Since my last post I’ve been trying to work out what to write. I knew what I wanted to write about – Creative Confidence. The ‘C’ in Creative Habits.

But how do you talk about creative confidence when that confidence seems to have deserted you?

I felt hypocritical talking about being confident in creative ability when I couldn’t think of anything to say. It’s not that I didn’t have anything to say, I just couldn’t write it. Does that sound strange?

Of late, I’ve been reading and thinking a lot about creativity. And whilst mulling over what to write, it dawned on me. I was in information overload.

I was also looking for the perfect topic and words. Talk about not taking my own advice (see my thoughts in perfection paralysis).

There and then I decided to get over my crisis of confidence (and myself). How did I get over the speed bump in front of me?

I decided to write about my crises, to get it off my chest. And do you know what? Once I started writing, once I put pen to paper, it just all came blurting out.

Here I was making it up as I went along and it felt great!!

My handwriting’s not the best, in fact it’s pretty awful, but who cares. It’s not the point.

I’ve just written my way out of feeling unconfident (new word??), of being able to write about creativity. And I think what I’m doing is pretty creative because it solved the problem.

This is my creativity confidence booster. This is my way of getting over the writing slump. Of the feeling I had backed myself into a corner by declaring what I was going to write about on this blog – the meaning behind Creative Habits.

So I tell myself…

I am confident in my creativity

I am confident in my ability to produce.

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Crisis over.. confidence back.

Creative Habits: C = Confidence in our ability.

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Many years ago I was given one of those motivation posters to keep on my desk – you know, posters with a picture and a quote underneath. It was a very 90′s thing and you saw them everywhere (and still do in some offices…).

Although the subject on my poster was ‘Goals’, what really struck a deep chord within me was the quote underneath.

“If one advances confidently in the direction of their dreams, and endeavors to lead a life which they have imagined, they will meet with a success unexpected in common hours”

It’s a quote from Henry David Thoreau, a 19th Century American author and philosopher. You may know his writing.

Why did it strike a chord with me? To begin with because I wanted to believe it to be true. I wanted to believe it was possible for my dreams to come true.

And you know what? I now believe it is true. That’s not to say all of my dreams have come true (which is just as well in some cases), but many have.

To gain those successes we dream about we need to be confident in our ability. We have to trust ourselves and what we are doing to achieve our dreams, our endeavors. They can and do lead to success – expected and unexpected.

We need to be confident in our ability to be creative.

Even today whenever I feel I need a boost in confidence in my creating ability I walk over to the poster and read it aloud. I take the time to contemplate what it means to me. To re-establish my confidence.

Try it next time your creative confidence falters.

“If one advances confidently in the direction of their dreams, and endeavors to lead a life which they have imagined, they will meet with a success unexpected in common hours”

Do you have a quote or saying that strikes a chord with you? I’d love you to share it with us.

PS. This is a photo of sunset over the Valley of the Kings, Luxor, Egypt from our boat on the Nile. It was always a dream of mine to visit Egypt and as you can see I achieved my dream!