HOW TO GET OUT
The cliche of the “suffering artist” has woven itself in and out of the sweater that covers the mundane. Sometimes effective and appropriate, other times self-indulgent and almost comical. We guess it depends on your mood. However, one truth remains: the fabric is neutral. In other words, creativity has no disposition; rather, it is the direction in which you cast it that determines both beauty and misery.
Perhaps you’re a mathematical wizard; maybe you’ve been painting vivid masterpieces since the age of 7; perhaps you are your generation’s Steve Jobs, or Mozart, or Picasso. Regardless of your talent and whether you’ve discovered it or not, the mental engine responsible for your creativity is also accountable for your self-doubt, anxiety, insecurity, and 99 percent of the thoughts that cause you distress. In fact, creativity is both your biggest blessing and your greatest obstacle.
In college, you will undoubtedly find a plethora of new opportunities awaiting you. You will have the chance to not only showcase your talents and passions but to discover new ones. And yet, many of you will be talking yourselves out those opportunities before you can even get one foot in the door.
Sound familiar?
This is what psychologists refer to as “self-sabotage.” The more creativity you possess, the more you are likely to get in your own way. Why? Because you cannot destroy your life without creating a reason to do so. Thoughts are like legos, generated from a mind that is evolutionarily designed to protect you. Any opportunity to pursue your talent is a vulnerable one; thereby, your mind activates what we like to call Mama Bear mode anytime you stand at the doorstep of something new and daring.
So now that we’ve identified the prison… let’s get you out.
Have you ever watched a child play with their toys? These are moments where the real world ceases to exist for them, as they construct a fantasy which brings them joy, adventure, and awe. The really talented ones can create something truly magical and profound. As they grow older, their sense of comfort and playfulness diminishes, replaced by fear. So what happened? Well, it’s not that they stopped playing; it’s that they switched their toys.
The fearful stories we tell ourselves are no different than the magical world we created as children: they are both illusions. It is essential to recognize this. As a master of creation, you must be vigilant about what it is that you’re creating. For a person who is capable of creating a witty poem means that he/she is just as good at creating a clever mental trap.
And so, the way to get out of your mental trap is to return to reality, precisely the way you would when you were done playing pretend as a child. Ninety percent of what holds you back is not your circumstance but your false thoughts and beliefs about it. Illusions are designed to keep you safe. And what are illusions but a byproduct of a creative mind?
Understand that creativity is a powerful mechanism, but it is not you . Neither are the clever tales you frighten and discourage yourself with.
So the next time you find yourself talking yourself out of something you’ve always wanted to do, ask yourself: who is speaking? Is it you? Or is it that darn attorney in your mind trying to lock you up again with tempting evidence.
