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
- 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. - 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. - ”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.