The Creative Act

“It’s not uncommon to long for outward success, hopeful it will fill a void inside ourselves. Some imagine achievement as a remedy to fix or heal a sense of not being enough. Artists who work diligently to accomplish this are rarely prepared for the reality of it. Most aspects of popularity are not as advertised. And artist is just as empty as they were before, probably more so. If you’re living in the belief that success will cure your pain, when the treatment comes and doesn’t work, it can lead to hopelessness. A depression can accompany the realisation that what you’ve spent most of your life chasing hasn’t fixed your insecurities and vulnerabilities. More likely, with stakes and consequences higher now, it has only amplified the pressure. And we are never taught how to handle this epic disappointment.”