Hi friends, the release of The Art of You is one week away!
Join me this Friday for the second installment of my Meet The Artist series, where I will be chatting with one of my favorite creators, Amy McNee (@inspiredtowrite) about writing, creativity, and trusting the inner artist over the inner critic.
Attendance is free when you preorder The Art of You: https://linktr.ee/art.of.you
Video replay will be available if you can’t attend live.
Following is an exclusive sample chapter from The Art of You.
“Intervention with my Inner Critic”
I can be my own worst critic. I tend to hold myself to high, sometimes unrealistic, standards and get down on myself for not living up to my own expectations. We all have an inner critic that attempts to pick apart our work—and often our self-esteem along with it. This nagging voice has stopped many creatives dead in their tracks.
A little self-doubt is good for you. It builds character and keeps you motivated to improve. For example, basketball legend Michael Jordan paid close attention to criticism from the media and other players. As great as he already was, he was always looking for a naysayer to prove wrong. This mentality helped him get better and better, adding new elements to his game year after year. If a creative person believes they have everything figured out, they might stop exploring. And art without exploration says nothing new, nothing exciting. It helps to have a little resistance, a little friction, to push back against.
Too much self-doubt is never good, however. We have to acknowledge the inner critic, say Thank you for your input, and proceed anyway. The mind is like the weather, always changing, and we must have the determination to persevere through all conditions, the rain and sunshine alike.
The following is a dialogue between the inner critic and the inner child to help you move past the resistance of getting started.
The inner critic versus the inner child.
Inner critic: I’m not talented enough.
Inner child: Your creativity is a unique expression of who you are: your experience and perspective. It doesn’t make sense to com- pare yourself to anyone else. Nobody can offer exactly what you can. Besides, talent needs to be developed. The more you play around and experiment, the better you’ll get. Don’t worry about perfection. There is no such thing. Just try to develop your own unique style and voice.
Inner critic: Okay, but what’s the point? I’m not a professional artist. Creativity feels like a waste of time.
Inner child: Creativity can improve several aspects of your life. Developing your creative, problem-solving capacity will bene- fit your career, your relationships, and your overall well-being. Besides, your soul wants to create. It’s part of your nature. Give your art as an offering to the world.
Inner critic: But what if people hate what I make?
Inner child: I promise that nobody will judge you more harshly than you judge yourself. The truth is that most people are far too preoccupied with obsessing over themselves to pay much attention to what other people are doing. Fear of criticism is often a projection of our own self-doubt. Besides, feedback is helpful to your creative development. While you shouldn’t obsess over other people’s feedback and criticism, learning how your work is received and perceived will make you a better artist.
Inner critic: Makes sense. But I’m overwhelmed with possibilities and don’t know where to start.
Inner child: Don’t worry about making the wrong decision. Just make a decision. There is no right or wrong place to start. Overthinking kills the magic. Trust your instinct. Too much analysis leads to paralysis. Just start and see what happens. Move with faith, not fear. Let curiosity guide you. Seek to discover, not to achieve. One idea will lead to another. There is no right or wrong way. There is only one step at a time and the path you pave for yourself. Let it unfold without force or judgment. Make it fun. Keep it light. Creativity is no big deal.
Inner critic: Okay, I started. But now I keep getting stuck in the details.
Inner child: You’re too early in the process to worry about the details. The details come last. Tell your ego to take a break. Give it reassurance that it will have a chance to review and perfect the work later. Now is the time to get your ideas out without over- analyzing them. Bad work is easier to fix than no work. Start with the big picture and get more detailed as you go.
Inner critic: Okay, maybe I have nothing to worry about. I’ll just keep going and see what happens.
Inner child: Now you’re getting it.