Common Overthinking Mistakes of Creatives
Today, let’s talk about a common overthinking mistakes of creatives.
Is overthinking something you identify with? I know for me there are times when I catch myself going, “You know what? I’ve done enough thinking about this, now it’s time to see what actually happens.”
Video Transcript: Common Overthinking Mistake of Creatives
That really is the overthinking mistake I see creatives make again and again.
It’s basically forgetting that we can’t find all the clarity that we need to by purely thinking about things. At some point, we’re going to have to get in amongst the action and start.
The mind loves to have this little sideshow that says, “You have to have everything figured out before you can start. You have to know what painting you want to make, before you can squeeze out the paint on your pallet. You have to know exactly what you’re going to say in your blog post video, or what you’re going to say in your first draft.”
But, that’s not how the creative process works.
As you know, things emerge, melt and change, and you get these little serendipitous accidents that happen during the process. You might have something even more beautiful than what you could purely think of, once you start working with your materials and going through the process of making something.
The mistake is forgetting it’s by actually making things we can see what happens, and use iteration to change what we’ve made. The mind, again, loves to say, “what you’ve made is final!” But in fact, we need to remember, whatever we make, that’s not our last chance.
By putting something down, we can do another layer, if it’s a painting. We can do another edit, if it’s a draft. W can actually then start working with the thing, like sculpting a lump of clay in front of us. We can start pushing it around and making it into something that pleases us, delights us, expresses what it is that we’re trying to express.
If you find yourself overthinking a creative project, just remember thinking doesn’t bring all the clarity you need. You need to start taking action with your materials.
In summing up, here’s three tips that I want to leave you with.
#1. Just remember overthinking doesn’t bring you all the insight you need.
#2. Remember whatever draft you’re doing, it doesn’t have to be final.
#3. Move your body
Number three is a really practical one, because sometimes it’s nice to be reminded of this. If you’re struggling with overthinking something, make sure you incorporate some exercise into your day if you can.
I personally love going for long walks with my puppy dog. I love doing yoga. By using my body, I can tire out my body, and I find I sleep better at night. Then, I wake up more energized and ready to get into my creative project the next day.
Are you an overthinker? Have you had projects in your life where you’ve gotten stuck in your head, and thinking, “I have to know exactly what the answer is before I begin?” If so, I’d love to hear your comments in the comment section down below, and share what it is that you’ve used in your creative life to be able to start creating the projects that you deeply desire to birth into the world.
Wishing you a beautiful week, a beautiful day. Take care of yourself. Be kind to yourself. Nurture your creativity and I’ll see you later!
With love,
Nicola xx
Did you miss last week’s post? Check it out here: My Top 5 Things to Do When Inspiration Runs Dry
If you’re new to my blog, and you would like some help to get started with painting or creativity, I’ve created a beautiful ten day free e-course, that takes you through just that, getting started with painting and creativity.
You can find that at https://www.nicolanewman.com/new-here. You’ll be taken through how to paint an abstract painting, and we’ll have a writing and photography adventure! It’s loads of fun. Sign up and start painting & creating today!