Filed under: Art, Perfectionism | Tags: Art, creativity, fear, Perfectionism
India Recycled Journal
Of course, the rest of the quote used in the title is “but fear itself.” I couldn’t remember who said it, so a quick Google search revealed that it was Franklin D. Roosevelt in his first inaugural speech (that is certainly timely)!
The actual quote is:
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.
Of course, I could talk about a million things many of us are afraid of right now; but I am thinking about fear and creativity. One of the biggest barriers in my artwork is my fear that it won’t be “good enough.” Good enough for what, I don’t know.
The journal above is one of about a half dozen I created over the summer when I was learning how to do the coptic bookbinding stitch. I didn’t want to put any journals for sale on etsy until I felt they were “good enough.” I won’t admit to you how often in my life good enough never happens.
I’m not advocating putting schlock out there. But, quite often I am amazed at some of the things people sell, or teach, or write, or…whatever. Sometimes, I know I have something better to offer. But since I don’t think it’s good enough yet, it doesn’t see the light of day. So it really doesn’t matter what I have to offer…because I seldom offer it!
But really, it’s just fear. Fear of what I’m not real sure…fear of what other people think…or of being wrong…of being criticized…all of these things.
So here’s the second part, my challenge to myself:
The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them.
Albert Einstein, (attributed)
I think everyone has heard some version of this idea; that we can’t do the same thing we’ve always done and expect different results. This has been on my mind a lot the last several months, and I’m trying to do some things differently.
Even starting this blog is “stepping out of my comfort zone,” getting over my fear of putting something “out there” that someone might reject. So, thanks for reading…and go check out my imperfect coptic bookbinding on etsy, too.
Then tell me how you’ve been able to look fear in the face.
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Compelled to Create 