Mastering Creative Anxiety

In his decades of therapeutic practice with artists, Eric Maisel has found a common thread behind what often gets labeled “writer’s block,” “procrastination,” or “stage fright.” It’s the particular anxiety that keeps creators from doing, completing, or sharing the work they are paradoxically driven toward. This “creative anxiety” can take the form of avoiding the work, declaring it not good enough, or failing to market it — and it can cripple creators for decades, even lifetimes. But Maisel has also learned what sets successful creators apart. He shares these strategies here, including artist-specific stress management; how to work despite ego-bruising, day jobs, and other inevitable frustrations; and what not to do to deal with anxiety. These 24 lessons replace the pain of not creating with the profound rewards of free artistic self-expression.