Creative Katrina

The Idea of “Perfect” Blows Giant Holes in Creativity

Photo: cloud_nine

We create all day long. Fantastic grandiose ideas thrown in amongst thoughts of errands, irritations and obligations. And as those moments of creative brilliance shine through, do you say WOO HOO! I gotta write this down! Or do you immediately start picking them apart, reviewing all the angles to convince yourself why it will never work, why it’s not perfect?

Humans have super powers when it comes to our ability to talk ourselves into and out of anything. This very powerful skill helps us move through challenges and stuck points, heartbreak and tragedy, to grow and transform into a more evolved version of ourselves. The very same skill blows up a great idea before it even gets out of the starting gate.

Fear and Expectations

Being infused with an amazing idea is awesome! Let it sink in and savor it. Daydream and play. Visualize how it can be expanded or improved and infuse it with life. Just be open and see how it shapes up.

Of course you need to examine all the angles eventually, but just because a particular idea or undertaking is hard, does it mean you should abandon it all together? Is it a “sign” that it just won’t work? Depends on the difficulties you encounter.

If something is hard to achieve because you need to train, learn something new or there is stiff competition, well, that’s just life. But there’s a sneaky hidden factor often at play in most seemingly challenging situations, and that’s fear. It lurks in the background of everything new you try that pushes your threshold, holding you back and forcing you to over analyze every idea. The result? You never pull the trigger to set something in motion, so great ideas languish smothered by fear.

Ask Fear What’s Up

There is a common belief that fear must be eradicated. As you move through life, experiences and explore tools that open your mind, the fear can become manageable but is not demolished. It changes into something you learn how to co-habitate with, so-to-speak. Then is has the chance to transform into a healing opportunity.

Do your best to move past the worry and explore angles that may be cloaked in fear. Perhaps you have a real, legitimate reason to be afraid? Family dynamics, old bosses that tore you down, crappy experiences you can’t forget — the list is endless. And now that these fears exist, the only way to release their hold on you is to be open to making friends with them.

Fears develop over time, starting out as little seeds watered by frustration, doubt and other misinformation. So what better way to break new creative ground for peaceful coexistence then getting to their core?

Face to Face with Fear

How you do this is so intensely personal, it’s hard to prescribe a method of management. What I can say is that regular meditation, time alone to process the emotions related to each fear and patience with yourself are all important, but most of all, the willingness to finally face your fears is the most critical piece.

So instead of the desire towards perfection, re-frame it into a desire to come face to face with your fears. It’s an experience in transformation that will be one of the most powerful in your life.