Your Perfectionism Is Boring
An assignment, a reminder, and an act of rebellion.
Your perfectionism is boring.
Let’s be real, I’ve never known perfectionism to free someone. All it does is pen them up.
I say this as someone who is sometimes able to create and exist in the freest of ways, but also is all-too-often imprisoned by my own perfectionism.
Because perfectionism is often just a sad bundle of excuses to NOT do the thing. I most often hear the absurdity of it when I recite my reasons why I can’t do something to myself out loud.
Example of my inner monologue: I should take some self-portraits. Yes, but I have to set up my studio then. And I currently have a black backdrop up, but I want to use the white one. And my strobe is packed away, so I’ll have to take it out. And honestly, I don’t really have an idea, so first I need to brain dump or maybe use my creativity deck and pull some cards. But also, I want to look good, so I should shower and do my hair and makeup. But if I’m going to do that, I should workout first. And I have to pick my kids up from school in an hour, so I just don't have the time to do that list of things. So I guess I’ll create nothing. Better luck next time.
Womp womp.
On the one hand, this list is valid. On the other hand, it’s complete horseshit. And frankly, this list is boring. Because excuses are boring.
The above list of things-to-do-before-I-can-create is really just a list of ways to make everything ✨perfect✨. And yeah, sometimes it’s fun to make it all just ~so~, but other times it’s a litany of why I can’t just get in there and do the darn thing.
Because you know what I would have time for? I’d have time to pick up my phone, turn the camera to selfie mode, find some good light (or heck! Even some bad light), and snap a couple of shots.
But somewhere along the way, I got this idea that everything I do needs to be headed toward some sort of frameable end.
And guess how much of my work I’ve framed. (Not including photos of my kids), probably like a dozen things. And it’s all been in IKEA frames. And most of it is currently in the back of said frames, tucked behind images that are the display du jour.
There’s far better reasons to create than having some sort of vague gallery-like goal at the end. That goal is a beautiful one, and it isn’t a bad one, but it’s not the ONLY one. And definitely not the main one.
For me, the act of creating–-the process of creating-–is the space in which I grow, instill new paradigms, and refresh myself in the midst of all life’s realities. It’s this ‘process of creating’ that is the goal.
It’s not the destination, it’s the journey (insert cheesy motivational poster with a road leading into a mountain range.)
Every week in The Art Lab, we have a weekly attention. It’s just a mini-prompt meant to get your brain seeing things around you and keep creating at the forefront of your mind. They’re related to the monthly prompt, and can even lead people to their final piece for the month. But they’re meant to be a rough draft. A messy middle. A point in the process.
And honestly, I often skip them.
Why? Because my perfectionism gets in the way.
Example of my inner monologue: Oh! The prompt is light and shadow?Well, I can use my phone to make it easy. But then I want to set up my studio light and definitely change that white backdrop to a black one. And I should probably get a really good idea. Oh! But one time I saw someone shape their light in this unique way, so maybe I should watch a YouTube video on how to do that first. But I have to pick my kids up in an hour, so I don’t have time, so I guess I’ll try it again a dfferent day.
(Never tries it again a different day ☹️)
Dammit Amy! This is NOT the point! The point is just to create *something*. And guess what? You don’t even have to share it on social media! Do you understand that? You can keep it *to yourself* 🤯
You can create shitty art, feel good while doing it, and never show a single soul!
Because the point isn’t sharing everything you’ve ever made; it’s to continue to add in data points. It’s to take moments to refresh. It’s to remember you’re created to create.
I took my own advice for last week’s attention (which was “dream world”). I had all these ideas of getting out and playing with the spring blossoms, but in my day-to-day that wasn’t possible. I was either at my desk, driving kids around, cooking, cleaning, or running errands.
These were my constraints. But when I shed my excuses, I knew I could still create.
If only I would allow myself to drop some of that perfectionism.
So you know what I did? Over lunch most days, I took a couple minutes to play. Since I was at my desk, in front of a computer, I used that constraint and ran with it.
I pulled up film images of blossoms from LAST spring, pulled out my phone, opened up the VSCO app, and took pictures. OF MY COMPUTER SCREEN.
And guess what? Even just a couple minutes every day gave me moments of rejuvenation. It felt so freaking good to play. And I never even had to leave my desk.
I can still set up my perfect scenario of going out during golden hour and photographing spring blossoms, but that’s not realistic every day. I CAN sneak a couple minutes into my days if I drop these perfect scenarios and just create anyway.
Will these images be framed? No. Will they even be printed? No. Will I remember them in a few months? Probably not.
But these aren’t the reasons I create. Or not the only reasons.
When I drop the perfectionism I remember as much.
My assignment to you:
So you! Will you join us in our prompt “dream world” and create? Draw something even if you don’t draw. Photograph your computer screen. Scribble. Re-edit an old image. Take an image out your window.
Just do something.
In fact, allow yourself to make something shitty. Because goodness gracious that’s freeing. (And to be honest, an act of rebellion. But that’s for a future post.)
Have You Heard?
I am loving bringing some of our Art Lab education, conversation, and ideas to you via the Post-Processing podcast.
I make it no secret that words of affirmation are my love language, and recently a friend I greatly respect reached out to tell me this:
And when I tell you I just about died 🥹
So don’t take my word for it, or even my friend’s, but go listen for yourself! Feel free to rate, review, share with a friend, and if you happen to love it you can drop me a note and know your words keep me going.
Create something shitty. I swear it’ll feel good.
xo,
Amy