If there’s one thing that can be said about me it’s that I’m a creator. I make stuff. I write stuff. And most of that stuff gets put out into the wild, ready to be viewed with a critical eye.
Occasionally, when I’m creating, I’ll have a momentary pause. The butterflies will start to flutter, and I’ll sit there thinking “What the fuck am I doing? No one’s going to get anything out of this!”. Sometimes I’ll feel like a conceited douchebag (seriously, I’m 28 and telling people how to run a business? What’s best for their websites? I’m wet behind the ears compared to some!), other times I’ll feel like I’m drawing with crayons. Those, my dear friends, are my confidence crashes.
Nothing makes you feel more vulnerable than watching people react to your creation.
So, what am I going to do? Stop in my tracks? Never make anything again? Just because someone might not like it? Psh! No! Where’s the fun in that?
“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
Watching someones reaction to something I’ve created has become one of the highlights of the whole damn thing. For every person that doesn’t like what I’ve made, there’ll be another that adores it! they think it’s the best thing ever!
“Creativity takes courage”
– Henri Matisse
Everyone’s allowed an opinion, the world would be a sorry state if everyone liked the same stuff, right? It’d also be super sad if you didn’t make something because a couple of people might not dig it.
You need to have confidence in everything you create. You must speak with authority. You must create for your lovers and ignore your haters. You must enjoy what you do, and remember why you do it. You must create with energy, purpose and unrelenting passion. Go forth, create, set it free and don’t give a fuck.
Now… should I post this?
K.
Word up, Kim! This is something that cripples every creative occasionally yet we never her about it. Thanks for reminding us we’re not alone!
My original ideas rarely follow through to creation because of this sole reason. Maybe it’s time to change, have some confidence & make it – whether anyone likes it or not. Maybe. Just maybe.
Ah, I so needed to hear this, thank you :)
Can I get the line before “Now… should I post this?” on a tee shirt please?
I’ve had a couple of products like this, i’ve one particular tshirt which often stirs up some lively debate when promoted. Dealing with that will they/won’t they like it is something i’m still coming to terms with. Great post and great inspiration!
So true! I’m always thinking up ideas for new projects, and so often I shoot down ideas before I see them through, just thinking “Oh, no one will like this…” I must try this not-giving-a-fuck more often :)
Hey, this is very true! I have the same thing with my blog, i’m waiting for that ‘perfect’ idea and find that I lose interest in things pretty quickly because of this reason. It’s the same with uni projects, approaching my third year and thinking of projects and not feeling like I love the ideas or support them this putting me a month behind where I want to be! I actually just stumbled across this article, I thought you might be interested in it, as it talks about standing up for what you design – http://marcbarros.com/finding-your-purpose?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+svbtle+%28Svbtle+Featured%29
Somehow we always wander back to the idea that successful people have never failed when in reality they’re probably the masters of failing! :) I think it was a Youtuber named MeekaKitty who once said sometimes you just need to create something even though you know you will hate it. It’s more about the process. That’s been some of the best advice I’ve received.
It took me a while before I felt comfortable with my creative take on writing blog posts. Who else mixes James Bond with claiming working from home expenses, and Cinderella with working out a budget? !
You’ve got to go with what feels right but boy can it take a while to have confidence and trust in own judgement.
I love that Matisse quote – that really speaks to me.
I spent my younger years being constantly told by various adults that I was the ‘academic’ one and my brother was the ‘creative’ one. As though I couldn’t be both? This was despite spending my whole childhood coming up with ideas for creative businesses. After all those years I didn’t think I was creative despite doing a creative national diploma and a joint honours degree in media. I always thought I was an academic. It is only over the past few years through blogging that I have come to realise that I can be both academic and creative. Now I just need to find the courage to be creative more and more. That comes down to listening to myself and not others.
Thank you! You totally hit the nail on the head here.
x
I think every creative person experiences The Doubt periodically – I tend to compare myself to others a lot too, which really doesn’t help! Such a great post, though, I think I might print the last paragraph out and stick it above my desk!