5 Tips for Quieting Perfectionism in the Creative Process

Can Perfectionism and Creativity Coexist?

Honestly, getting caught up in the headache of perfectionism is the last thing most people want to interrupt their creative flow.

Creativity is messy, abstract, novel, daring, raw.

Yet as a creative, you likely battle perfectionism anytime you sit down create.

The irony of letting perfectionism sneak into your creative processes is that it’s not a true reflection of who you are or what you’re trying to accomplish. Perfectionism is built around an imaginary expectation of what other people want.

How sad is it to think that the activities that can bring you the most joy are suffocated by inauthentic notions that have nothing to do with you?

Luckily, for those of us who suffer from the need to please through perfectionism, it’s a habit that can be broken.

Read on for five simple ways to challenge your perfectionism during any creative process!

1. Focus On Being Original

When you create, you’re truly building something from the ground up. Something that’s never been done before in the same way you’re doing it.

If you think of creativity as an unique expression, then the idea of “perfect” doesn’t make much sense. How can you expect perfectionism if you don’t even have an ideal image to compare it to?

The beauty of creation and art in any medium is its originality!

In this case, perfectionism is the pursuit of something that doesn’t even exist, and it totally dampens your creative process.

Sitting down to freewrite, or find another way to purge your brain of your critical, cluttered thoughts, can open up opportunities for your creativity to flow. Learn more about this practice in Julia Cameron’s renowned book The Artists’ Way.

2. Create With An Open Mind

Cast aside the notion of a desired result – or at the very least, make room for alternative possibilities. Starting a project with the expectation that everything will go to plan is a surefire way to end up discouraged.

If you learn to navigate the ups and downs of your artistic journey you’ll be more inclined to meet and overcome obstacles with more creativity!

Save space in your process for an outcome that isn’t entirely what you had in mind…

The creative process has a mind of its own, and sometimes, it knows better than we do. Give it space to roam.

3. Make Your Work Sacred

Create a safe, inner-critic-free environment around projects that are important to you.

Keep in mind that others, even loved ones, aren’t entitled to peek at or critique your work anytime they’d like to. Too often, perfectionism, coupled with the desire to please others, completely reroutes and derails the true creative process.

Instead of creating for the self, you end up creating with the intent to impress others.

The result?

A piece of work or art that caters to external feedback instead of honoring the creative call from within. 

4. Stay In Your Own Lane

How often do you spend hours online looking for inspiration, new ideas, or a general creative boost?

If you’re like most everyone in this modern world, the answer is: too often!

When you over-consume the content of other creatives it can cause you to measure your journey and successes against theirs.

While having high standards and big dreams for your work is important, be mindful of viewing other work as ‘the ideal’ that you’re simply hoping to one day achieve. Everything, absolutely everything, looks better from the outside looking in.

But comparison is the thief of joy (and in this case, creative fulfillment).

A great mantra you can call on when you need to rebalance is “create before you consume”.

Extracting the creative energy within yourself before looking for inspiration or ideas elsewhere will make you feel less inclined to emulate or mimic their process. Instead, you can appreciate their unique work without falling into the comparison trap. 

5. ‘Done’ Is Better Than Perfect

Perfectionism in creativity can have someone obsessing over a minor detail for hours without making any real progress.

How frustrating and familiar is that!

If you feel like you’re veering into unproductive territory, it’s always better to walk away and come back with fresh eyes.

If you’re working on a deadline, remember that ‘done’ certainly speaks volumes louder than ‘perfect’. (Because perfect doesn’t exist!)

Chances are, no one else critiques your work like you do.

And, as a perfectionist, you likely tend to be a high performer already. You’ve got to trust that your best creative effort produces good, meaningful work – regardless of a snag or two in the little details.