I'm not even that good.
I'm facing a really stupid problem right now: I like my work too much. I'm so incredibly satisfied by what I create that I'm losing the drive to continually improve. That's just...the dumbest thing.
If left unchecked i can see two disastrous outcomes. - Why practice when I'm so good already? I continue to slack off until my peers surpass me. I then panic and begin improving again. (Of course by this point I am behind and I've likely lost many good years of creativity and am not likely to ever catch up.)
or it could get significantly worse - I become dependant on feeling this self satisfaction after I create. Criticisms and doubts are ignored, deflected, or defended against. I collapse inwards, unable to cope this the realities of stagnation, eventually losing all touch with the reality of my own field. Creativity and exploration have long died.
Option 3 - Cats.
I have to find a way to dis-satisfy myself from my own work, or alternately, remove myself from my work so the personal gratification felt would be significantly reduced. Or both.
Do I compare my work to other's? This is tricky. I've found the best option for this approach is to find someone around my own age (or younger) who is superior to me in some way (in technical skills, themes, composition, or whatever.) but this is just a temporary solution, and it relies far too much on another person. I've had people I follow radically alter their styles for no reason. Then what? Do I change mine too so I can keep up? No. What if they decide to stop making art and take up chess? Sucks for me. What if they die? They're not easily replaceable.
Total isolation doesn't help me either, even though I enjoy it.
I need to make some really shitty art. I have to remind myself how terrible I am at certain things (perspective, complex colour harmony, inanimate objects) or else I'll become too afraid to look.
I should also find/make a challenge to surmount, one that's beyond my current abilities. I need something at stake though or else I'll bullshit my way through it. Hm.
This is what too much emphasis on positive self-esteem gets you: Assholes who are too arrogant/afraid to improve themselves.
If left unchecked i can see two disastrous outcomes. - Why practice when I'm so good already? I continue to slack off until my peers surpass me. I then panic and begin improving again. (Of course by this point I am behind and I've likely lost many good years of creativity and am not likely to ever catch up.)
or it could get significantly worse - I become dependant on feeling this self satisfaction after I create. Criticisms and doubts are ignored, deflected, or defended against. I collapse inwards, unable to cope this the realities of stagnation, eventually losing all touch with the reality of my own field. Creativity and exploration have long died.
Option 3 - Cats.
I have to find a way to dis-satisfy myself from my own work, or alternately, remove myself from my work so the personal gratification felt would be significantly reduced. Or both.
Do I compare my work to other's? This is tricky. I've found the best option for this approach is to find someone around my own age (or younger) who is superior to me in some way (in technical skills, themes, composition, or whatever.) but this is just a temporary solution, and it relies far too much on another person. I've had people I follow radically alter their styles for no reason. Then what? Do I change mine too so I can keep up? No. What if they decide to stop making art and take up chess? Sucks for me. What if they die? They're not easily replaceable.
Total isolation doesn't help me either, even though I enjoy it.
I need to make some really shitty art. I have to remind myself how terrible I am at certain things (perspective, complex colour harmony, inanimate objects) or else I'll become too afraid to look.
I should also find/make a challenge to surmount, one that's beyond my current abilities. I need something at stake though or else I'll bullshit my way through it. Hm.
This is what too much emphasis on positive self-esteem gets you: Assholes who are too arrogant/afraid to improve themselves.