I watch talented people hold back from using their talents because they don’t believe they’re good enough. So they hope that one day something will change and they’ll be good enough to start using their gifts. Only then will they possibly share with the world. But that’s not how it works. Creative growth does not occur by waiting to become good before you share.
You need to create and share for you to grow.
On social media, so many people readily admire and compliment others for their posted works but they will never show their own work. I’ve heard them called lurkers. They hide behind the LIKE button and occasionally the COMMENT button but the UPLOAD button is not quite their friend.
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Then finally if they muster up the courage to show their works, they’ll first apologize for not having work that’s comparable to the outstanding works others have been showing.
If this person I just described sounds like you, if you’re hesitant to do the work or show your work because you believe you’re not good enough, then we’ve got to talk.
Listen, my dear creative friend, you’ll never be good enough until you do the creative work and you share it with the world. We’re all born, heavily loaded with creative talents. Some use what they have and others don’t. Those who use their gifts become good at them.
Hand drawn coloring page using continuous line drawing
You’ve got to do something to be good at it. Have you ever heard someone described as good at playing the piano, for example, when their fingers have never touched the piano keys? That never happens.
In just the same way, you’ll never be good at your craft if you don’t do it. The more you do it, the better you become. And an even more interesting thing happens when you share your work, it compounds the creative growth you achieve from doing the work.
First, you’ve got to do the work so you’ll have something to share.
Again on social media, I see this happen all the time. Someone decides to try sharing their work. Slowly, they start showing with the world what they’re making. They show one piece and they get positive feedback so it fuels their desire to do more work and show it. Then they get more feedback. Then all of a sudden they realize they’ve created a system for continuous creative growth. A support and fanbase for their work.
Creative Growth Feedback Loop
The more work you create, the more you’ve got to share it with people. The more feedback you get, the more you want to create. And the more work you make, the more prolific you become. Simple!!!
Last week, I told my newsletter subscribers (If you’re not a subscriber, you definitely want to sign up) about the positive feedback I received from my art group when they saw my needle doodles. Do you know what has happened since I heard the raving reviews? I started spending a lot of my time drawing more of those.
It’s been like that for a lot of the things I’ve done – hard work and feedback have shown me the path along which to follow. And the more I follow along that path the more excellent my skills become.
I started focusing on the stitching part of my work because early on in my textile art career whenever I showed my work, people will compliment me on two things – color and stitching. So I kept doing those things. And the more I did them, the more creative growth I witnessed and the stronger my skills got.
Hand-drawn coloring page using continuous line drawing
It’s like this. We carry so much talent on the inside of us. When we create and share our work, that talent gains wings and flies out into the world, leaving us a little lighter than how we started. As we repeat this process, we release more of ourselves. Pretty soon, we’re no longer bogged down by unused talents. We become weightless and we begin to soar like eagles.
Something amazing happens when you begin to spread your wings. You don’t have to make yourself fly. You fly.
You receive more than you give away when you share your work. You get off your feet and begin to take flight. You do bigger and better things.
Release your talents to the world and you’ll begin to soar high like an eagle.
Question: What’s your biggest fear about releasing your talents? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Warmest Regards,
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Clara
Errol,
Do you want to do more with your creative skills or you’re okay with not doing that at this stage of your life? I believe that’s an important starting point. If you want to do more then you can look at ways to focus.
If not, then that’s also fine.
If you decide you want to focus on finding your niche then choose only one thing to work on and just focus on that. You’ll eventually find your niche. Don’t sweat over what you choose. Just choose and get yourself unstuck.
I am not Focussed, just been doing all sorts of craft stuff although I have retired from decades of Textile wet Processing ………trying to find my niche.
Errol,
Do you want to do more with your creative skills or you’re okay with not doing that at this stage of your life? I believe that’s an important starting point. If you want to do more then you can look at ways to focus.
If not, then that’s also fine.
If you decide you want to focus on finding your niche then choose only one thing to work on and just focus on that. You’ll eventually find your niche. Don’t sweat over what you choose. Just choose and get yourself unstuck.