“I would love to get started on that but I don't have time.”
“There aren't enough hours in a day.”
“Man I wish I had more time to do other things.”
If any of the above statements sound familiar, you are not alone. The creative brain constantly struggles with the management of time. As one may notice, these are primarily excuses to procrastinate. Sure, there are absolutely real reasons to not be able to start or finish something and as the saying goes “life gets in the way”, but we can still create the time we need.
I highly recommend the book “War of Art” by Steven Pressfield. The majority of the book is about how creatives THINK they don't have time to do the work they love and is a result of their own procrastination. It is a byproduct of fear: The fear of success or the fear of failure.
I used to have a tremendous fear of failure. “What if I don't make it?” “What if I mess up during a performance and everyone hears?” “What if…?” Getting over these thoughts is not an easy feat, however once done it can be very freeing. We all are our own biggest critic so overcoming ourselves is important for personal growth.
Lately, I have had the opposite issue which is the fear of success. “What If I DO make it?” “What if people like my compositions and ask for more and pay me with real money?” I believe this manifests in the same manner as failure and that is the mindset of thinking you are not good enough. True worth is having self worth, not an accumulation of what others value you.
Just remember, we are all in this together and if one succeeds, we all succeed. Make the time for yourself, make the time for your craft, and most of all, love what you do and have some fun with it.