🦊 Six Essays on Creativity

#107 — Avoiding the pitfalls of success, becoming the signal in the noise, finishing what we start, embracing playfulness, and finding the faith to keep creating.

Hey friends,

I spent some time this week revisiting some of my most popular newsletter editions in the last year or so. I’ve revised and republished six essays on creativity to my blog to share with you today.

In this list, you’ll find pieces that will inspire you to create, tactics to keep up your momentum, and reflections to help you consider the path you’re on. I hope they help you on your creative journey. Enjoy!

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1. Finish It

I shared this essay on overcoming perfectionism in the last newsletter and it resonated strongly with a lot of folks. I added a comic to help illustrate its message:

“Procrastination is often perfectionism in disguise. And perfectionism is a misguided attempt to secure an impossible guarantee. Liberate yourself by letting it go.”

2. A Plea to Publish

Too often, it is the friends and peers I want to hear from most that hold back from sharing their thoughts with the world. But it is precisely their thoughtfulness about adding to the noise which makes them the perfect people to publish.

This essay is a personal call to action from me to you: Publish your words. Please!

“Sing your song. In a world of information overload, we need your signal to survive the noise.”

P.S. I first shared this plea in a video years ago, which you can watch on YouTube. I was delighted to see that it inspired several folks to take their first step into publishing. I hope it helps you too!

3. Where Does It Lead?

It’s easy to see a social media success story and get caught up in a fit of desire to chase their dream. But their dream may not be what we desire. We have to look deeper than the outer glamour of a success story, and think about their day-to-day lives within.

“Forget about about failure. Instead ask yourself, “What if I succeed?” What if you actually made it to where they are? Are you sure that’s where you want to be?”

4. Keeping the Creative Faith

Reflections on how I managed to keep working on my book of fables for more than two years:

“The power of a creative lies in their sustained belief that something is worth making, even if they can’t predict its outcome.”

5. Creative Leftovers

A simple and effective way to maintain creative momentum day after day:

“Stop while the going is good. Leave a note on what comes next. Your future self will thank you.”

6. Reviving My Childhood Artist

How I learned to love drawing again by embracing playfulness, and allowing the inner child artist in me to retake the creative reigns.

“Ultimately, it was the practice of sharing, not studying, that kept me drawing.”

Keep creating, friends!