The Reason Why You Have Doubts About Your Work

To Anyone Who Is Anxious About Their Creativity

Have you ever got compliments about one of the articles you have written or a painting you have drawn, but never got anything for the next one and thought that the latter is not as good as the former? Well, it is not always the case. Just because someone does not bother to give feedback about what you have created, it does not mean what you think it does.

When I finish writing short stories, I usually send them to some of my friends and family members to read. Sometimes they compliment my work, sometimes they criticize so hard that I reconsider my dreams of becoming a writer. But eventually, they serve to one purpose which is helping me become better at this; hone my skills.

But there is one thing that hurts more than anything and it is no response, no feedback from others. It makes me feel like I am in a dark forest or a field without a compass.

I don’t know what to do, should I continue? should I demand an answer? should I stop writing? Why no one just tells me how they felt when they were reading? How did they want to feel? What were their expectations in the first place? Did I disappoint them? Was I able to surprise them in the end? What do they think about the plot twist?

When such a thing happens rather than blaming those people who are willing to take time reading my work, I only see one responsible party: Evil compliments

Compliments are the enemy of your productivity.

I cannot stress enough of how accurate it is and how many times I find myself struggling in this hole. I post a poem if no one shares or comments I instantly think it is bad. It makes me sad. Although I know I have published a lot of them and have been given a lot of good feedback: people messaged me about my posts and how they made them feel and I felt like the happiest person on Earth, I still cannot stop thinking how bad I am at this just because no one told me otherwise in the last 30 minutes.

Creators don't have to have compliments. They might need criticism, but they need to create regardless of anything.

Compliments might feel good but only for a short amount of time. Then they make you paralyzed. You wonder where did you go wrong? Nowhere. It is the same as starting a relationship with high expectations. But sometimes the stability is more important than the peaks during a short amount of time period.

It is better to put your best work and not to worry about the outcome rather than waiting and getting disappointed then stop producing because you feel so desperate about your work.

Getting compliments is fine but getting attached to them is not. If someone compliments you, don’t accept it 100% correct, even though it is so hard to do especially after publishing something you have worked so much on. Rather keep some space that it might not be true and that you should not fully trust the person who is complimenting you.

It is not to create trust issues, but to grow further and so as to not get disappointed on your journey.