Fear sucks. It can range from mild to maddening to career-killing. Most people can’t show their most amazing work to the rest of us because they fear criticisms. They feel inadequate.
They are scared people will think it’s not good enough. Others are living in their comfort zones because of fear. You don’t act because you are afraid of too many things that could go wrong.
Don’t be afraid of the unknown, because everything is unknown. Keep doing what you love, even if no one buys it, sponsors it or shares it. It matters that you show up and create. The magic will eventually happen!
You’ll suck at most things in the beginning. It takes time, persistence, and patience to create your most amazing work. Every magic happens outside your safe zone.
Creativity flourishes when you don’t seek perfection. Focus on getting stuff done. Just do. Start. Move, make, create, ship, do. Just start. What you do matters, not what you think or say or plan.
Related: 21 Signs You Are Killing Your Creativity
The real world rewards those who get stuff done. Give yourself space to think and wonder. And don’t be afraid of what might happen. And don’t forget to celebrate your wins, no matter how small they are.
Creating is the result of thinking like walking. Left foot, problem. Right foot, solution. Repeat until you arrive. Give yourself time in your life to wonder what is possible and to make even the slightest moves in that direction.
These are short quotes by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, on how to live a creative life without fear. For her, we all creative souls. We just need to figure out how to harness inspiration and unleash the creative spirit within.