You’re not good enough.
Your work doesn’t matter.
You are an imposter.
And so am I.
But what are we pretending to be? Matters to what? And, good enough for whom exactly?
There are many fears around making art. Making art is a vulnerable act that requires us to put ourselves, our ideas, experiences, beliefs, and values out there in ways few others do. It’s also often tied up with our identities. “I’m a painter.” “I’m a dancer.” “I’m a musician.”
“I’m an artist.”
And here we are questioning our own work. Our own worth. “This project sucks.” “My work sucks.” “I’m no artist.”
Yet, as David Bayles and Ted Orland say in Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking,
And what is an artist besides someone who makes art? When we get real with ourselves, it’s that simple.
So, whether you:
- Have just finished a big project and are struggling to start on the next one
- Just experienced a major failure or disappointment and are questioning your whole life’s work
- Or, you’re just kicking yourself for not getting your ass in the studio/at the keyboard/at the easel/etc.
Take a breath and think about why you even want to keep going. Do you want to keep going? If you do, it’s time you honor that voice inside you pulling you toward your work.
These fears, setbacks, and self-doubt plague nearly every artist I know. In fact, I’m in many artist groups on Facebook where I recently asked what their biggest challenges are in getting started and got hundreds of responses. Want to guess the number-one response? It was some version or another of, “getting started.” And many stated it in those exact words.
Possibly some were snarky responses, but the majority were authentic. And, frankly I’ve felt it too. I felt some of these fears a lot the past couple weeks while I’ve been revving up to launch this blog. I know it’s not necessarily art, but it is putting my words and thoughts out there for the world to take in, if they’ll take the time to read them.
I reached out to a bunch of artist friends of all mediums and guess what, they’ve felt it too. All working artists, experts in their crafts, and they too have felt like they’re imposters, that their work isn’t good enough, or that what they do doesn’t matter.
I invite you to take a sweep through this beastly resource of encouragement and motivation, find the responses that speak to you and put them somewhere you can easily access and refer back to whenever you’re distressed about your work.
These responses blew my mind and warmed my heart so much. They’re partly how I got the confidence to keep pushing through with Artful Efforts. I hope they bring you similar warmth, relief, and the sustenance you need to get started.
(Some responses have been slightly edited for context.)
Trust Yourself
According to dancemaker Genevieve Carson, there are two possible outcomes when it comes to facing our fears.
“Imposter syndrome is something I battle daily, and I have spoken with several artists who consistently struggle with it, as well. It can either swallow you whole and prevent you from moving forward in your process, or you can push past it by trusting yourself and diving deep into the unknown. I think it’s vital to understand the importance of accepting imperfection, failure, and disappointment as possible outcomes.”
Genevieve Carson – Artistic Director and Dancemaker
She also invites us to accept ourselves and our humanity.
“We are human and being human is messy. Therefore, artistic processes can be messy – and that is beautiful. Making work is scary, and oftentimes feels incredible lonely, but this is a mindset that can be flipped on its head. You can either focus on the fear, or channel the fear into creative electricity, focus, and commitment.”
Genevieve Carson – Artistic Director and Dancemaker
Speaking of accepting our humanity, multi-talented writer, filmmaker, and makeup artist Michelle Nessk says that we also need to listen to ourselves when our body and mind are telling us that we need a break.
“Every new venture starts with a first step, so if you feel like you are planting your feet to the point where you are at an impasse with what you are trying to create, take a break. Food and drink become second thoughts, which is detrimental to our health, and can hinder our ability to create. So, make sure that you are giving yourself food and water. But more than necessities give yourself time for you.
Have a cup of tea, give yourself an hour of video games, read a few chapters of a book, or even indulge yourself with an at-home refreshing face mask made from oatmeal and lemon juice. Whatever it takes to pull your head out of the moat. When we are knee-deep in a project, we tend to forget ourselves. In doing so we can burn ourselves out, but we as individual artists are just as important as what we are creating. It’s important to remember that your well-being is priority number one [if you want to] create anything at all.”
Michelle Nessk – Filmmaker and Founder
What’s the most important part of trusting ourselves? Trusting that we each have a singular perspective and a unique voice in which to share that perspective through. And, not giving into the temptation to compare our work with others. Writer, producer, comedian, and dancemaker Katie Malia says it plainly.
“You have to fight to not compare your idea with someone who has “done it before” simply because no one has. There is no other you. Only you can create through your point of view with your unique voice and sensibility. We are all a culmination of our life experiences from the second we take our first breath to the ever-present minute. No one knows where anyone else’s head and heart are at, and that is what sets our ideas apart.”
Katie Malia – Comedian, Producer, and Dancemaker
Burlesque producer and performer Miss Marquez reminds us that not only should we trust our unique voice, but that it’s okay that not everyone likes us or our work. In fact, it’s not possible for everyone to like our work and we need to accept that.
“I think at the end of the day it’s not about confidence building as much as it is about recognizing that your voice is unique and deserves to be heard. That’s not to say that you are entitled to have an audience that wants to hear it. By recognizing how unique your voice is you must recognize how diverse the audience, associated to the field you are in is also.
“As the Dita Von Teese quote goes,
‘You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, and there’s still going to be somebody who hates peaches.’
“Owning my voice and not trying to please others has certainly helped propel my career. I arrived in LA pursuing a career in dance and was signed with a great dance agent who asked me to add highlights to my hair and tan my body so I looked more “commercial”. Instead I ended up dying my hair green, taking off my clothes for a living, and following a crazy dream for Empowerment. I can tell you with every ounce of my body, soul, and being that I am so much happier than I would have been had I followed someone else’s vision for me.”
Miss Marquez – Burlesque Performer, Producer, and Founder
Plus, as visual artist Dylan Eakin says, no one is going to do our work for us.
“No one else is going to make your art. Discipline is important. A drive to create in the face of failure or obscurity is important, but no one on Earth is going to make your art. If you don’t have confidence that your perspective belongs in the world, then you have no foundation. But if your creations are speaking with your genuine voice, then every project is worth doing. Have confidence that you belong, and you’ll be able to create through the discouragements, the fatigue, and the failures. No one else will do it for you.”
Dylan Eakin – Visual Artist
Trust the Process
Sometimes doubt and second guessing ourselves is a critical part of the artistic process. We should be questioning ourselves and stretching ourselves as artists and if we were wholly confident in our work 100% of the time, we’re probably not challenging ourselves or our audiences.
“The first step to creating something worth a damn is a healthy balance of introspection and extrospection… And the key to that is the holy trinity of sensitivity, humility and respect. All of these things will absolutely serve whatever you’re making for the better, with the unfortunate side effect of questioning whether or not you should be making anything in the first place. Everybody feels this.. or rather, they should.
“Good ideas, great work and profound performance is usually built upon a wild balance of extreme confidence and crippling self-doubt. This all most likely stems from an understanding that making art and contributing something to the creative landscape is a privilege and not necessary a right… Especially if you’re pursuing it as a living…
“I think for so many artists; they spend the majority of their formative years battling to be heard and seen, the expectation of being paid for their work doesn’t exist. It wasn’t in the contract you signed when you first started creating, so it isn’t part of your creative mechanism… And it shouldn’t be! Especially in your developmental stage…
“Whenever you feel as if you shouldn’t be making something or it’s not good enough, or whatever it is… Just know that you’re asking yourself the right questions and your favorite artists are doing the same thing right now. Great work survives the process and while it’s not easy, it’s essential and to put it mildly, exciting.”
Benjamin Grey – Musician
Us artists are a curious people and one of the most valuable aspects of art is the questions it proposes. To me, much of art can boil down to two functions: telling stories and exploring questions. Rebecca Lemme of Acts of Matter believes that exploring personal questions and concerns about our work is essential to the process of creation.
“As artists I think most of us suffer from some kind of concern over whether our work is actually getting at the thing we’re trying to say. And even if it is, is our viewpoint relevant? Is it new, does it advance the conversation, is someone doing it better, has it already been done ad nauseam, am I the right person to tackle this subject matter? If we’re not asking ourselves these questions, I feel we’re not actually doing the work. And the work is really the point.
How do we engage with something that we—and hopefully the larger community—find worthy of addressing? How do we approach it in the space with our collaborators—performers and designers? Whose voices do we include and consider? Who is left out?”
Rebecca Lemme – Artistic Director and Dancemaker
Sometimes the process requires letting go, soaking in others’ art, and making room in our lives for play.
“Shows and projects are a demanding rabbit-hole that can be all consuming. When all that is over, I sometimes feel like I’ve lost myself in the last work, so I start small. I might not have an idea for the next great project, so I explore and research. I make an extra effort to go see shows, listen to new music, connect with the world, etc. Then, I play. I start with a phrase or an improvisation and see where that takes me. Usually this develops into a greater concept and kick starts the next project.”
Charlotte Smith – Dancemaker
Collecting pieces of inspiration can aid in getting started because if you have jumping off points, you’re never starting from scratch.
“For original work though, I generally keep a live document or two that I can access from any device I have, so that I can add thoughts to it.
Sometimes they are bits of dialog, scene ideas, plot set-ups, or story ideas. I do this on a constant basis, and as time goes on, these little molecules begin to combine into more complex structures.
“By the time I have decided to write a particular thing, I generally have a handful of ideas around it to help me get started. This is sort of a no-pressure way to build ideas. This process is like a background task for my brain so I am never starting with an empty page. I guess some people would say they do research around an idea, but this comes before that for me. In fact, I don’t like to do too much research because I think it can be a void you get trapped in instead of actually writing. I’m not saying research is bad, but I tend to deal in the world I make up so my research needs are light and happen on the fly.Seth M. Sherwood – Screenplay Writer and Filmmaker
“At any rate, when I don’t move on an idea until I have 4-5 bullet ideas for it, I’m never actually starting with nothing.”
Whatever your questions and beliefs about yourself and your work, the process of art making can’t begin until we do. Writer and dancemaker Makeda Easter says,
“Find time, even if it’s just a few minutes a day or a few hours a week to work on that passion project or the thing that you can’t stop thinking about. Just making baby steps and ultimately getting the idea out of your head and into the world is the best feeling. You can only grow from there.”
Makeda Easter – Writer and Dancemaker
These “baby steps” are what will snowball into a completed project. And it’s important to continually remind ourselves that our voice is unique and our story worth telling with every step.
“Breathe and literally do one thing that involves your project It doesn’t have to be perfect and it doesn’t have to be right. I find that meditating creates my intention. Then, taking one step, even a baby one, will lead to the next, and the next, and the next until finally you get momentum and bang that bad boy out. And for those in fear of being like everyone else, guess what? We are all beautiful manifestations of the divine so naturally yeah we might have similar ideas and expressions but no matter what we are all unique and no one is exactly like another.
I find solace in that when creating, and it helps me realize that no one can execute Shay Simone like Shay Simone. The same can be applied to every artist out there. It’s best to let go and create what your mind’s eye sees without harsh judgement…easier said than done, I know. But the more you do it the better you become. So keep going, keep pushing, keep exploring. Don’t create from fear, create from Love and compassion.”
Shay Simone – Burlesque Performer, Producer, and Founder
Perfection isn’t the goal, especially when we’re just starting out on a new project. Once we’ve taken the first couple of steps, we need to follow the work and trust our instincts. Nothing is set in stone until we say it is.
“Creating work is a journey and the most important step is to start that journey. It’s also important for me to stay authentic to that journey, even if it takes me places I never thought I’d go. If it feels right, don’t be afraid to go there. Trust your instincts.
I also find it helpful to get started on an idea when inspiration strikes, even if it’s just brainstorming. Setting concrete ideas for a project, whether it’s regarding costuming, music, choreographic motifs, imagery, etc., all go a long way in helping me ground an idea in a way that helps me bring it to life rather than let it float in an ethereal, unrealized place.”
Paris Original – Burlesque Performer and Producer
Sometimes, allowing ourselves to let go of an idea and releasing judgement of our own processes are the keys to moving forward.
“Maintaining output is about realizing that my ideas aren’t precious. Everything is temporal and things that could have worked at some point can be destroyed by exploring a concept that should have just been sketched out, processed and moved past.
“I don’t give myself any routine or schedule and I allow myself to work on projects generally when I’m in the headspace but I try to make some decision every time I sit down- nothing structural, just some moment on a concept. Sometimes ideas hold my attention long enough to get completed. Lots of shit get discarded.”
Jesse Hughey – Visual Artist and Musician
As photographer Lan Doan points out, you can never reach your goals as an artist if you don’t start and continue the process. Refine overtime and eventually you’ll look back one day and realize how far you’ve come.
“It took me years to even consider calling myself a photographer, and even then, I almost put the word itself in quotation marks. Thankfully these last few years I’ve been able to embrace this career path and confidence that this is the right path, and this is what I have prepared for. With everyday working as a freelance or creative, we tend to not often see the same projects, so using milestones might be harder to gauge and evaluate our successes.
Of course, it takes time and hard work, along with continual passion and studies, and eventually the confidence in your own abilities will manifest. The imposter syndrome we face isn’t necessarily quite the fear of failure, rather it’s that fear of success. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and don’t be afraid to teach what you have learned along the way. Speak out of experience rather than in a lecturing format and it might help realize all along that you’ve always been ready.”
Lan Doan – Photographer
The final, critical, and often most challenging part of trusting the process is accepting the possibility of failure.
“It’s much easier to blame other obstacles from allowing us to accomplish our goals rather than admitting a fear of failure. I think relinquishing ourselves from this fear is the key to getting over our selves. If we don’t make room for failure, we don’t offer room for growth either.”
Miss Marquez – Burlesque Performer, Producer, and Founder
Let the Idea Drive the Effort
When we struggle with confidence and trusting our own voice, sometimes it’s best to let the passion and fervor for an idea itself drive our efforts.
“My passion for my ideas is what keeps me going. Sometimes I get so consumed by an idea — a story or project that I want to pursue — that I have to do it. Just visualizing the thing being out in the world is so satisfying to me. Even if there’s that nagging feeling in the back of my mind that someone else more talented could do it better. The driving force of getting my idea into the world, no matter the reception, drives me.”
Makeda Easter – Writer and Dancemaker
Sometimes, an idea can be all consuming. This is certainly true for me. And, I ‘ve found that when I leave an idea I’m passionate about, or dare I say obsessed with, and don’t put any work toward turning it into something, it can be anxiety inducing.
“There is that inexplainable pull, that inner pilot light for a project that keeps you awake at night and drives you to near insanity because you can’t stop thinking about it.
I think there’s a lot of self-judgement when any idea is in its gestation and incubation period. The driving with the idea, sleeping with it, showering, eating, and obsessively carrying it that can feel incredibly daunting because the project feels inactive. Quite the contrary. That’s when it’s the most pure…
“The world needs your ideas — it just takes that rain man level like obsessive-compulsive need to birth your idea coupled with champion horse blinder focus.
Some ideas fall away. Some ideas never shut up. I listen to the ones that never shut up. The ones that scream at me or have been humming drone-like in the back of my mind for years. I have ideas that have been incubating for over ten years, but the fact I can still hear them and they continue to inspire me means I’ll eventually birth them.
Basically, if I don’t release the idea, it’ll strangle me first. Consider yourself the conduit. Be patient. Quiet the judgement. Plug into your pilot light. Stay true to your vision. Roll in the mud. Protect the baby and honor your idea enough to obsessively execute it with honesty. One day at a time. Then you just gotta jump.”
Katie Malia – Comedian, Producer, and Dancemaker
And, if you need even more of a push than that, dancemaker and filmmaker Preston Andrew Patterson goes even further saying that not only is your idea and your work important to you, it’s important to the world.
“It’s easy to dedicate considerable effort to pondering the insurmountable odds that are weighed against any artistic endeavor. These troubling odds are heavy and can feel suffocating, particularly if your creative pursuit is at the mercy of a full/part-time job, school, familial dependence, and any other obligation that prevents you from devoting all your energy into your craft. It is daunting, and often times you have to be your own cheerleader.
“Cheer on. Despite the potential “Nos” – and they will come – despite the task of budgeting time and learning when to say no for the sake of a project; t
he truth is your art is needed. That is not to say that creating your art will be financially rewarding, or even good – after all, art is for the most part subjective – but it is needed, nonetheless. It is not the uncertainty of today’s times that insist on you indulging your artistic pursuit(s), it is the good creating art does for us as a society, even if it isn’t received well. In times of self-doubt I try to remind myself of the good creating art does for my soul, and that all art has an audience. And if by some receptive anomaly, my art doesn’t find an audience, it has a home in my heart.”
Preston Andrew Patterson – Dancemaker and Filmmaker
Lean on Your Community
Whether it’s your close support network or looking to artistic mentors from afar, leaning on your community can help give you the strength you need to keep going.
“I had wanted to pursue photography for a while, but my self-doubt pushed me away from it longer than I wish it had. When I finally mustered up the confidence to go out into the world and do it, I was pleasantly surprised by the support I received from family and friends. Their encouragement helped push any self-doubt away and I was able to take more risks with my photography.
It really is such a seesaw of feeling totally confident in my craft, to feeling completely inadequate the next. To keep myself going, I continue to remind myself of the times that I tried something that worked and know that I can achieve that again. Deep down I know that every “failure” gives me the gift of a lesson to use in the future and become better at what I do. Reading about other artists’ adversity shows me that we are all in the same boat.”
Paisley Grey – Photographer
Sometimes all it takes is discussing our idea with trusted colleagues to muster up the excitement we need to take the first or next step in the process.
“When it comes to getting started, I think these conversations are the right place to begin. Often when I’m approaching a new work or am feeling a new idea germinating inside of me, the best thing to do is have conversations about it with people whose opinions I value, and whose points of view are varied. By allowing the thoughts in my head to find root in articulation I inevitably start to clarify what my ideas are and what the essence of the work is.
From there it becomes about getting into the studio—usually with some really thoughtful bodies and brains—who can help me start to play with tasks that endeavor to physicalize these essential components. This part of the process is about continuing to marry the intellect with intuition as we craft movement and relationships in the space. The trick for me is to stay away from judgement or over-editing at this stage and instead to let the work start to speak for itself and indicate the direction it needs to take.”
Rebecca Lemme – Artistic Director and Dancemaker
No matter our position, or place in our community, our status or rank – imagined our otherwise – artmaking can be a lonely process. Collaboration, whether direct or indirect, can fuel our passion and help us foster a sense of belonging to a larger purpose.
“While I have felt achingly lonely inside of my role, what I’ve come to realize is that I am cultivating a collective vision with my dancers and collaborators. When you surround yourself with collaborators who are kind, open to process, and supportive inside the creative space, the possibilities are endless. The inspiration I gain from the beautiful artists in the studio always brings me back.”
Genevieve Carson – Artistic Director and Dancemaker
Looking outside of our artists communities to loved ones for support can be essential in remembering our value and worth as an individual outside of our art or careers and help us get grounded in what’s most important about our work.
“A few years ago, I moved to L.A. to begin a reporting fellowship at the Los Angeles Times. I didn’t start the job with impostor syndrome, but it hit me soon enough. Unlike the others in my program, I didn’t have a traditional journalism background and quickly realized there was a lot I needed to learn, and no one was going to help me get there. I just kept pushing through though.
There were definitely hard days but the feeling of seeing my work out in the world and getting the occasional positive response fueled me. Having a partner who supported me, reassured me and listened to me vent was also invaluable for pushing through impostor syndrome.”
Makeda Easter – Writer and Dancemaker
Just Do It, Damn It
When all else fails, we have to just start the damn thing. As Dylan Eakin said, no one’s going to do it for us. Sometimes, especially when we’re just starting out, we have to make our own way. Whether that means becoming a director when we’re wanting to act or write a screenplay, choreographing solos when we want to be a dancer, or starting a blog to publish our stories as a writer, there are times when we’ll have to make our own opportunities and stop waiting to be handed them or waiting to be “discovered.”
That’s what actor, producer, and educator Angela DiMarco did, and it’s served her well.
“Many artists wait around for their agent to get them work, or just embrace whatever the market types them as. Well I had many roles I knew I could do and tons of stories I wanted to tell, so I did!
If YOU feel less than or not seen in your art, CREATE. If you don’t like the roles or stories you’re given opportunities to audition for, write something NEW. If you’re not getting in the door or booking, do it YOURSELF. You are only an imposter if you give up.
As soon as I stopped waiting on others, I’ve never been more busy. Over 70 films, 100s of plays and I am always crafting. Do what you love and love what you do. Life is so very short, you’re already on the ride, you might as well enjoy it.”
Angela DiMarco – Actor, Producer, and Educator
When we’re feeling down and as if there are obstacles in our way stopping us from doing the work, it’s time to ask ourselves the tough questions. Are we uninspired or just feeling discouraged? Are we struggling with things out of our control, or are we procrastinating?
“You can do whatever you want to get inspired but at the end of the day nothing is going to happen if you don’t sit down and do the work.
“I think imposter syndrome and art block are really just different forms of procrastination. We are all very lucky to be expressing ourselves by doing something creative, so people should try to white knuckle through it by any means necessary. Self-care is important but don’t go overboard with it. Self-esteem is important but don’t get cocky.
“There are always going to be people that are naturally gifted, are more driven, have more money and resources, and just better at what you do than you are but that doesn’t mean you can’t try to be the best that you can be. There is only room in the zeitgeist for so many people and In addition to the hard work, marketing and cunning, there is also a bit of luck involved so just do your absolute best, never stop learning and try to enjoy it when you can.”
Austin Hart – Visual Artist
It’s okay that we have doubts about ourselves. As some artists quoted above have mentioned, it’s actually important to have them. However, it’s also important to not let this self-doubt overcome us, or, as comedian Alyssa Yeoman says, define us.
The sneaky thing about imposter syndrome is the way it stops you from moving forward for the perceived fear of failure. In reality, no one really knows what the hell they are doing and by going for the projects, opportunities, gigs, etc that you want is really the only way to shake imposter syndrome out of your system.
I don’t believe that it every goes away because as you reach new heights and goals new issues rise up and old habits of self-destruction come up but I do believe that the way you handle those moments change the more go out for the shit you want. In some ways it’s the anxiety of not being good enough that keeps you grounded in your work and your desire to take things to the next level… the key is not letting that anxiety define you.
Alyssa Yeoman – Comedian
Coming face to face with our fears can tell us a lot about what we’re made of as artists and human beings. Thinking about our future selves looking back at this moment in time can give us the swift kick-in-the-pants needed to get moving now.
“When it comes time to really prove oneself, you may realize that there was lots of time wasted that could have been better spent just fucking diving into those unchartered waters.”
Says writer and musician Gabriel Hart,
“My definition of imposter syndrome is often basically the sound of phantom voices telling you that you have no business doing something you’ve never done before, that you’re late to the game, that something isn’t quite right. If imposter syndrome is a chronic occurrence, its victim deserves every bit of it. It’s often mistaken for the voices of “other people” – your peers, your opponents, what have you… But I am positive that it’s your inner voice trying to tell you that you haven’t taken all the care or done all of the research to bring your idea to fruition.
“People that have had to fight for what they do their whole life use immediate action with their art as ammunition against anyone telling them they couldn’t do it. That way, there’s proof they are wrong, even if it is a rough draft. The key is to keep that rough draft to yourself until you have fine-tuned it. Otherwise, you run the risk of people telling you things like “Well, YOU get an A for effort!” instead of actually making an impression on them.”
Gabriel Hart – Writer and Musician
If after all this we need more convincing to get the hell to work, let writer, educator and international best-selling novelist Janis Thomas show us how to beat the demons.
“I’ve written eight novels, been lucky enough to get four book deals with two major publishing companies, and I’m proud to have an international best-selling novel (WHAT REMAINS TRUE). But despite these triumphs, I’m still filled with terror every time I write THE END at the close of a manuscript. (Yes, I know typing THE END is very passé, but I’m old school! What can I say?)
The fear is real and all-consuming, and it’s something that a lot of writers I know experience. What if that’s it? I ask myself. What if I’m wrung dry? What if I don’t have another story in me? What if I’m a hack? What if everything I’ve written is garbage and my book deals were only a fluke? I’m an imposter, I’m a poser. I should quit right now!
“I have these thoughts and worse ones too. All the time. And here’s the deal. The only thing that gets me out of my head, the only way I can banish the negativity, is to sit my butt back down at the computer, put my fingers on the keyboard, and write. That’s it. Simple. Like Nike, I just have to do it.
The doing erases the doubts and quiets that nagging, annoying voice. And in the quiet, the story is allowed to bloom, and I am allowed to tell it.”
Janis Thomas – Novelist
Because after all, just as our effort is what makes the work happen, the work is what feeds us as artists.
“Every successful piece of art I have created has been unpopular with my peers, usually from ideation, until they see it for the first time. Because everyone perceives things through their own filter, it is not likely that anyone will interpret your work, the way you intended, until it is done. That’s it. So, I just do it.
“‘It’ is subjective, but if I do it, then it is mine. Do what you can with what you have, RIGHT NOW. that’s what I tell myself, even when I am broke, hungry, (and in this month’s case) homeless. I am midway through this life and doubt and insecurity have ruled me throughout. The one thing that has literally saved my life, is art; Healing through the art of filmmaking has kept me going. Do. It.”
Rick Walters – Filmmaker and Producer
Your Artful Effort
Take from this piece the advice, experience, and opinions that serve you and ignore the rest! Everyone has their own process and right now, you need to embrace yours. Once you’ve soaked it all in and taken the time you need to ensure you’re taken care of, it’s time to take that first step toward your next project, or toward finishing that piece you’ve been putting off.
You are the only thing holding you back from creating the art you want to see in the world. Be your own inspiration and show yourself you can.
