A client came to me with a problem I’ve seen a thousand times: they had good ideas, solid skills, and the potential to create something great. But no matter how hard they tried, it wasn’t coming together. Their project felt flat, disconnected—not because the ideas weren’t strong, but because they were trying to force them into some neat little box that just didn’t fit.
It wasn’t a creative block, not really. It was something deeper, something more ingrained. The real issue? The way they were thinking about their work.
1. Lean Into the Chaos
We’re all obsessed with control, and that’s the problem. The second you think you have to have everything figured out, that’s when the magic stops flowing. If you’re stuck in a creative rut, maybe it’s time to embrace the chaos. The uncertainty. That feeling of not knowing where you’re going. If it’s uncomfortable, you’re doing it right.
Happy Rocket Tip: Start a “What If?” journal. Write down the messy, half-formed ideas that come to you. Don’t try to resolve them immediately. Let them stew for a while. Sometimes, the best ideas show up when you stop trying to control everything.
2. Step Away—Seriously
Here’s a dirty little secret: when you’re staring at the same thing for too long, you’re just making yourself crazy. Creativity doesn’t happen on a tight leash. Sometimes you’ve got to walk away from the thing you’re obsessing over and do something completely unrelated. Go for a walk, cook dinner, clean out your garage. Let your brain catch a breath and watch how the ideas start to flow when you stop trying so hard.
Happy Rocket Tip: Build "non-creative" time into your routine. It’s counterintuitive, but stepping away from your project can actually bring you closer to it. Go get lost in something else, and come back to your work with fresh eyes.
So here’s the deal: stop giving your doubts so much power.
3. Get Out of Your Own Way
Let’s face it: we’re all our own worst critics. We can’t even take a step forward without second-guessing ourselves. So here’s the deal: stop giving your doubts so much power. Give your fear a name. Make it a character, a pesky little gremlin that you can laugh at. And then move forward, anyway.
Happy Rocket Tip: Find someone you trust—a fellow creator, a friend, whoever—and talk through your ideas with them. Sometimes, hearing your work out loud can make it real, and help you get past the self-doubt. Don’t keep it all inside.
4. Be Bold, Even If It Scares You
If your work doesn’t make you uncomfortable at least a little, what are you even doing? Creativity isn’t about playing it safe. It’s about taking risks, saying things people aren’t saying, and doing things no one else is doing. The more it scares you, the better. Boldness is a muscle; the more you flex it, the stronger it gets.
Happy Rocket Tip: Find the one decision that makes you nervous and make it. Whether it’s the tone of your writing, the subject of your project, or the medium you’re working in, make that bold choice. You’ll surprise yourself.
5. Separate Who You Are from What You Make
This is a big one. We tend to think of our creative work as a reflection of who we are—like it defines us. The truth? It doesn’t. Your self-worth has nothing to do with your work. Once you stop attaching your value to what you create, the whole thing becomes a lot less heavy.
Happy Rocket Tip: Repeat this to yourself like a mantra: “I am enough, even if my latest project isn’t perfect.” Practice this regularly, and watch how much lighter your creative process becomes.
6. Embrace Your Inner Contradictions
This whole “being authentic” thing can get overrated. The truth is, you’re not one thing. You’re a bunch of contradictions, and that’s what makes you interesting. You can be messy and organized, spontaneous and planned. Both of these sides exist within you, so let them show up in your work.
Happy Rocket Tip: Write down the contradictions you see in yourself. The things you think are opposites but actually live side by side. Then, see how you can blend them into your creative process. The magic is in the contradictions.
Creativity doesn’t thrive on compliance, it thrives on rebellion.
7. Forget the Rules—Make Your Own
Here’s a little advice for anyone still looking for permission: Stop waiting for the “rules.” There are no rules. Creativity doesn’t thrive on compliance, it thrives on rebellion. Stop looking at other people’s success as a blueprint and start building your own path. Break things. Bend them. Do whatever feels right.
Happy Rocket Tip: Look at the rules in your field—whether it’s art, music, writing, whatever—and figure out which ones you can break. The goal isn’t to just rebel for the sake of it, but to find what really feels true for you. Then, stick with it.
By the end of our sessions, my client was able to overcome this creative block and making decisions with a new sense of confidence. The project started to feel more alive, more like theirs. Not some polished, Instagram-perfect version of success—but something real, raw, and unique.
At the end of the day, creativity isn’t about the final product—it’s about how you approach the process. When you shift your mindset—away from fear, away from perfectionism—your work transforms. It becomes something alive.
The Key to Progress? Stop trying to make everything perfect. Trust the process, embrace the mess, and let your voice be unapologetically yours. When you do that, the rest will follow.
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