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“Feeling Ready” is a lie
Just a piece of advice: if you’re waiting to feel inspired to create again, you might be waiting forever. I get it. I’ve had seasons in my life where I’ve gone weeks, even months, without creating for this exact reason. I wait, and wait, and wait, and wait for the art inspiration and motivation to hit, but why does it never come?
Artists have grown to believe that in order to create, they must first feel excited, ready, and/or energized. We believe that without art motivation and inspiration we cannot create good art, but what if I told you that’s wrong? What if… the inspiration follows action, not the other way around? What if you decide when it’s time to create?
Where The Myth Comes From
Many aspects of our society have led us to believe this myth, things we wouldn’t have otherwise questioned.
For a lot of arts history, artists have been found with a muse. You see it in movies, in books, even the analogy of “an artist and their muse” is used in poetry, music, and so on. In art, the need for a muse to create has become romanticized. Having a muse isn’t just necessary anymore; it’s “aesthetic” and more pleasant than creating without one. For some people, romanticizing art in this way can help, but for a lot of others, it’s more degrading than it is uplifting.
On social media such as Instagram and TikTok, the short-form content is most often used in the art community to show off results or the “flow state”. Rarely will you find content about being stuck, or showing the period where there is no motivation. This can subconsciously lead your brain to believe that most artists don’t have dry seasons with their art, and that it’s just a you problem.
One more example of this in everyday life is the education system. Schools and other educational systems are made to prepare you for the workforce. They praise good behaviour and good results, while completely ignoring the process it took to get there once it’s been accomplished. You’re in school for a minimum of 13 years, which means these practices and ways of thinking have been deeply ingrained in your habits and routines. The joy of art is not solely about the results; it has a lot to do with the creative process.
Why Waiting On Art Motivation Doesn’t Work
Creative momentum doesn’t come from thinking and resting; it comes from doing. Think of a ball at the edge of a hill. Momentum doesn’t begin because suddenly something in the air told it to, it begins by a force. Someone kicks it, it begins to roll down the hill, and it continues to roll. It might even speed up depending on how steep the hill is.
Now take you as an example. Once you finally sit down and take action in your art (the force), your brain is encouraged to keep going (the momentum). Now you’ll want to keep creating, and when you do so, then you’ll want to create even more! The more you continue your art and the more routines and focus you set aside for your art, the faster you will progress.
When you’re not creating art, it’s easy to continue not making art. But when you are, it sends dopamine to your brain (your brain really likes dopamine). Your brain will want to continue doing whatever it is you are doing to keep receiving that dopamine. The problem is, we often fall into the trap of “easy’ dopamine. Things such as snacks, scrolling on your phone, watching videos, TV, etc., are quick dopamine fixes, and your brain doesn’t want to put in the work it takes to get real dopamine now that it’s found an easy solution, even if it’s something you enjoy doing.
Another reason creative momentum comes from creating art is that when you’re creating, you’re making tiny wins, and trust me, your brain is taking notes. Our brains like feeling good; they like winning. Each time your brain receives a tiny win signal, it reinforces the idea of “I like doing this” and “I am good at this” instead of staying in the cycle of thoughts such as “I’m not worthy” and “This is trash, why do I continue?”.
The more you push through your art, the more your brain will crave it.
Whether we like it or not, there is no other way of getting around this obstacle. No amount of waiting will earn you the art motivation. Low energy and creative blocks won’t disappear on their own; you have to make them disappear. And relying on “feeling ready” does the exact opposite of what you want: it stunts your healing, your confidence, and your growth.
What Actually Gets Artists Unstuck
To get out of this habit of waiting, you have to take action. By setting low expectations and creating without judgment, you’re allowing yourself space for creating without any pressure. This is something you can do to start getting into the habit of creating creative momentum instead of waiting for art inspiration.
Start with gentle routines such as 5 minutes of sketching or doodling daily. It doesn’t seem like much, but right now it’s not the medium you’re using or the art you’re creating that’s important; it’s establishing a routine. Challenge yourself to sketch one head per day, or practice perspective or shading, anything that gets your creativity flowing. Just make sure you do it every day.
Remember to celebrate the small wins and leave room for experimentation. Creativity should have no limits, so stop limiting yourself. Every day you create art is progress toward this goal.
You Don’t Need Motivation, You Just Need A Nudge
Establishing a routine is not easy, but once you’ve done it, there won’t be a question about when you’re next hit of art inspiration will strike. It’ll be fully up to you.
I have not even mastered this yet, but I’m working on it, and that’s what matters.
You’re not alone in this, and you’re not falling behind. There is no finish line to becoming an artist, so stop racing. There is no art like yours, so stop comparing. Enjoy the process of art and not just the results. You matter, your art matters, and you will get there as long as you put in the effort.
If you’re interested in learning about how to get out of an art slump and creative burnout, read my latest blog post.
Thanks for reading this far. Good luck, friends. ♥
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