Creative blocks are not the enemy.

You are.

Every time you sit down to create and nothing happens, you go to war with yourself. You judge the emptiness. You panic about the silence. You make the block about your worth as a creative — as a human being.

That's the real block.

But it's not your fault. You've been sold a lie.

Creative blocks are one of the most universally experienced challenges among creatives. They're also the most widely misunderstood.

This misunderstanding has led to mythical narratives about the muse and the tortured artist. It's gotten to the point where modern creative culture romanticizes the passive state of being blocked more than the active and inspiring state of creation.

This stops today.

We're not waiting for imaginary creatures to come rescue us with a dose of inspiration. We're not sitting on our asses, shaming ourselves into a deeper hole because we don't know how to get unstuck.

What we ARE doing is learning what blocks actually tell us and implementing a couple strategies to get you cookin’ again.

Blocks aren't random. They're your creative unconscious trying to communicate with you. But you can’t hear it because your inner critic is throwing a tantrum.

So what exactly is happening?

It’s not your perfectionism. You’re afraid.

Your standards have become a performance, not a practice. You're creating for an imaginary, hyper-judgmental audience instead of creating for the love of the work itself.

You don’t need more “inspo.” You’re burned out.

You've been consuming more than creating. Your brain is packed with other people's voices. There's no room left for yours.

You don’t lack preparation. You’re procrastinating.

The work you're avoiding wants to change you. That scares the shit out of you. So you keep learning, researching, tweaking.

You don’t need more motivation. You need to put less pressure on yourself.

You've made this project responsible for your entire creative identity. No single piece of work can carry that weight. Distribute the load.

Stop fighting them

The more you resist a block, the stronger it gets. Blocks feed on your panic.

Make something bad

Give yourself permission to make a mess. Bad work teaches you more than good work anyway.

Change your input

When you can't create, consume differently. Go for a walk. Read something outside your field. Talk to someone who doesn't give a shit about your creative work.

Work smaller

Can't write the novel? Write a paragraph. Can't finish the painting? Make a sketch. Can't solve the design problem? Doodle for five minutes.

Inspiration is more unreliable than your ex.

Professional creatives don't wait for inspiration. They work without it. They've learned the secret: inspiration isn't a prerequisite for creative action. It is the result of creative action.

You don't need to feel inspired to start. You need to start to feel inspired.

The real creative process:

Most creative advice treats blocks like Satan.

It’s not that serious.

If you never get blocked, you're simply not taking big enough creative risks. You’re playing it safe.

Creative blocks are a sign you're trying to make something that matters.

The goal isn't to eliminate blocks. It's to get comfortable being uncomfortable. To build your tolerance for creative uncertainty. Your best work lives right on the other side of what seems impossible.

Creative blocks aren't walls. They're mirrors and windows and doors.

Use them to see what's possible and step into it with the confidence only disciplined, uninspired work can give you.

Got a song on repeat?
Send it my way.
If I feature it, you get some love in a future issue.

You fucking legend.

Love,

Santi