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When we see all these people around us creating, it can be easy to think, ‘Oh, they must have the perfect system.’
“They know what they’re doing. They’ve got it all figured out. They’ve got it dialled.”
And when we’re struggling to create, it can feel like the answer to all our problems, would be to have the perfect system.
Then (‼️) we would know what to create. Then, we would have more time.
Then, we would be better at creating. And fabulous. And consistent. And all the things we want to think about ourselves -- as a creative person.
Now, I’m not knocking systems. Systems and processes are super helpful.
But, what’s *not* so helpful, is when we get caught up trying to find the perfect ONE.
Because this is when we start giving all our time and focus into hacking the perfect process… only to end up feeling more lost and confused. (Because, WHICH ONE??!)
This is when we find out the perfect system doesn’t work for us, and we end up feeling hopeless and dejected — because we did something wrong.
The perfect system doesn’t exist. (Hate to break it to you...!)
Or… what I should say, is:
The perfect system—for you—doesn’t exist—Yet.
And what I mean by that is, yes, there are going to be elements of systems and processes out there that work for you.
But you get to (and I’d probably argue, must...) make it your own.
How do you do that?
You try things. You trust that this isn’t a waste of time to try something out, not knowing 100% if it’s going to work or not.
You find out what works for you, by applying it. By doing. (The part that cannot be avoided, but we so often wish we could!)
And evaluating it. (A fancy way of saying, you review to see what worked; what didn’t; and what you might want to do differently next time.)
You try things out, WITHOUT feeling like this is going to be the answer to solve all your problems.
And you trust that what you find, is what you need for you, right now.
This feels very messy when you’re doing it. Or at least, at the start, when you haven’t built up the ‘trust muscles’ that tell you 'actually, this is a perfectly valid and appropriate way of working, and figuring things out.'
You are going to want to look outside yourself for answers. Because other people have been there and done it before you.
That’s normal, that’s natural. And it would be a little bit stupid to completely ignore ALL the advice out there that has ever been shared by humankind.
But, by that same token, you cannot directly or possibly apply ALL the advice offered by humankind.
You are going to have to choose. And apply. (i.e. take action.) And use your discernment.
Practising discernment is not always something we have had a lot of access to.
Particularly when we were young, we were taught to look outside ourselves, to experts and authorities—those who 'know better'—when we weren’t sure of the answer.
This makes us convenient and obedient. It doesn’t make us creative.
Now is your chance to be very creative. To create and develop the perfect system—for you.
And it is going to require a LOT of trial and error.
Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Don’t be afraid of trusting your gut—that actually, you DO need to add in that extra step to make it worthwhile, and WORK, for you.
Your system is going to look like nobody else’s.
Your system is going to look like you, smell like you, and feel like you. It is also going to grow and adapt with you.
So get going. Get creating. Get failing. Get making.
BEST :)
Kathryn
PS. I like you.
If you’re looking to create the perfect system… the one that works for you… you are going to need a whole load of self-trust, self-acceptance, courage, and patience along the way.
I am adamant you have all these things. But I also know, from experience, that it’s sometimes easy to forget.
If you want to start creating—consistently—and are finding yourself coming up against blocks and lack of confidence, or simply a feeling of being stuck… this is so incredibly normal. This is human.
But I also understand that it can be frustrating. (Not to mention, painfully time-consuming.)
And it can be alleviated. You don’t need to be able to hack the perfect system… but if you want to create the things you want to create, and feel like you’re making progress towards your creative dreams (and you want to resolve those mental blocks that are taking up SO much of your time and energy), then a 1:1 coach can be just what you need.
If this interests you, book a call. Or find out more about coaching with me.
I love this so much, Kathryn. I spent so many years feeling guilty for my procrastination habit and waiting until the last minute to do my creative work, but over time I learned that's exactly how I create, and there's nothing wrong with it. I've also learned that I just need to keep creating, and stop waiting for perfection. Maybe those aren't systems, but they are my little pieces in my toolbox I'm building to make my creative life. Thank you so much for writing this post, it really got me thinking!