Creator’s Remorse: Is your Inner Critic Sabotaging Your Success?
Listen to my NEW Podcast Cultivating Creativity!
Today I share a story about my struggle with Creative Remorse and how I conquer it.
Creator’s Remorse. What is it? A feeling of regret or dissatisfaction with one's creative work.
The act of creating something new can be a rewarding experience, but it can also be a source of anxiety and self-doubt. For some, the fear of failure or rejection can lead to what I call creator's remorse, a feeling of regret or dissatisfaction with one's work. This can be particularly debilitating for many who want to grow and move forward within their creative practice.
Yes, creator's remorse can have a significant impact on creativity. Listen to this weeks Cultivating Creativity Podcast for my own struggle with feeling positive about my work. A major issue is when creators are feeling down on themselves and their creative work, they are less likely to take risks and try new things. They may also be more critical of their work, which can lead to a cycle of self-doubt and procrastination. This is so me. Can you relate?
How to deal with creator's remorse
There are a number of things that creators can do to manage their feelings of remorse. One important step is to set realistic expectations for oneself. It is important to remember the act of perfection just doesn’t exist, and that it is okay to make mistakes. Another helpful strategy is to focus on the process of creation, rather than the end product. This can help to take the pressure off and allow for more freedom and experimentation.
Tips for overcoming creator's remorse and keeping the inner critic quiet:
Set realistic expectations for yourself. Don't expect your work to be perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. Let the failures become your growth.
Focus on the process of creation, rather than the end product. This can help to take the pressure off and allow for more freedom and experimentation. Allow for a bit of intuitive play within your practice - whether is is on your canvas or a weekly play in your sketchbook.
Give yourself permission to fail. Everyone makes mistakes. It's okay to fail, as long as you learn from your mistakes. I repeat - FAILURE IS GROWTH!
Don't compare yourself to others. Everyone's journey is different. Focus on your own progress and don't worry about what others are doing. This one is hard with the endless hours of scrolling but use the comparison to help grow your own practice.
Take a break from your work. If you're feeling overwhelmed, take a break and come back to your work later. I like to work in 20 - 30 minute increments. This allows me to step back and observe my work as well as keep creative fatigue at bay.
Talk to someone you trust about your feelings. Talking about your feelings can help to relieve some of the pressure and anxiety you're feeling. Join an artist group that you trust and feel safe in. Get guidance from others helps get past all of the stuff that holds you back.
Creator's remorse can be a difficult experience, but it is important to remember that it is not a permanent condition. By taking the steps outlined above, creators can overcome their feelings of remorse and continue to create.
Here is your CALL to ACTION today - open up your sketchbook, get a pencil and intuitively start sketching a face. Don’t worry about messing up just let the pencil do its thing. Put on your favorite song and let go. Feel the pencil in your hand. How does it feel? Feel how the pencil glides along the paper. Try not to think about drawing the “perfect” face but think about the movement and the feeling. When you are done. Step away and let things digest. This isn’t a lesson to draw the best portrait ever. This lesson and exercise is to help you feel and be present in your practice. To let the tools do what they do best and allow yourself to sit back and enjoy the ride.
