Dear Creative Minds,
Today’s newsletter is for anyone who feels like what they’re working on isn’t working.
Maybe your creative efforts aren't getting the likes, comments, or recognition you hoped for.
But here's a powerful perspective I learned from someone I deeply respect—Myron Golden.
He often says, "Whenever you feel like what you're working on isn't working, it's actually working on you." That shifted everything for me.
It reminded me that the process itself is never wasted.
It’s refining your mindset, deepening your resilience, and shaping your character.
Before your work becomes profitable or applauded, it first transforms you.
So even if the results aren’t visible yet—keep going.
Your effort is not in vain.
What feels like silence or struggle may just be the soil where your growth is taking root.
Let’s delve deeper…
“To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.”
— Joseph Chilton Pearce, The Crack in the Cosmic Egg
Let’s be honest: being wrong doesn’t feel good.
Whether it's pitching an idea that falls flat, sharing your art only to hear silence, or launching a product that doesn’t land—failure can sting. Embarrassment, self-doubt, and the urge to retreat quickly follow. So, we play it safe. We stick to what’s proven, familiar, and comfortable.
But here’s the paradox: creativity doesn’t live in safety. It thrives in uncertainty.
Joseph Chilton Pearce’s quote hits deep because it reveals a universal truth: originality demands courage. And courage, by nature, means being willing to risk being wrong.
Creativity Isn't About Perfection
Somewhere along the way, many of us began to equate creativity with perfection. We believed that if we were truly creative, things would work the first time. That we’d have instant clarity. That we wouldn’t mess up.
But creativity isn’t neat. It’s messy, experimental, and full of trial and error. It’s about coloring outside the lines, not because you're trying to break the rules, but because you're searching for something new.
Ask any great inventor, artist, or entrepreneur, and they’ll tell you: the process involves a lot of “wrong” turns before landing on what’s right.
Think of Thomas Edison. When asked how it felt to fail thousands of times while inventing the lightbulb, he said,
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
That mindset? That’s what Pearce is talking about. To create something new, we must be willing to be wrong again and again.
The Real Enemy: Fear of Judgment
What stops us from embracing this kind of creative living isn’t just the possibility of getting it wrong; it’s the fear of being seen getting it wrong.
We worry:
What if people laugh?
What if I look foolish?
What if this flops?
But every time we let that fear dictate our actions, we rob the world of something potentially beautiful.
Let’s reframe it: Being wrong doesn’t make you less valuable. It makes you braver.
Because while others are hiding behind fear, you’re out there exploring the edge. You're giving yourself permission to try, to stretch, to grow.
And guess what? That’s exactly where breakthroughs happen.
Risk-Taking Is the Doorway to Innovation
Every leap of progress—whether in art, science, or leadership—has been fueled by risk-takers. People who dared to question the status quo. People who didn't wait for guarantees. People who weren’t afraid of being wrong.
Think of Steve Jobs insisting on the iPhone’s design when most experts thought it would fail. Or Maya Angelou publishing her memoir when the world had never seen a story like hers.
These were not “safe” moves. But they were necessary.
And that’s what creativity demands: the willingness to walk into the unknown, unsure of what’s ahead but trusting the process anyway.
How to Lose the Fear (and Keep Creating)
Now, I know it’s easier said than done. So here are a few practical mindset shifts that can help:
1. Redefine Failure
Instead of viewing mistakes as dead ends, see them as feedback. Every “wrong” attempt is giving you data. It’s refining your process and sharpening your voice.
2. Focus on Growth, Not Approval
Create to grow, not just to impress. When your motivation is curiosity and self-expression, criticism stings less. You’re not performing; you’re exploring.
3. Build a Creative Routine
Show up daily. The more consistent you are, the less pressure you put on any single attempt. Quantity breeds quality. Eventually, the gems will emerge.
4. Surround Yourself with Brave Voices
Find a community that values bold creativity. Read stories of people who failed forward. Let their journeys normalize your own.
5. Celebrate the Tries
Even if something didn’t work out the way you hoped, celebrate the courage it took to try. That alone is a victory.
Final Thoughts: Dare to Be Wrong
Here’s the truth: living a creative life doesn’t mean you won’t get things wrong. It means you will—but you’ll keep creating anyway.
Because you’ve decided that bringing your ideas to life is more important than protecting your pride.
You’ve realized that originality isn’t about always being right. It’s about daring to think differently.
So, take the risk.
Pitch the strange idea. Start the weird project. Write the messy first draft. Publish the rough sketch. Launch the prototype.
Yes, it might be “wrong.”
But it might also be revolutionary.
And you’ll never know unless you try.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend :)
Cheers,
‘Seun.
👏👏👏👏👏👏