Self-doubt and the Artistic Creative
Self-doubt, am I good enough?
A friend of mine recently said she had written a story to be published and said, “I have a lot of self-doubt.” It’s a human emotion, or rather, reaction to us and our “best self.” In the language of the Coaches Training Institute, it is your Saboteur. Others call it a Gremlin. That fear of not being good enough at something. Not good enough of a singer to join the choir or a writer to get published in an international newspaper. These are just my thoughts as I think them, they are based solely on my observances of others. I wonder, and I’m sure there are studies on this if the creative artist has more self-doubt than someone who does things like, accounting, for a living… It would be my guess that the person who has to put themselves out on a stage or in a recording studio would have more self-doubt than the person who crunches numbers at a financial firm. Unless, of course, that accountant is an artist as well.
But the artist creates from what they feel inside, the accountant sees the numbers on the spreadsheet. Which gives me an idea. What if people made a Mind Map of self-doubt? What would that look like, with the word (whatever you choose to call it is fine), and the emotions, questions, observances, Etc? Were splayed out around it? I personally visualize a web, or the spokes of a wheel, which, eventually, would turn into a sort of solid circle as the spokes were filled in to accommodate for all the thoughts of self-doubt to come pouring forth. So, what would your map of self-doubt look like? Would it branch out evenly based on your profession? Or would it be a chaotic jumble of raw nerves, missed opportunities that could have grown you as a person? Either way, self-doubt is the demon-fighting back. And I know, from personal experience, that sometimes the demon takes way more of the pie than he should. It is then our job to shove the demon away from the pie and enjoy what is left with utmost gusto, because, I mean, it’s pie!
Dave Bahr is the founder of In-Sightful living. He works as an advocate for persons with disabilities and a usability specialist. Schedule a Call with Dave here.