I don’t know about you, but I often find it difficult to settle down and focus in on creative ideas that could be developed into something tangible.
I used to think it was because artists tend to be all-at-once kind of thinkers. If a lot of ideas are coming to you (and this happens to me regularly), it’s easy to get lost in the ocean of possibilities. And when you’re easily distracted and can’t settle down, you start thinking of yourself as basically lazy ...maybe lacking the moral fiber needed to produce something worthwhile.
But in my observation of myself and others, I think there’s something deeper at work here. If you’ve experienced failure with any kind of regularity (as most of us have), you can be fearful about exploring something that resonates with you. In other words, will it be just be another dead end? And how will you feel afterwards if it is? It’s always harder to fail at something when it’s important to you.
Yes, I know they say that if life gives you lemons, make lemonade. But unfortunately, failure doesn’t always result in a cleansing process that elevates character and improves your perception.
So what is the solution to all this? I wish I knew, although I have a feeling that following where your focus leads you and enjoying the ride just might be the only way to go.
