Perfect Imperfection: Creating the Best You
I am a perfectionist. Before I share anything I create, I make sure it is perfect. This perfectionist habit of mine is holding me back from creating anything at all. In fact, the creative part of our brain is choked by the analytical side.
The analytical side worries. It figures out how to separate and whittle down what the creative side dreams up. If your analytical side is too active, it whittles your creative ideas down until there is nothing left. It's fine to listen to it in survival situations, but do not listen to it while you're creating -- or you will end up creating nothing.
Creating something is always better than creating nothing.
Do not judge yourself. Judgment is the voice of ego. When you find yourself asking, "Who am I to create something?" Or you end up saying, "Whatever I make isn't going to be good enough." Do not listen. Those questions only come from ego and fear.
Step forward and follow your dreams. You are going to fail, but your failure is progress. So create. Do it badly on purpose.
One of the most beautiful pieces of advice I've received is:
"If you want to write, make your first draft awful on purpose. Then, at least you'll have something."
The worst part of creating is the ego-voice in your head that tells you that you can't do it.
So just for today, don't listen to it. Maybe tomorrow, you can tell it to take a hike, too.