignite your creativity really seems to be a matter of allowing yourself to try, without fear of failure, to play and let your ideas flow like they did as a child, and to get outside inspiration and transform what you see by making it your own creation.
Once you have finished your creative work, whether it is a novel, a memoir, a book of photographs, or a collection of illustrations, don’t worry about how you will preserve it. There are sites online that allow you to create and publish your own professionally printed books. A perfect example is Bookemon.com, which makes it incredibly easy and affordable to produce a bookstore-quality book and preserve your creations for others to enjoy.
If you are creative and have dreamed of preserving your work, there are many possibilities and types of books you can make online. Getting started is simple, fun, and it costs nothing to get started