Even in the first sentence of my first blog, I find myself experiencing this.
What IS Creative Kerfuffle, exactly?
Well, I'm glad you asked.
I like to define it as the self-doubt and mixed negative emotions we have in the moment when we execute on a creative idea. The creative idea can be anything - writing for a blog (ha), composing music, and responding to an important email are a few examples.
More often than not, the negative emotion we feel is self-doubt (at least it is for me). The self-doubt has several different voices. "Will they like it?" "What if it fails?" or "What will my (boss, family, friends) think?" It's important to note that this feeling happens more often to some people than to others.
However, this is NOT a fear of rejection! The fear of rejection is the doubt that comes when we are ready to present the project. Creative Kerfuffle happens when we are in the process of creating.
Here's an even better example. The other night I was staying up late working on a new song for an album of original tunes I plan on releasing. There weren't any problems coming up with ideas in the first thirty minutes of my writing session. I was able to get many good melodies and ideas worked out, and some of them even started to sound enjoyable.
Then I started looking ahead.
As I was recording myself, I became frustrated and had a list of complaints for myself: "The song is too simple, short, long, or complex to release." It's important to be critical of your work to a certain degree, but why am I feeling scared to continue this piece of music when I haven't really started?
The answer actually lies beyond self-doubt. If we doubted ourselves, we wouldn't even begin in the first place. The problem is this: We put too much weight on a project's outcome instead of seeing it through to the end and making something meaningful. When I write music alone or just improvise for fun in front of my wife or friends, being creative is easy and fun! But the moment I am alone and writing for myself, I get stuck and hate my work.
The solution to this Creative Kerfuffle?
Don't create for yourself.
If you do, then you are making something for a client who doesn't know what he even wants! Creating an intentional audience gives you something to work towards and a standard to achieve. The audience can even be invented or drawn from real life.
Instead of making something for yourself, try making it for a friend, family member, or maybe even an old teacher. Putting the standard beyond yourself gives you a clear set of expectations, an audience to please, and something to strive for. This also keeps you from trying to please everyone, because you're trying to please someone specific. You don't have to worry about what your sibling thinks of the work if it's being made for your barber, for example.
Yes, creatives do work all the time. If you're hired to create Christmas cards for Hallmark, then you should consider designing what would sell best and send the message. There is some creativity, but it's not a void you're writing for - it's for your boss.
Use this mindset to your advantage. Remember, you can still be your own boss while serving others.
THANK YOU for reading my first blog! If you found this insightful, interesting, or otherwise, please consider sharing it with a friend or two. Please email questions about the blog to general@monteirostudios.co, and I'll answer them in the next one.
This blog is a repost, originally published in January, 2024.
