Stuck in a creative rut and wondering how to break free? You're not alone. Writers, artists, musicians, actors and designers all face creative blocks from time to time, which can be incredibly frustrating and disheartening. Understanding what artist block actually is and why you've hit it in the first place is critical to breaking free and unlocking your creativity. In this post, I will explore insights from Rick Rubin's "The Creative Act" and therapeutic as well as practical techniques to help you overcome creative blocks.
Understanding Creative Blocks
Artist block is a crisis. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, "crisis" means "a time of great disagreement, confusion, or suffering." This state of crisis brings with it a profound level of discomfort, perhaps akin to experiencing a "dark knight of the soul." The Greek root of the word "crisis," κρίσις (krisis), means "decision." Thus, a crisis is a turning point, a moment to choose between falling into the abyss and unlocking your creative potential.
For visual artists and writers, a crisis can be a trove of possibilities and chances to break free from old patterns and routines. It encourages introspection, an inward turn that harbours the potential for profound inner transformation and a mindset shift. As Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard (1843) said, "If I were to wish for anything, I should not wish for wealth and power, but for the passionate sense of the potential for the eye which, ever young and ardent, sees the possible. Pleasure disappoints; possibility doesn't."
Insights from Rick Rubin
Rick Rubin is a renowned music producer and co-founder of Def Jam Recordings. He has played a pivotal role in shaping the music industry, working with a diverse range of artists across various genres, including Beastie Boys, Johnny Cash, Jay-Z, and Adele. Rubin is celebrated for his minimalist production style and his ability to bring out the best in artists, helping them to achieve iconic and often transformative work. His insights on creativity and success, as outlined in his book "The Creative Act: A Way of Being," offer profound guidance for artists and creators seeking to overcome creative blocks and achieve genuine fulfilment in their work.
For me, the most impactful chapter in Rick Rubin's "The Creative Act" is about the definition of authentic success. Rubin provides profound insights into understanding and achieving true success in the creative realm. His philosophy redefines traditional notions of success, emphasising the importance of internal fulfilment over external validation.
Rubin (2022, p. 219) states, "Success occurs in the privacy of the soul". It happens when you release the work before it's exposed to a single opinion, emphasising that success is an internal experience detached from external validation.
Internal vs. External Success: Rubin explains that success has nothing to do with what is outside oneself. An artist's calling is to make beautiful work to the best of their abilities—sometimes they will be rewarded or applauded, sometimes not. "If we second-guess our knowledge to attempt to predict what others like, our best work will never appear" (Rubin (2022, p.220).
Popular success is a poor barometer of work and worth. For a work to connect commercially, stars must align; it doesn't relate to how good the project is. Timing, distribution mechanisms, and current events play significant roles. For instance, a global catastrophe on the release day could overshadow a project. Even if an artist makes a stylistic change, their fans might not initially be receptive. Most variables are out of the artist's control; the only power lies in doing the best work, sharing it, starting the next project, and not looking back.
The Illusion of Outward Success: It's not uncommon to long for outward success, but we are hopeful it will fill a void inside ourselves. Artists who work diligently to achieve this often find that the reality doesn't match their expectations. Popularity doesn't fix internal insecurities and might amplify pressures. Rubin warns that believing success will cure personal pain can lead to hopelessness when it doesn't work out as expected.
The Trap of Popularity: A loyal audience can become a prison. For example, a musician might start in a genre they love but feel trapped if their tastes change, as managers and others invested in their commercial success may resist change. Rubin advises listening to instincts toward movement and evolution. Passion and personal engagement resonate more with audiences than clinging to an outdated style (Rubin, 2022).
Redefining Success: The same outcome can be seen as a success or failure, depending on perspective. This perception can impact an artist's career trajectory. Rubin emphasises protecting one's personal understanding of success and approaching each new work with the mindset that there's nothing to lose.
Application in Therapy
Therapists can incorporate these concepts into their practice by encouraging clients to embrace uncertainty, explore their inner worlds, and develop daily creative habits. By integrating Rubin's principles, therapists can help artists create environments and routines that support continuous creative exploration.
1. Raising Awareness of Blockages: First, it is crucial to raise awareness of what is blocking an artist's creativity. Often, these blocks are rooted in perfectionism or an inner critic that continuously undermines the artist's confidence. Encourage clients to identify and confront these parts of themselves. Understanding that perfectionism and the inner critic are mostly trying to protect us can help artists start building relationships with those parts. One effective way to do this is through 'chair work ', a therapeutic technique where clients imagine their inner critic as a separate person and engage in a dialogue with them. This can help the artist understand the motivations behind their inner critic's actions and start building a relationship so that those parts feel heard without having a megaphone that paralyses us. Please note that this technique should only be utilised with a trained therapist or an experienced guide as it can be quite triggering.
2. Embrace Uncertainty: Encourage clients to explore without a fixed outcome. This can liberate them from the pressure to produce something specific and foster a mindset of exploration and play. Techniques such as free writing or sketching can help clients engage in creative activities that may challenge streaks of perfectionism, opening up new possibilities and ideas. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's (1996) concept of "flow" supports the idea that engaging deeply with creative tasks can lead to a state of heightened focus and immersion, further breaking down barriers to creativity.
3. Inner Exploration: Use techniques such as journaling and guided imagery to help clients connect with their inner selves. This can reveal new themes and ideas that are deeply personal and resonate strongly in their work. Journaling prompts like "What are your core values in your creative work?", "If you could create anything without any limitations, what would it be?" or "What recurring themes or subjects appear in your work? Why do they matter to you?" can be effective in this exploration, encouraging a sense of introspection and self-awareness.
4. Daily Creative Habits: Help clients establish routines that support creative flow. This includes setting aside dedicated time for creative work, minimising distractions, and nurturing habits that foster a creative mindset. Consistency helps maintain creative momentum, so pick a time of the day that works for you on a regular basis. Keeping a clutter-free workspace and practising mindfulness before working can also enhance focus and productivity.
Creative blocks can be challenging, but they also offer opportunities for growth and transformation. By understanding the nature of artist block and utilising mindfulness, art and techniques that encourage inner exploration, artists and writers can unlock more of their creative potential. Remember that creativity is a resilient and robust force within you. Rubin's insights on success remind us that true fulfilment comes from within and that the journey of creativity is about personal growth and self-expression. By focusing on internal satisfaction rather than external validation, artists can create more authentic and impactful work.
Bibliography
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1996). Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention. Harper Perennial Modern Classics.
Kierkegaard, S. (1843). Either/Or, vol. 1, “Diapsalmata”
Rubin, R. (2022). The Creative Act: A Way of Being. Penguin Press.
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