Day 21- Using Self Doubt as as TOOL

Send us a text

"My personal belief is that anybody who doesn't have self doubt or who is not criticizing their work is creating shitty work. It's vague, it's weightless, and it doesn't have any depth to it. I think criticism is that standard, and it's that purity in our brains that's saying, "I'm going to ensure 2 things: 1) that you really want to do this. 2) If you are going to do it, it's gonna mean something." and that's where I think self doubt is amazing." -Trevor Stoddart

Welcome to DAY TWENTY ONE of our new 30-day COMMUNITY PROJECT where we make something with our hands every day in order to improve our mental health. We all realize that creativity heals...it's time to put that knowledge into action.

These episodes will exist here, marked with the days numbered, in order for you to follow along at any speed that you like. Miss a day? Doesn't matter. Just pick up right where you left off and keep making things. These episodes will give us all some accountability, but if you need more, pair up with a partner. It really does help!

Join our creative community by making something today, whether it's for five minutes or several hours—your brain will thank you. Let's do this thing together and turn all of this sh*t into something beautiful!

Follow LeAnna and Curating the Curious:

NEW! Substack Link

Instagram: @curating.the.curious
@leanna_azzolini_photography
Website:
leannaazzoliniphoto.com

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
My personal belief is that anybody who doesn't have
self-doubt or who is notcriticizing their work is
creating shitty work.
It's vague, it's weightless andit doesn't have any depth to it
.
I think criticism is thatstandard and it's like that
purity in our brains that'ssaying I'm going to ensure two

(00:24):
things One, that you really wantto do this and two, if you are
going to do it, it's going tomean something.
And that's where I thinkself-doubt is amazing.
By Trevor Stoddart, back aboutseven years ago, there was this
podcast that I discovered and itwas called your Art Sucks and

(00:47):
it was by Trevor Stoddart, theguy who I'm quoting right here,
and I'm really sad to discovertoday that it no longer is on
air, like you can't even listento it.
But luckily, I wrote down a fewof his quotes on self-doubt and
I love it because it's so true.
We all have self-doubt.

(01:09):
If you don't have self-doubt,you're not questioning anything,
you're just thinking everythingthat you make is great.
There's no process that you'reputting things through, you're
just throwing it out there.
Hey, I'm perfect.
And if that's the case, it'sprobably pretty likely that the
work you're throwing out thereisn't great, or at least it's

(01:30):
not your best.
Self-doubt is a given, so weneed to learn how to use it as a
tool.
Use self-doubt as a toolinstead of any hindrance.
Just accept it as somethingthat comes along with the
package and learn how to use itin your favor.
The most powerful art out therehas a form of truth to it, and

(01:54):
reaching a point of truth inartistry comes from
self-examination.
Self-doubt is part of that.
Self-doubt is part of that.
It's necessary and it's alsouniversal.
We all suffer from the samebarriers, it's just some of us

(02:15):
find ways to overcome it.
Trevor also says thatself-doubt is nothing more than
a barrier to growth.
It tests those with weak wills.
Growth it tests those with weakwills.
It's a constant companion thatreminds us that you, the artist,

(02:36):
has worth, but that self-doubtis going to make you weigh that
worth.
Self-doubt comes from the weightof importance that you've taken
on to communicate your art.
Self-doubt is the barrier, andit's a barrier to prevent people
who lack commitment frompursuing it, so it can weed out
the people who lack thecommitment.
If it means something to you,don't allow yourself to be one

(02:57):
of those people who gets weededout.
If you're allowing that to takeover you, you're probably just
giving self-doubt a little bittoo much weight.
You're focusing hard on it.
You're allowing yourself tojust draw all those conclusions
beforehand.
Come up with all the reasonswhy you shouldn't be doing

(03:18):
something or why it's not goodenough.
You're just giving it too muchweight.
Who cares?
Put it out into the universe,release it.
Use your self-doubt when it'snecessary and put it away when
it's not.
Develop a more process-orientedoutlook.
Take your eye off of what thatoutcome is going to be and just

(03:41):
embrace the process.
Get into flow, enjoy it and, inthe words of Liz Gilbert, make
your life a work of art.
What you create is not nearlyas important as what you become
during the process.
It's so, so true.
Just start looking at yourself-doubt, examine it and think

(04:04):
okay, this is just making mecommit to myself as an artist.
I have to tell that voice thatsays what the hell are you doing
?
Who the hell do you think youare?
And you say I know what I'mdoing and I know who I am.
Or maybe I don't know what I'mdoing, but guess what?
I'm going to do it anyway.
It's not that important.

(04:25):
Self-doubt is a tool.
Use it and until we meet again,stay curious.