Tag: Resistance

The Blank Page

The blank page is never empty—it’s filled with doubts and fears.

You are not alone.

The fear of the blank page is real. Anyone who has ever tried to manifest their inner world—ideas, visions, perspectives—knows it does exist.

But where does it come from? Why is it so mighty that it can hinder so many ideas from blooming and enriching the world?

Because every imagination carries expectation.

The moment we bring it on paper, we start comparing our creation with that internal image or with other people’s work.

We expect it to look alike—and that’s a battle we can’t win.

To beat the blank page, we must learn to meet our expectations with kindness and flexibility.

Because…

The Truth is

The image on paper will never overlap exactly with the one in our mind.

Never.

That’s not failure. That’s the game.

And we can choose to enjoy it—despite waves of frustration and anxiety during the whole process.

Let go of expectations, and flow will follow.

Here are Three Quick Tips to Start

  1. Keep the ink moving
    Whether you want to write or sketch something—just hit the canvas. Describe your current feelings or draw random doodles. It’s like a warm-up session before pushing the weights.
  2. Crumble perfection
    Sometimes the flawlessness of a clean page, a new sketchbook, or notepads can intimidate the beginning. Break the perfection by tearing off a corner of the paper or crumpling it. Process is always messy and has no space for order.
  3. ”Dance with the fear”
    It’s one of my favorite messages from Seth Godin. Accept that the fear will never go away. It’s part of the process, and all we can do is embrace and dance with it.

Start ugly. But start.

The Power of Action

There is only one way to create:
take action.

The journey of a creative mind is paved with obstacles and enemies that try to stop us from drawing the first line of a painting, writing the first sentence of a novel, or sketching out an innovative product we have in mind.

So many great ideas never saw the light of day because of these enemies. And they have names: procrastination, imposter syndrome, creative block—all part of a bigger monstrosity called resistance.

“Resistance is like the Alien or the Terminator or the shark in Jaws. It cannot be reasoned with.”
—Steven Pressfield (The War of Art)

After living a creative life for more than two decades, I have one bad news and three good news.

The Bad News

These wicked creatures do exist, and most of them will never vanish completely.

The Good News

  1. They are nothing but holograms of our doubts and fears. They are mainly are the fear of not meeting expectations—whether our own or others.
  2. We can reinterpret them by using them as a signpost or compass. Whenever resistance strikes, it’s a sign that we are on to something important to us and worth fighting for.
  3. They serve as a natural selection between those who start and those who don’t. If you can beat them, your chances of creating impact are high.

Don’t just accept their presence—embrace it. Use it. They are part of the creative adventure and seeds of growth. Train yourself to face them in eager anticipation.

Trying to dodge them would be like playing Super Mario or Zelda in a world without enemies—no fun at all.

And again, there is one single solution to beat them all: take action.

You’ll see that most of these enemies crumble the moment the pen tip hits the canvas.

And the best part is: the effort can be incredibly small.

Whenever I receive a new commission for an illustration project, I feel their presence. Procrastination will immediately try to convince me that cleaning the dishes is suddenly the most important thing.

Bottom Line

Creative enemies will never go away—but you decide how to treat them.

Don’t allow them to breathe.

Next time you feel stuck, just do something—no matter how small. Create a folder structure on your computer. Draw the first sketch in seconds. Jot down your immediate thoughts.

The moment you make, you are already in the middle of the process.