1. You have no idea what you’re doing.

Okay, so you might have SOME idea of what you’re doing. I am aware that not every project starts from scratch. However, if you are breaking new ground with your creativity you must give yourself permission to admit that you haven’t got a clue how to do it.

Imagine greeting the first pangs of doubt in the early stages of your creative process with “I’m not going to let myself get frustrated because I’m new at this.”

Trust me, it will serve as a HUGE weight off of your creative shoulders when it comes to your expectations of what you think a new project looks and feels like versus the actual reality of putting in the work and seeing it start to take shape.

Remember to be kind to yourself. You cannot achieve mastery if you are never the apprentice.

2. Be covert with your creativity.

Y’all, this is HUGE for me. It has completely transformed the way that I approach creativity in its earliest stages.

For some, announcing your new project to the world has significant benefits. Perhaps saying it out loud to friends or posting about it on social media makes the project feel real and provides a sense of motivation and outward accountability.

For me, releasing my idea into the world too early doesn’t always serve my process. If it doesn’t require it, I will do my best to keep that shit under lock and key for as long as humanly possible.

Why? A premature announcement is rooted in permission and validation. Yes, we all want to be encouraged for our newest stroke of genius. However, there is no quicker way to snuff out the fire of Creativity like a family member, partner, or close friend questioning your idea and listing off the ways that it will never work.

Keeping your project a secret allows you to really spend some time with your it. Spend some time with your curiousity and creativity. Skim off the fat and bring the best parts of it forward.

The most tantalizing part of this is that you can keep is a secret for as long as you want. Take all the time you need!

3. Know that there is a honeymoon phase.

For artists, the spark of curiosity that leads to a new idea for a project is worth its weight in gold. The thrill of that specific possibility and potential is almost addictive.

As exciting as the beginnings of a new project are, you must be prepared for when the honeymoon phase starts to fizzle out. The fuel of possibility is quickly replaced with fumes of doubt, second guessing, and panic.

Pro tip : Don’t panic.

This is where grit, persistence, and work ethic has to step into the picture or you will begin to see the project sail off into the sunset along to join the dozens of other projects that you started but never quite finished. Sound familiar?

Of course it sounds familiar, because that shit happens to me all the TIME. Unpack your bags, get comfortable with being uncomfortable. You’ll come out on the other side, I promise.

4. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it does have to be your best.

Yes, this is a spin on the popular piece of advice, “It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it does have to be finished.”

I typically ask myself, is this the BEST version of this work that I could have possibly produced given my talent time and energy? And if the answer is yes, then I know that it is time to set it free. There will ALWAYS be something to tweak or make better, but this is an important step to master early..

5. Fail and fail hard.

Ahh failing, my second favorite F word. I hate failing as much as I love failing. For myself, there are many times during the creative process where I fail HARD. Much like starting a new diet, or buying a new pair of running shoes, you will never be more motivated than the first week of a new project. It’s almost like developing a new crush on Creativity.

It wasn’t until I began to think back to my biggest “failures” to fully appreciate the good that they have brought me. Gaining the knowledge and confidence that you survived your worst days, and the acceptance that there will be more of them is a hard but necessary lesson.

You will learn absolutely nothing from succeeding or being perfect. Failure is a prerequisite for success. I always look at failing as a points system. The more failure points I accumulate, the more confident of a creator become. How many failure points do you have?

6. Time is running out.

The number one answer when artists are asked “Why do you want to create the art that you’re creating?” is “I want to accomplish something before I die.” There isn’t an artist out there that isn’t aware of the all too familiar Creative biological clock that dictates our worth or what we leave behind.

I fully support the idea of “you’re never too old to start something new,” in fact I encourage anyone at any age to run full force into the flames of Creativity. However, you must do just that. Don’t hang onto the idea of doing something, simply do it. Take the first step. We only get one whack at being a human on this earth. Nothing is guaranteed, so get to work.

7. Be patient.

Yes, I know I just finished saying that time is running out and you need to shake a leg to get your creativity out into the world, but hear me out!

The greatest art that you have consumed at takes time. Yes, we are all familiar with stories like how Sylvester Stallone wrote Rocky in three and a half days, or how Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote the first Sherlock Holmes book in just three weeks. Although these stories are inspiring, they are outliers in the grand scheme of the creative process and often set an unreachable standard of how quickly you should produce art; specifically for beginner creatives who expect or desire instant gratification.

Trust me, however much you are itching to get the finish line, you will feel the transformative feeling of creativity far more by taking your time and steadily putting in the work. Rushing the process of creativity is like winning a game of pool because the other play scratched on the eight ball. You might feel good at first, but it doesn’t feel earned.

8. Identify your bullshit. And then call yourself out on it.

Everyone has their own brand of bullshit. Some are procrastinators, some like to blame everyone except themselves for not working harder, some people get moody and take it out others.

If you can, make a list of traits or behavior that tends to manifest when your bullshit decides to pay a visit. To help you identify your bullshit, allow me to help by sharing mine!

Nick’s most popular brands of Bullshit:

• Procrastination – Watching cooking videos on my phone instead of writing or finding random things to clean in my house.
• Imposter syndrome – Convincing myself that everything that I create is a piece of shit and that no one cares about what I have to say about creativity because other people have done it before me and have done it FAR better.
• Avoidance – Although close cousins with Procrastination, it differs in a way. With Procrastination, there is still a possibility of creating at the finish line. With avoidance, there is a concrete wall in front of you with no thought or even hope of creating anything. It is looking at the wall and choosing to walk in the opposite direction. Avoid Avoidance!
• Quitting after my first road block – The amount of abandoned ideas that sit on my computer would astonish you. You will start to see patterns of when road blocks typically start to show up. My average is about three weeks in, where I work and work and feel good about what I’m doing and then it hits me HARD. Push through. Crawl if you have to, you will find your footing again, I promise.

9. Enjoy the process.

I hate to overdose on the proverbs, but the creative process is indeed about the journey, not the destination. Try to have some fun and enjoy the ride. You got this.