Doing anything creative often brings up fears, anxieties, insecurities. Courage may be defined as going ahead in spite of fear. But many creators not only live with their fears, they welcome them.
Fear is perhaps the most basic emotion we have. As Leonardo da Vinci reportedly said, "Fear arises sooner than anything else." Writer Julia Cameron has commented that artists are often terrified. Being creative is venturing into the unknown, and it sets off emotional alarms.
Fear can show up, in various forms, at any stage of a creative project, and regardless of our level of talent or experience.
When she was told that Scholastic Press was paying a huge advance to publish her first Harry Potter book, J.K. Rowling said, "Most of me was just frozen in terror."
Actor Nicole Kidman admits she has tried to get out of almost every film she has done "because of sheer terror. I can always come up with a list of actresses who would do better."
Meryl Streep said she identified with "Adaptation" screenwriter Charlie Kaufman's insecurities. "You realize that everyone is just eaten up by that feeling," she said.
Many writers and coaches talk about the destructive and limiting effects of fear, and what to do about it.
Dr. Judith Orloff, author of the book Positive Energy, says we are addicted to fear. and cautions it is "the biggest energy thief there is." She counsels acknowledging any voice of fear in our head - "Thanks for sharing" - then moving awareness back to our heart.
Sandra Ford Walston, author of the book Courage: The Heart and Spirit of Every Woman, points out the cowardly lion of "The Wizard of Oz" actually had tremendous courage but was unable to perceive that quality in himself. She notes that people often do not recognize their everyday actions as courageous, especially women.
But is it always in our best interest as creators to "fight" fear?
Director Steven Spielberg has said, "I still have pretty much the same fears I had as a kid. I'm not sure I'd want to give them up; a lot of these insecurities fuel the movies I make."
Many actors and other artists say they are drawn to projects that make them feel scared. Meryl Streep said of insecurity, "Maybe it's a good thing. I hope it's some sort of breaking down of whatever is familiar to you. Whatever is complacent, whatever is easy."
American Buddhist nun Pema Chodron writes in her book The Places That Scare You: "To the extent that we stop struggling against uncertainty and ambiguity, to that extent we dissolve our fear."
Psychologist Robert Maurer has worked with many successful writers and other creative people, and thinks fear may be an indispensable part of the creative process.
"Fear is good," he says. "As children, fear is a natural part of our lives, but as adults we view fear as a disease. It's not a disease." He points out that a creative achievement, such as publishing your first novel, does not make fear go away.
He adds, "Your skill at being able to nourish yourself and give yourself permission to make mistakes and learn from them is your single greatest attribute as an artist and as a human being." Philosopher Mary Daly notes we "learn courage by couraging."
Doing what scares us can enable us to do more and be more.
Douglas Eby writes about psychological and social aspects of creative expression and achievement. His site has a wide range of articles, interviews, quotes and other material to inform and inspire: Talent Development Resources http://talentdevelop.com/
The common belief is that lack of structure and randomness... Read More
The brain is a strange organ. It works in ways... Read More
I believe that as solo-entrepreneurs, business owners, and executives we... Read More
The word intuition comes from the Latin word intueri, meaning... Read More
Creativity is central to the management of our individual lives,... Read More
Doing anything creative often brings up fears, anxieties, insecurities. Courage... Read More
It seems like this week a ton of people have... Read More
Copyright 2005 Cherry Communications/Be Heard SolutionsThe creative arts enhance our... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
"What cannot letters inspire? They have souls; they can speak;... Read More
There is a pervasive belief that creativity and innovation are... Read More
For the past several years, I have found joy working... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
This was a very easy article to write. I was... Read More
I don't take notes anymore. Instead, I create one wildly... Read More
95 percent of what we know about the brain, we... Read More
Worried you may not be creative or you may not... Read More
About once every year or so, I take a critical... Read More
Here are a couple of exercises to force yourself to... Read More
The word 'creativity' has so many diverse meanings and interpretations.... Read More
I have to admit that I am a confirmed puzzle-head.... Read More
I have been struck recently by a number of questions... Read More
My fears are most powerful when they're simmering just under... Read More
My grandmother used to say that the secret to living... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
Attribute listing is one of the best ways to generate... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
You can live a much more successful life than you... Read More
In my "Roadblocks to Creativity" e-course, I ask the question:"What's... Read More
We all create our own reality each and every day,... Read More
Ever been on a project where you had trouble keeping... Read More
Did you know that winning actually puts less wear and... Read More
I recently saw a program on television wherein the participants... Read More
There is no sure fire route to commercial success but... Read More
I first read The Monkey's Paw as a youngster in... Read More
DEVELOP YOUR ARTISTIC CONFIDENCE I'd really like to write but... Read More
Did you ever watch your grandma knitting?Wasn't it boring? Didn't... Read More
Spring is in full bloom, which means it's 'get back... Read More
Sustained myths about Creativity and Innovation lead to confusion, bad... Read More
1. To be more comfortable in performance situations ? performance... Read More
In my "Roadblocks to Creativity" e-course, I ask the question:"What's... Read More
Someone once said that man keeps looking for truth that... Read More
Contrary to common perception, creativity can be made tangible, measurable... Read More
We've all met people who are "negative" ? negative thinkers... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
This was a very easy article to write. I was... Read More
We all use tools in our work, and all of... Read More
Did you know that all of your most cherished dreams... Read More
Creativity for the mystic has special meaning. In the world... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
Imagine this. You've got this huge dream you just turned... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
Cultivating your creativity is more than spending time with a... Read More
1. Connect with your DREAM ? Indulge yourself in a... Read More
What is creativity anyway? Well, let us look at the... Read More
Creativity is the gift to mankind. This is not the... Read More
From time immemorial mankind has wished for an Aladin's lamp,... Read More
When people find out that I'm a music therapist, the... Read More
It was 8:00 PM and I'd hit a creative wall... Read More
I've got a confession to make... there are many ways... Read More
We are all born shy, aren't we? When we see... Read More
What do you enjoy most about going on an Artist... Read More
What if there is no toilet paper and I am... Read More
Do you consider yourself creative? How about super creative? Most... Read More
You can move beyond your stuck states by contemplating all... Read More
What would you like to create? A peaceful life, a... Read More
Creativity |