How To Overcome Perfectionism So You Can Create Daily With Confidence
Raise your hand if you're a perfectionist.
Now, keep that hand up if your inner perfectionist is the creativity police, stopping you from even beginning, let alone finishing, creative projects or sharing your work with others.
Hand still in the air? Fantastic! You're in the right place!
When it comes to perfectionism, I can say I have battled with this trait for years. At one point in time, I thought it was something to be proud of, something to wear like a badge of honor. However, as I've matured, I've come to realise that being a perfectionist has never served me, especially creatively.
In fact, I'd go as far as to say it is the creativity killer.
You see the problem with perfectionism is that it strangles the life out of creativity by imposing an unattainable standard. Driven by fear, it hinders the creative process by stomping out experimentation, exploration and the natural flow of ideas. This fear then acts like an anchor, keeping you creatively stuck and stagnant. Meaning, you struggle to start creative projects, finish them or share them with the rest of the world.
The reason this matters is that it's essentially the onset of a creative block or an indicator that you're waist-deep in it.
So, how do we address this and get you back to creating freely every day without fear?
Well, in order to do so, we need to consider the following three things:
- What is the creative process? (Trust me this is important)
- Where does perfectionism trip you up in that process?
- The secret to outsmarting your perfectionism.
What is the Creative Process?
If we're working with the premise that creativity is "the ability to bring something new into existence through the connection of existing and/or new ideas," then it's clear that a process is involved. After all, you can't bring something new into existence, whether it's a painting, a drawing, a story, or a crocheted blanket, without a PROCESS.
So, what is this process? Well, in all my years as an artist, I believe it looks like this:
Digging deeper into this I believe the creative process is everything that happens from the inception of an idea before it can become a finished product.
This journey requires exploring how this idea will come into existence, experimenting with different mediums, methods, and techniques, learning or honing the skills needed, acquiring feedback on what is or isn't working, and refining the product before calling it finished. This process is messy and full of unknowns and requires surrendering ourselves to it. In fact, I believe that the only way through this process is to be led along by curiosity.
Approaching this process with a perfectionistic mindset, on the other hand, will ensure the opposite outcome—you'll be driven by fear, or worse, paralysed by it.
Now, let's pinpoint the exact stages within this creative process where you're most vulnerable to this happening.
Where Does Perfectionism Trip You Up in the Creative Process?
If we assume that perfectionism is a refusal to accept any standard short of perfection, it's safe to say that it's a loyalty to a standard driven by fear. Perfectionism fixates on the end result rather than valuing the journey and the process.
This result-driven focus comes at the cost of the journey through exploration, experimentation, learning, feedback, and refinement. In doing so, perfectionism short-circuits your growth. You can never grow without making mistakes and can never be creative if you skip the exploration that fosters this thinking.
Although, perfectionism can trip you up at any stage of the creative process, I believe there are three key points where it can be particularly detrimental.
The first place is here:
At the very beginning of the creative process, before you even begin exploring your idea. Perfectionism wants to skip and circumvent all the messy stuff between the inception of an idea and the finished product -- in other words, the place where all learning and exploration happens. It wants to reach a perfect finished product without doing the hard work. At this stage, the person struggling with perfection might even argue there's no use in trying because it won't be good.
The second place is here:
Upon beginning your creative exploration and experimentation, perfectionism drives you to control things, causing you to focus on minutia and follow rigid and inflexible processes. This can cause you to fixate on an unattainable standard and prevent you from discovering and trying new things. As a result, you may stop exploring, experimenting, and thinking creatively. Even if you reach a final product, the process may have been unpleasant, and you may give up on the project due to exhaustion and frustration.
The third place is here:
At the refinement stage of a project or idea, perfectionism can drive you to continually refine, tweak, and adjust, never coming to an outcome. This can happen for two reasons: you may want to avoid calling it finished and confront a final product that doesn't meet your high standards, or you may be afraid to put the final product out into the world and face criticism or judgement. In either case, perfectionism prevents the completion of the project or idea.
Now that we know exactly where your perfectionism trips you up it’s time to learn how to outsmart it.
The Secret to Outsmarting your Perfectionism.
The reality is, if you're a perfectionist, it might be something you have to deal with for the rest of your life. That's why it's crucial to learn how to outsmart your perfectionism.
You can achieve this in three ways:
1. Accept that the creative process is going to feel uncomfortable.
2. Embrace small steps of imperfect and uncomfortable action to help you navigate the creative process.
3. Recognise your limitations and practice patience with yourself.
Embracing Discomfort:
When embracing discomfort, it’s important to understand that the creative process inherently involves discomfort. Creative endeavours often lead to uncharted territory and require taking risks. It's perfectly normal to feel uneasy, uncertain, and vulnerable during the process. Accepting this discomfort as a natural part of creativity can help you overcome perfectionism. Here’s what I like to repeat to myself when I’m feeling particularly uncomfortable:
“Lean into the unfamiliar until it becomes familiar”.
Imperfect Action:
When trying to move through this uncomfortable creative process, it’s crucial that you swiftly take small, imperfect, and uncomfortable action to move forward. Perfectionism often paralyses individuals because they're afraid of making mistakes or producing anything less than perfect. By taking small steps, even if they're imperfect, you learn, grow, and progress in your creative journey.
It's through these imperfect actions that you discover new ideas and refine your skills.
Embrace Your Limitations:
Finally when you’re coming to the end of the creative process on any given project it’s important you recognise your limitations and accept them without self-criticism. Perfectionism often arises from unrealistic expectations about your self and abilities. Acknowledging that you have limitations in your skillset, handling of medium and executing that, doesn't mean you can't improve or evolve; it just means you’re still growing. Be patient with yourself, and understand that growth takes time.
Takeaways
+ Perfectionism only ever hinders the creative process.
+ It does this by preventing you from starting a creative task, stifling exploration and experimentation during the process, or completing the task and sharing the final result.
+ To combat this, you need to embrace the discomfort you experience during the creative process, take small steps of imperfect action, and acknowledge your limitations while practicing patience with yourself.
What's Next?
1. Download your free PDF workbook below.
2. Unlock access to this and other free resources by joining "The Creativity Cafe". Sign up below.
3. Watch my free creative block masterclass here.
4. Get on the waitlist for my upcoming sketchbook workshop here.
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In two simple exercises this workbook will help you build the habits you need to tell your pesky inner perfectionist to pipe down so you can get busy creating once again!
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