3 Frustrations of Every Artist (And What to Do About It)
I’ve worked with creative people my whole life.
During junior high and high school I was a part of many different bands, choirs, and stage productions. In college I began to play guitar, lead worship, and travel with performing groups. In my 20’s, I worked with all kinds of creative people as a creative arts pastor, and in my 30’s I moved into college teaching where my focus has been worship ministry, guitar, technology, and writing.
As an artist, teacher, musician, and writer, I’ve had the opportunity to get to know hundreds of creative people in many different fields. During this time I’ve noticed something: creative people of all kinds tend to have three major frustrations, and I’ll be you can relate to one or more of these:
1. Do you feel unfocused? We have lots of great ideas but need a framework or system to help us get momentum and start moving in the right direction. It’s easy to get sidetracked by all the information coming our way every day. The result is that we’re paralyzed and aren’t sure what action to take.
2. Do you feel inconsistent? Sometimes we have spurts of creativity and energy, but it doesn’t usually last long. We have lots of unfinished projects lying around but have a hard time finding the inspiration and drive to follow through. The result is that we feel defeated because it’s hard to get traction when you feel inconsistent.
3. Do you feel alone? All of us want to be part of something bigger than ourselves. We want to be part of a creative community that gives support and feedback. But it’s easy to remain isolated as an artist. I think it’s partly the nature of the creative gift, but it’s also human nature. It take courage to make yourself vulnerable and known.
If you have felt any of these frustrations in your creative life, keep reading because I want to invite you to be part of something that will help.
An invitation for frustrated creatives
A few weeks ago, I launched The Artist’s Suitcase: 26 Essentials for the Creative Journey. The feedback has been very positive, and I’ve heard from people who loved the book. But the problem with a typical reading experience is that it’s isolated, and sometimes we read only part of a book before we lose interest. So I wanted to come up with a way for people to experience the content of The Artist’s Suitcase in a way that would be fun, as well as encourage participation in community.
The result is the Pack Your Suitcase Challenge, a FREE 30-day creative adventure based on The Artist’s Suitcase. The challenge starts on Sunday, November 1.
When you join, you’ll receive three things:
1. A daily email to kickstart your creative life. For each of the 30 days in November, I’ll send you an email that will kickstart your creativity with great content and reflection questions. (You’ll get 30 days worth of emails from whatever date you sign up.) The emails, for the most part, will be excerpts from The Artist’s Suitcase book. I’ll also be doing daily Periscope videos to add another layer of teaching and interaction (my Periscope username is @kentsanders).
2. A structure to get you moving in the right direction. For 30 days, I’ll be your personal guide on the creative journey, challenging you with ideas, encouragement, and inspiration.
3. A community to lock arms with. You’ll get much more from the Pack Your Suitcase Challenge when you join The Artist’s Suitcase Facebook group. Here you’ll find a group of people who are using their creative gifts to change the world. That means you, my friend, are a natural fit!
Click here to join the Pack Your Suitcase Challenge
It’s free, but it has a price
The Pack Your Suitcase Challenge is 100% FREE. This is my gift to you.
However, it still has a price. When you join, I’ll ask you to make a personal commitment to reading the daily emails, interacting with our Facebook community, and taking action on what you’re learned. This is not a challenge for the faint of heart. Creativity is fun, but it’s also serious business because it can change your life and the lives of those you serve and lead.
To join the Pack Your Suitcase Challenge, click the link below. The challenge officially starts on November 1, but you’ll start receiving the challenge emails the day after you sign up.
Click here to join the Pack Your Suitcase Challenge
Photo: Flickr/Pedro Ribeiro Simões
