Summary

The article discusses how a hidden limiting belief about a lack of control can stifle creativity, and how reclaiming control is essential for personal and creative growth.

Abstract

The author, Zacc Rowlands, identifies a pervasive limiting belief that many people, including himself, have struggled with—the belief that they are not in control of their creative endeavors. This belief manifests in various excuses such as lack of time, creativity, or resources. Rowlands shares his personal journey of overcoming this belief by taking concrete steps to regain control over his life. He stopped drinking and vaping, started exercising, and dedicated himself to daily creative practices like photography, video production, writing, and reading. The article emphasizes that while outcomes are uncertain, the effort we put into our creative pursuits (outputs) is entirely within our control. Rowlands encourages readers to stop making excuses, to take life back into their own hands, and to create rather than lament their perceived lack of control.

Opinions

The author believes that the belief in not being in control is a significant barrier to creativity and personal development.
Rowlands suggests that excuses such as "I don't have the time" or "I'm not creative" are rooted in a relinquishment of personal agency.
He criticizes the idea that success is based on external factors like looks or money, arguing that this is a "load of bullshit."
The author asserts that waiting for circumstances to change is equivalent to giving up on one's dreams.
Rowlands emphasizes that taking back control involves making active choices to change one's habits and prioritize creative work.
He acknowledges that while success is not guaranteed, the effort and dedication to one's craft (outputs) are within every individual's power.
The article conveys the opinion that admitting to laziness or fear is more challenging but essential for personal growth, compared to blaming external factors.
Rowlands' personal story serves as a testament to the transformative power of taking responsibility for one's own life and creative aspirations.

The Hidden Belief Causing Your Creative Block

How to take creativity back into your hands.

All photographs by the author, Zacc Rowlands.

There is a hidden limiting belief holding you back from creating content.

One that 100% of successful content creators have left behind.

Can you spot it in these statements?

• “I don’t have the time to pursue my passions.”

• “I’m not creative. I wouldn’t know what to make content about.”

• “Wow, you’re so talented. I wish I could do something like that.”

• “If I had more money, I could start a YouTube channel, but right now, I’m too busy working to pay the bills.”

• “They’re just blowing up because they’re hot. If I looked as good as them, I would have thousands of fans too!”

Does any of this sound familiar?

Maybe you said one of those things, maybe a friend or a loved one.

But what do all these have in common?

What is the belief that all these statements are built on?

The belief that you aren’t in control.

I fell for this belief system for many years before realizing how much it held me back.

I aspired to be in a band, make YouTube videos, and live out a life of creativity.

But there was something holding me back.

I was drinking every day and working all the time. Whenever someone would ask me about my goals, I would make excuses like I’m tired or I don’t have the time. I would judge big social media accounts and justify not posting by blaming their success on cringe tactics.

I blamed my inability to achieve my goals on everything but myself.

Look at the belief behind each of the original statements:

• “I don’t have the time.” = I don’t control my schedule.

• “I’m not creative.” = I wasn’t born a natural talent.

• “I wish I could do that.” = I’m not capable of achieving that.

• “If I had more money, I would…” = I can’t make more money or time.

• “They’re just hot, and I’m not.” = Success isn’t earned. It’s given.

What a load of bullshit!

Anytime you say something like that, you are conceding your agency in life.

You’re giving up control to change your current situation.

You’re waiting for something to happen that will change your life and suddenly allow you to live out your dream.

Waiting for something to happen is a death sentence.

You will be waiting forever if you don’t take back control.

You believe this lie because it’s less painful to say you aren’t in control than it is to admit that you’re being lazy.

I know this because I went through it.

When questioned by my fiance why I drank every day, I couldn’t come up with a good reason.

“I just like feeling buzzed. So does everyone else, what’s wrong with that?”

But that wasn’t entirely true.

Getting buzzed every day dulled the pain of not pursuing my dreams.

I knew the moment I stopped drinking, reality would hit that I had given up on my future.

Drinking allowed me to not be in control of my life. It justified my failures.

One day, I had enough.

I decided to take back control of my life.

I quit drinking and vaping. I started working out regularly again. I started doing photography daily. Started learning, making videos, writing, and reading. I started an X account and a Medium account. I finished the debut album with my band, Stealing Automatics.

I took back control of my life.

No more excuses, no more bullshit.

If I don’t have something, it’s because I haven’t earned it.

Will any of this lead to success?

Time will tell.

Outcomes are out of our control.

But outputs are 100% in our hands.

If you don’t have time, make time.

If you don’t have ideas, read.

If you want to be a better writer, write.

If you want to be a YouTuber, make videos.

If you want to be creative, create.

Stop believing that you aren’t in control and take life back into your hands.

If you enjoyed this article, share it with someone you know who has been making excuses. You can follow me Zacc Rowlands for more writing on content creation and creativity.