Overcoming Creative Barriers

Christoph Niemann, an illustrator and writer, explains how he's managed to overcome his fears of not being good enough in his talk on creative inspiration.

Like many, Niemann has found that he's dealt with a lot of self doubt throughout his creative career, and his lack of confidence has sometimes held him back as a result. By dealing with this, Niemann has learned that the key to overcoming this crippling doubt is practice, which has enabled him to produce better results on a more consistent basis, and be truly comfortable with his craft.

Another fear that Niemann touches on in his talk on creative inspiration is the idea that one's work will become predictable, and they'll lose the ability to produce great results as repetition will take over. Comically, he states that the solution to this is to "worry, doubt and agonize." By this, Niemann means that it's vital to stay focused on each task and to work through it.

Money, Niemann says, is one of the most difficult fears to overcome as a creative, but he advises his audience to create a buffer zone so that they don't have to take on jobs they don't believe in, and not allow overbearing pressure to crush their ability to be creative.

With his talk on creative inspiration and the fears that are associated with it, Niemann shows his audience that they're not alone in their feelings of self doubt, however there are solutions to dealing with the risks that come from working in a field one is passionate about.