Be Serious

...but not TOO serious!

Yeah, you knew exactly who the villain of this strip was going to be. But who can resist a good Scooby Doo reveal?

Creative work is work. It deserves to be taken seriously.

But if things get too serious, so serious that they start to fade the magic, that’s a red flag. For me, I realized the new ideas and ambitions popping into my brain all of a sudden weren’t just distractions—they were procrastination.

And procrastination is always a good indicator that another wicked P-word is lurking around: perfectionism!

(Boo! Hiss!)

Do I really want to make a bunch of other creative stuff? Heck yeah, I do! But it doesn’t have to happen now.

Thinking all that other stuff needs my immediate attention is a way of pulling myself away from a long-term project—one that really, really matters!—toward short-term excitement.

I want to do the work. I’m committed to doing the work. I’m sticking with my long-term goal. That’s what taking creativity seriously means to me.

Sure, other things are going to come up, and that’s fine. If they’re rest or play, or something time-sensitive that’s important, okay.

But if I catch Jeremy sending me ideas just to keep me from moving forward because he senses I’m afraid of being imperfect, well, that’s a no-no. And I’m glad Peggy’s here to unmask his evil plots!

Have you found yourself distracted or struggling with a long-term goal? What made you notice, and what did you do about it?

Hope you have an awesome week and keep creating! Happy April!