In this video, I talk about how to overcome artist’s block.
It’s been said that the hardest part of doing anything is just getting started. Avoiding a problem isn’t always due to laziness or not trying; often it’s the fear of failure or perfectionism that paralyze us. Sometimes we can’t seem to come up with any ideas worth pursuing, other times we have so many ideas, we don’t know where to start.
There’s also the problem of comparing ourselves to people we perceive to be better than us at whatever we’re trying to do. Healthy competition can be a great motivator, so long as inspiration doesn’t turn into intimidation. When you see the finished product of another’s work, you’re seeing an edited version of that person’s process. You don’t see the thousands of steps and missteps it took to get there – you only see the final step after 10,000 steps.
Watch the Abstract Animation set to Beethoven
This is why it can be intimidating to get started. When we don’t know what step to focus on first, we only see the countless steps ahead of us, which immobilizes many into a fetal position.
The only step to getting started is to take one step. And not a big step. Not a leap, not a sprint. But a baby step. The first step should be the smallest and easiest step you can take.
For example, if you’re an artist who’s been avoiding drawing, the first step is to draw one line. You might not have hours to study life drawing, but you have 5 seconds to draw one line.
It might seem silly, but someone with artist’s block should consider it an accomplishment to draw one line. Drawing one line is better than drawing no lines. When an artist makes no art day after day, that momentum of not drawing builds, continuing a cycle of guilt and anxiety. This makes it harder as time goes on to draw just one line.
But when you take that first step to draw one line, momentum builds in the direction of drawing more lines. Simply having the intention to take that first step will make taking the next step easier.
I saw a quote recently that I found relatable. I’m not sure who it’s by, but it said “The work will show you how”.
To me this means the antidote to not creating is creating. It’s simple to understand. Humans are too skilled at overcomplicating things with mental chatter. Sometimes we just have to stop thinking and trust in the process to take care of itself.
Although, some people should not just do it. Some people need to take more time thinking and planning before executing. To do something well requires practice, research, and contemplation. The key is finding the balance between thought and action.
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