...called Big Magic by Elizabeth George is calling out into my world.
Just started reading it today, so good. A needed encouragement and wake-up call. In the beginning of the book there is this list, a list of fears.
And every one of them is where I am at today...
You’re afraid you have no talent.
You’re afraid you’ll be rejected or criticized or
ridiculed or misunderstood or-worst of all-
ignored.
You’re afraid there’s no market for your creativity,
and therefore no point in pursuing it.
You’re afraid somebody else already did it better.
You’re afraid everybody else already did it better.
You’re afraid somebody will steal your ideas, so it’s
safer to keep them hidden forever in the dark.
You’re afraid you won’t be taken seriously.
You’re afraid your work isn’t politically, emotionally,
or artistically important enough to change
anyone’s life.
You’re afraid your dreams are embarrassing.
You’re afraid that someday you’ll look back on your
creative endeavors as having been a giant waste
of time, effort, and money.
You’re afraid you don’t have the right kind of
discipline.
You’re afraid you don’t have the right kind of work
space, or financial freedom, or empty hours in
which to focus on invention or exploration.
You’re afraid you don’t have the right kind of training
or degree.
You’re afraid you’re too fat. (I don’t know what this
has to do with creativity, exactly, but experience
has taught me that most of us are afraid we’re too
fat, so let’s just put that on the anxiety list, for good
measure.)
You’re afraid of upsetting your family with what you
may reveal.
You’re afraid of what your peers and coworkers will
say if you express your personal truth aloud.
You’re afraid of unleashing your innermost demons,
and you really don’t want to encounter your
innermost demons.
You’re afraid your best work is behind you.
You’re afraid you never had any best work to
begin with.
You’re afraid you neglected your creativity for so long
that now you can never go back.
You’re afraid you’re too old to start.
You’re afraid you’re too young to start.
You’re afraid because something went well in your life
once, so obviously nothing can ever go well again.
You’re afraid because nothing has ever gone well in
your life, so why bother trying?
You’re afraid of being a one-hit wonder.
You’re afraid of being a no-hit wonder…
yes, this is where I am, yet somehow this inspires me to go and do. To dream big and find the delight of writing again. To renew my love affair with words. Yes, I shall succeed.
Just started reading it today, so good. A needed encouragement and wake-up call. In the beginning of the book there is this list, a list of fears.
And every one of them is where I am at today...
You’re afraid you have no talent.
You’re afraid you’ll be rejected or criticized or
ridiculed or misunderstood or-worst of all-
ignored.
You’re afraid there’s no market for your creativity,
and therefore no point in pursuing it.
You’re afraid somebody else already did it better.
You’re afraid everybody else already did it better.
You’re afraid somebody will steal your ideas, so it’s
safer to keep them hidden forever in the dark.
You’re afraid you won’t be taken seriously.
You’re afraid your work isn’t politically, emotionally,
or artistically important enough to change
anyone’s life.
You’re afraid your dreams are embarrassing.
You’re afraid that someday you’ll look back on your
creative endeavors as having been a giant waste
of time, effort, and money.
You’re afraid you don’t have the right kind of
discipline.
You’re afraid you don’t have the right kind of work
space, or financial freedom, or empty hours in
which to focus on invention or exploration.
You’re afraid you don’t have the right kind of training
or degree.
You’re afraid you’re too fat. (I don’t know what this
has to do with creativity, exactly, but experience
has taught me that most of us are afraid we’re too
fat, so let’s just put that on the anxiety list, for good
measure.)
You’re afraid of upsetting your family with what you
may reveal.
You’re afraid of what your peers and coworkers will
say if you express your personal truth aloud.
You’re afraid of unleashing your innermost demons,
and you really don’t want to encounter your
innermost demons.
You’re afraid your best work is behind you.
You’re afraid you never had any best work to
begin with.
You’re afraid you neglected your creativity for so long
that now you can never go back.
You’re afraid you’re too old to start.
You’re afraid you’re too young to start.
You’re afraid because something went well in your life
once, so obviously nothing can ever go well again.
You’re afraid because nothing has ever gone well in
your life, so why bother trying?
You’re afraid of being a one-hit wonder.
You’re afraid of being a no-hit wonder…
yes, this is where I am, yet somehow this inspires me to go and do. To dream big and find the delight of writing again. To renew my love affair with words. Yes, I shall succeed.