What if you followed your creative intuition wherever it led you? Imagine if you did so fearlessly and without overthinking your every step.
An aspect of the creative process involves dealing with self-doubt. “What if I fail?” “What if this doesn’t make me any money?” In an attempt to make those questions go away, it’s common to talk to peers or mentors and seek their approval. While this action in itself is alright, it’s also important to validate your own voice and instincts. Otherwise, it’s someone else deciding your next moves.
Even after getting feedback, the doubts are still there. “What if what I’m creating is irrelevant on social media?” “What if no one interacts with my content?” There’s that need for external validation again.
It happens to me too.
As an author, I keep an eye on newly released books. I can’t help but notice that there are some genres that get more attention than others. Sometimes I wonder if it’d be a “safer” bet to embrace one of those hot genres and see how that goes. My struggle sounds like this:
“Wow, other authors are making it big in that genre. Should I go for it too? Nobody else seems to be writing in the genre I do. Would switching to popular trends be beneficial? I could also get more engagement on social media. But still…I’m not so sure.”
It’s exactly in the middle of that inner debate that creative intuition kicks in. That’s when I need to be real and ask myself: “does this genre truly align with the type of story I want to tell?” Most of the time, I find that I’m more excited to work on a book idea that wouldn’t fit into any of the popular trends.
When doubts get the worst out of you, I want you to remember that…
Amy’s Instagram posts are invigorating. Every time I spot them in my timeline, I reconnect with my creative intuition. They remind me that all the ideas brewing in my mind are valuable and worth exploring and expressing.
As I’ve kept a close eye on her content, I’ve been inspired to come up with some guiding principles that you also can use for your craft at any stage and pace. The idea is that you’re convinced, at all times, that you’re stronger than any doubts that try to mess with your creative intuition.
1) The act of sharing your work in any platform is valuable. Regardless of the ‘traction’ it generated, it’s still relevant. The focus is not merely in the metrics. It’s in attracting an audience that resonates with it.
2) Resonance is subjective, and that’s okay. When you put your creation out there, your audience will decide whether they like it or not. Make it anyway. Do not try to please everyone. Hold your vision.
3) Creative intuition is non-negotiable. If you feel the call to write a certain piece or work on a specific approach for your project, go for it. If there’s an inner voice asking you to move in a certain direction, do it. Know that the inner call is there for a reason. Do not compromise your hunches by the urge of asking others for an opinion. You do you.
The act of creating is more important than the result. If you think your work is going to trigger a lot of people, make it anyway. If you believe it’s going to suck, make it anyway. If you believe you’re not experienced enough to create anything, make it anyway. Honour the calling to share your unique expression with the world. Your creative intuition will take care of the process. The more you let it work through you, the more you’ll be able to realize your vision.
What would you add to the list of guiding principles?