A passionate creative individual does not need an audience. An artist ought to be able to create in a vacuum, without validation from outside. Is creation not its own reward?
The above indeed holds true when one is in a state of creative bliss, where endless streams of ideas effortlessly flow from imagination to execution. When one enters such a state, it is akin to experiencing higher dimensions. The outside world ceases to exist, and you do not want the feeling to ever end.
Invariably it does, and without this inspiration the 3D matrix begins wrapping its tentacles around our thoughts, and we start asking questions like: Why am I still doing this? How good is it? How many will like (or buy) this?
Does creative bliss have to be so fleeting, punctuated by insecurity? No. It is possible to sustain creativity for a longer period than one is naturally accustomed.
The first step is to recognize creative bliss as a natural state anyone can experience. Being able to enter this stream of consciousness with regularity, and prolong it, requires self-awareness and an ability to recognize when one has somehow ended up on dry land. It requires desire, determination, and the know-how to jump back in, an ability developed through experience. This is where encouragement and support from outside is helpful and welcome.
But is it necessary? I would wager that for the majority of creative individuals the answer is yes, but a more pertinent question is: how much of it do we need? That answer will reveal what stage we are at in our artistic evolution, and it is vital we regard such a revelation with clarity and compassion, and without judgement.
An artist aiming for sustained creative output must be as conscious of the feedback they invite and receive as an athlete must watch what they eat. This is as important for the starving artist as the successful one (“starving” can be taken literally or metaphorically, “successful” by whatever barometer said individual wishes to measure it). As with food for an athlete, outside validation – which may come in the form of applause, compliments, money, or even criticism – can act as fuel for the artist or be a hindrance, depending on timing, quantity, and type.
Another key question to ask is: what motivates me to create? Disregard any answer rooted in scarcity and need, such as paying the rent or being part of an underrepresented group. There is nothing wrong with these as motivators, but they are 3D-oriented programs an adult would cite. To be able to constantly recover that state of creative bliss, we must connect with our inner child. What drove that ferociously imaginative genius to pick up a pencil or tap on a piano in the first place?
Get to know this driver well, for it shall be an effective watchdog for maintaining one’s artistic integrity and passion through life.
