Have you ever had a “spark” of genius — that great idea for a book, podcast, painting, business or community project, but then found yourself getting in your own way? Has self-doubt made it hard for you to start or finish projects that matter to you?
Having great ideas that only reside in your mind and unfinished projects in a notebook or computer are all signs that something is getting in the way of your creative endeavours. One of the biggest culprits behind procrastination and unrealised dreams is perfectionism.
While perfectionism may seem like a good attribute at first glance, the underlying driver of perfectionism is often fear. The fear of not being good enough that sits below perfectionism can swallow up your ability to create. While perfectionism may be the protective mechanism you use to lower the risk of rejection and failure, it can come at a cost. Welcoming your creativity over perfection allows you to reach your full potential and follow through on your great ideas and dreams.
I know perfectionism stopped me for years from creating what mattered in my life and business. I can only imagine all the missed opportunities, missed income and missed chances to connect and help others because I was too afraid to move through the fear and perception of not being “good enough”.
Courage and vulnerability expert Brené Brown so brilliantly says, “Unexpressed creativity is not benign.” As hard as you might try to drown out your creative ideas and desires with other work or by telling yourself these ideas don’t really matter, they do. Your creative ideas matter because they are a part of you and an expression of what you care about and what brings you joy. These “sparks” of genius don’t go away, they get louder and more insistent. So how can you move through fear and let go of perfectionism, so you can create what matters?
How to embrace creativity over perfection
- Take the pressure off yourself. People connect through honesty and vulnerability. The more “perfect” you try to be, the less “real” you can seem to others. Allow yourself to be beautifully imperfect and create genuine connections. Give yourself permission to learn, experiment, make “mistakes”, to lighten up and have more fun.
- Shift your expectations. Your “good” is often most people’s great! Test this theory by creating something that feels imperfect and put it out into the world. You are likely to discover that you are your harshest critic.
- Face your fear. When fear is driving your desire for perfection, write out the scenario you are most afraid of and what you would do if it eventuated. Most of what we worry about never happens, but when you can see it, you can manage it.
- Get started. The more you avoid what you feel scared to do, the more you “wire in” anxiety. Break through the resistance by setting a 10-minute timer and get going on your goal in the smallest of ways and create momentum.
- Set deadlines. Set daily time limits and a deadline for when you’ll finish your work or project. Drawing a line in the sand will stop you from getting sucked into the trap of spending far too long on something or not finishing.
- Reconnect with your purpose. When your inner critic kicks in, making you doubt yourself and your abilities, reconnect with why this creative project matters to you and why your voice is important and needed.
There is great vulnerability in creative expression, but there is also great power and opportunity to inspire and lead. The creative journey will always require courage but it’s through that journey that we find fulfilment, purpose and happiness. What’s on your heart to create? Move forward with courage and value your creativity over perfection. Now, more than ever, the world needs your brilliance, authenticity and creativity.
Words JESSICA LEE
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