The gap of doubt, how do YOU get out?!

[dougstronach]

The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron is a great book for dealing with self-doubt and a host of other issues that come up when you're trying to create.It's a little Godly and new-age spiritual in spots for my liking but the basic info behind the language is good and I always feel better after reading just a chapter or two of it.good luck!doug s.

[linziellen]

Hey thank you everyone, just wanted to post a quicky to tell you all I am still reading! I haven't fallen so deep that I can't get out again, just keeping myself busy writing and growing lol! Thank you again.Lindsey.

[stansongman]

I'm totally Godly and New-Age spiritual, so the book totally worked for me . By the way, I live in Nashville. You want to talk about the potential for developing self-doubt! But, somehow every day I wake up and pinch myself, then sit down and write a song. So, here's my armchair advice. Doubt, like guilt, is a killer! If you really look at where the doubt comes from, it's almost always due to some external influence - someone else's opinion, comment or feedback, etc. Usually negative (as opposed to constructive) feedback comes from people who can't let you succeed, because it blows their cover (that no-one can make it). Affirming to yourself everyday that you are a talented and unique writer and artist is necessary. Try turning your self-doubt (negative) into self-awareness (positive). Knowing where you really shine helps you channel your energy to maximize your strengths, and also to start working on the areas that aren't so strong. We've all got 'em! Also, remember that you have an audience out there. What are the odds that you are the only person on the world who thinks and feels like you do? Pretty small I'd think. I agree with Doug, "The Artist's Way", if you really take it seriously and follow it like a 12-step program, can change your life. I know it changed me for the better. I saw description of a workshop that NSAI has during their symposuim called "Dare to Suck"! I think that's great! There's no glory in playing it safe, but there's lots to be learned by taking risks. And in the end, all you can personally control is how deep you dig emotionally, what you create. Then, all you can do is put it out there, and the universe will do with it what it will. Forgive yourself for past creations that you can now do better, that's all part of learning and growing. A good friend once said to me that there's a long road from the open mic to the Grammy stage, and the most important thing is to enjoy the journey. There's a home for everyone of us somewhere on that road. Just keep walkin'. Good luck!

[timbehrens]

I agree that the Artist's Way is a great book/program for overcoming self-doubt, for developing discipline in writing, for getting yourself back in touch with the inner child where most of our good ideas stem from. The biggest thing that came from that for me was the idea that not everything you write has to be good.... and to get rid of that voice that tells you it does. I still struggle with that feeling that, if I'm not totally in love with something I'm working on, I might as well just scrap it and move on to the next thing.... but the process is what is important. If you keep with it, good things will come of it.There's also a great little book that deals with this topic. It's called 'The War of Art'... I think by Steven Pressfield. I just read it recently and loved some of the ideas. If you look for it on Google Book Search, there is a page with a pretty extensive preview of it. A lot of the book is about how the world kind of works against our creative selves.... it talks about self-doubt, but also about how the world is kind of tailored to make us doubt when it comes to the things we truly love. Anyways, another great topic, and clearly one that has struck a chord.

[bleuciel]

The doubt is a part of my life. It's always there in and out. I've learned to live with it. It's terrible when I get returns . It vanish a bit when I have forwards... But my deep thought is that sentence of Guillaume d'Orange: "There is no need to hope in order to undertake nor to succeed in order to persevere."Good Luck!

[lopc]

As writers, it is the gap of doubt that continually drives us to take another look at our work and self scrutinize for improvement. Returns by TAXI are gentle and don't instill any doubt in my mind regarding the work returned. There is not a fine line between doubt and constructive interpretation, whether we or someone else does the interpreting. It is not gray, it is black and white. I've had submissions returned from publishers and record company execs ripped to pieces, wadded up, cassettes obviously stomped on or beat with a hammer (or stapler or whatever else was handy at the time), I've had CD's returned in pieces like they were used for skeet shoots. I never got mad or disheartened, I just became more encouraged. Gap of doubt? This is the DMZ.

[sgs4u]

The gap of doubt has been a deep chasm, with very slippery walls. More like falling down a deep manhole with no ladder out, and getting mired in the muck at the bottom. I remember falling into funks that would last a month or 2. Not lately tho, this is why. Since I joined Taxi, I have learned one crucial piece of information that works for me to get out of that gap. I learned it in a phone call with the "Don," himself, something he does in his life, that I could apply to my own. We talked for a long time about doing "Good Work" for the planet and humans in general. What I have started doing, is notice the first sign that the clouds of doom start to block out my sunshine. Then I look around and find someone on this or another forum, that could use my kind of help. Then I offer my help, whatever they need, no strings, no cash. By the time I finish helping someone else out, my own gap of doubt, seems much easier to climb out of. This is a new technique for me, and I can tell you all it's working very well. So now, when I feel that doubt closing in, I just use it as a reminder to balance my life by getting involved with someone new. Now, if I could just find a new trigger that would stop my dang Terets, from causing me to blurt out and post objectionable dumb-ass points-of-view.

[timbehrens]

Hey Steve, I have noticed myself, that when I try help others, I find that I may know more than I give myself credit for. Some times, the act of just articulating something will put that in perspective. I work in IT and have days where I feel like I know nothing about computers. I'll do something similar to what you described and go out of my way to try and help someone in a forum or here at work. It always casts a light on how far I've come and makes the long road of knowledge ahead seem a bit less daunting.

[lopc]

Where the craft of songwriting is concerned, any point of view from one's peers, objectionable-dumb ass or whatever, is acceptable. Anyone that takes objection to comments, no matter what they are, doesn't belong in this field. Trust me, the people in the industry that have the say-so in your success aren't gentle at all if they don't like your stuff. Best to have keen ears and thick skin and learn not to take things so personal.

[feaker]

After getting my three custom critiques back with 5's and 6's and a few comments back from the forum I was pretty bummed. Looked down to the keyboard to type and my vision was restricted. Upon further investigation, found out it was my lower lip