Big Magic

Big Magic is the book that’ll give you the courage you need to pursue your creative interests by showing you how to deal with your fears, notice ideas and act on them and take the stress out of creation.

There’s a lot of talk out there these days that you “have to overcome your fears.” As if somehow, you could do something, and that would magically make them go away forever. That’s not the case. Steven Pressfield has shown us that artists who truly care will always have to face their fears, even long after they’ve become huge successes.

Elizabeth Gilbert agrees. She says instead of overcoming your fears, just get comfortable with them. Let your curiosity take the wheel, and put your fears into the backseat. They’re more than welcome to join the ride and give feedback, but you won’t take any detours because of them, nor let them take the wheel. Your fears are supposed to stay around and remind you of the things that are important to you. Nothing more, nothing less.

So, learn to let your fears and passions coexist, and it’ll help you move on and write the next page, take the next stroke with your painting brush or record the next karaoke video – no matter what anyone thinks, including you.

The thought “I’m going to start a daily blog” sounds great in your head – for about 12 seconds. Then the fears and doubts kick in.

“You’ll run out of things to say after a week.” “You don’t have the discipline to publish daily.” “You’ll produce a ton of crap.”

Ahh, self-talk, where would we be without it? This little conversation is one I had in my own head before starting this very site. But I went ahead and gave myself permission to do it anyway.

Sure, the first summaries on here aren’t nearly as good as some of the newer ones, but being okay with producing something that’s not as good is exactly what I needed to do before I was able to get here in the first place.

You have a right to create. No matter where you’re starting from. Whether you have always had a talent, or start at absolute zero. Tell yourself that. Say it out loud.

“I’m a writer.”

“I’m a painter.”

“I’m a singer.”

Announce to yourself and the world that you’re here to chase your passion, regardless of rejections and reactions. Being authentic is much more important than being original and the latter always follows the former eventually, so don’t worry too much starting out and just get going.