• Home
  • Blog
  • Paintings for Sale
  • Painting Course
  • Top Painting Tips
    • Prints
  • Art Coaching
  • Resources
  • Free Download
  • Artist Statement
  • Podcast
  • Painting Podcast
  • Contact
  • Reference and Tutorial
Malcolm Dewey Fine Art
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Paintings for Sale
  • Painting Course
  • Top Painting Tips
    • Prints
  • Art Coaching
  • Resources
  • Free Download
  • Artist Statement
  • Podcast
  • Painting Podcast
  • Contact
  • Reference and Tutorial

How to Stop Fear from Killing Your Creativity

7/6/2018

Comments

 
How to be more brave and more creative.
There is a common trait in humans. It goes back to the early times of human development. That special quality that made humans evolve into what we are today. Your mobile device or laptop, your car and any other object you take for granted. All made possible by this critical trait. What is it you may ask?

Well if you have not guessed by now then bear with me a little longer. Because in this article I am going to share with you one of the most important insights we humans need to know.
The Turning Point
In his book, The Rational Optimist, How Prosperity Evolves, author Matt Ridley poses this question. Why did early hominids continue to use a hand ax made of stone for hundreds of thousands of years? Why was there no advance on this tool? Turns out there was no need to develop anything new. Boring but effective. Then one day something happened to another branch of hominid. Something magical.

Somone flipped the switch that set early mankind into the fast lane. That event was the first trade of goods. When mankind began to exchange one valuable item for another valuable item. Suddenly there was a reason to come up with goods that others needed. Goods you could trade for something you wanted. Trade unleashed the forces of creativity.

Creativity Unleashed
In the blink of an eye, in relative terms, humans were sending men to the moon in rockets. And here we are communicating over the internet. Isn't creativity a miracle?

It is creativity that accounts for everything we use and enjoy in our modern world. Alan Alda said "Be brave enough to live creatively." Our achievements over the past century would seem to suggest that we do that.

As a species we have never had it so good. Not even in the fifties or sixties. The facts say we are at the top of our game and anything is possible. Yet so many of us still experience that massive killer of creativity. Fear.
​
Picture
Enter the Killer
Instead of boldness many of us are fearful. It seems that the hardwired protective instinct still keeps so many people trapped. If it is creativity that set us humans free then it is a real shame that many of us are afraid to create. But ask yourself why this should be. Should we not take to creativity like the proverbial duck to water?

As a child you did not fear creativity. Children are learning machines and are fearless. Try everything and anything goes. Until the fears of adulthood get handed down. For many children the later experiences of embarassment and ridicule inhibit future development. Much of this pain continues into adulthood.

Age Amplifies Fear
I have seen this in art students who are afraid to try new things. It takes courage to take up art again. Many artists have put off their creative pursuits for careers and families. When these obligations run out they want to take up art again. No problem, right?

This should be a time of creative joy rekindled. Instead you look at it as a risk. You do not want to look foolish. Oh nonsense others say. It is only painting. But to the artist it is years of ego that is at risk. Psyches are fragile and there is risk in exposing your art to others. This is especially true of those that painted well a few decades ago. Now the skills have faded and it is unsettling.

You find yourself thinking up ways to minimise the risk. You try a few paintings. Or write a few chapters, whatever your craft may be. But the results are a shock. Can it be this difficult? Instead of a pretty painting to frame and display the artist has a flopped effort. Instead of forging on to clean off the rust the artist gives up. Or procrastinates only to forget about it later.

Here is the truth. The more important it is to take up your creative pursuit, the harder it becomes to do so. 

Face Your Fear
This is the work of fear. Fear will stop your creative happiness every time. Have you heard the saying that fear is figments of the imagination that appear real? The correct term is anxiety since this is an imaginary condition. But this is to downplay the power of the fear.

How to combat this fear? If creative fear is imaginary then it must be easy to conquer? Not so. Look at it this way. Your creative instinct comes from your self. Your soul. But your fear comes from your ego. That outer layer that presents itself to the world. The ego must also protect itself at all costs. Your soul and your ego will oppose each other when your ego perceives a risk.

Steven Pressfield covers this idea in his excellent book The War of Art. Pressfield calls this ego generated foe The Resistance. The resistance is a cold and powerful force that will fight your creativity at all costs. Remember that your ego is programmed to protect itself. Things can get ugly when the ego goes to war.

What is The Risk of Giving Up?
Some people do recognise the battle and can step back and observe. They see that the risk of giving up is more damaging than the risk of creating. They know it is hard, but they persevere. They write the book. Paint the painting. They do the work despite the fear, risk and doubts. They understand what is at stake. To create is to complete the work no matter what the art turns out to be in the end.

So how do you reach the point where you take the plunge despite the fear?

Here are a list of suggested methods.

  1. Recognise Fear in its many disguises. Procrastination is one of them. It seems so innocent and trivial. When chores look more important than starting your art. When you have to dash out to the store to get something for tea. When you have to answer those emails. All lies.
  2. Set a date the night before. Work out what you need to do tomorrow at x-time. Write this down in your diary. Set the timer. Show up. Beat procrastination to the first punch.
  3. Make yourself accountable. To your significant other. Your friend or someone trustworthy. Yes not all your friends want to take your plans seriously. You need someone to put you in your place when you chicken out.
  4. Arrange your reward. When you complete your date you get the reward. Make it honorable, not something that shames you like a cheeseburger after going to the gym.
  5. Take lessons, workshops or find a mentor. Not only do you commit to something you also learn and you must account for your efforts.
  6. Set goals. Small, medium and large. Incremental steps that lead to something significant. An exhibition, publication, website launch, market day. All these are big goals. The little steps must add up to the big goals. A chapter a day and so on.
  7. Get fighty. When someone makes small of your ambitions. Jokes about your ideas. It is time to stand up and back yourself. No need to lose your temper. Instead make sure that people understand that you are serious. They cannot undermine you with cynicism.
  8. Be Ready for Battle. So you have started the project. You reach half way. You have second thoughts. The painting sucks. The book is twaddle. Abandon this before someone sees it! Wrong. Keep going at all costs until you finish.
  9. Finish line blues. Hold on it gets worse. Now you doubt yourself all over again. The finished work is terrible. How could you have been so foolish? Wrong again. This is not a once off deal and you are not getting off so easy ya big sissy. Make a date for tomorrow.
  10. Start the next work right away.

So that is the way of the artist. Wonderful sweet agony. Welcome back - we missed you.

How do you fight the good fight to finish your art?


For your Pinterest Board:

How to face fear and live creatively. Ten Tips for fearless creativity.

Comments
    FREE Book
    Picture

    Color Tips for Artists:
    ​Free
    Picture

    Book Bundle Special
    See More
    Picture

    Author

    Malcolm Dewey: Artist. Country: South Africa
    View Portfolio:

    Picture

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012

    Categories

    All
    Art Business
    Artist Notes
    Books Worth Every Dime!
    Its An Artists Life
    Musings
    News
    Painting Course
    Painting Demonstration
    Painting Tips
    Podcasts
    Popular Posts Archive
    Reviews


    Picture

    Picture

    Visit Malcolm Dewey Fine Art's profile on Pinterest.

    FREE
    ​GUIDE

    Picture

    RSS Feed


    Picture

    Picture

Studio:  Troon Crescent, Port Alfred, South Africa
​Malcolm Dewey Fine Art is committed to top quality art, excellent educational material and having a great time! To back that up all works sold come with a 30 Day Money Back Guarantee. Simply return the work, undamaged, within 30 days. Returns at purchaser expense. All transaction are protected by third party bank-level encryption to keep your information safe. Plus your email address is safe. No spam - ever!

​Copyright 2010-2020: Malcolm Dewey Fine Art
​
Picture
30 Day Money Back
Picture
Secure Transactions
Picture
Picture
No Spam Ever!
Photos used under Creative Commons from maHidoodi, buggolo, Fabio Téllez
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Paintings for Sale
  • Painting Course
  • Top Painting Tips
    • Prints
  • Art Coaching
  • Resources
  • Free Download
  • Artist Statement
  • Podcast
  • Painting Podcast
  • Contact
  • Reference and Tutorial