Back to David Kadavy

So often (so often that it’s embarrassing) I think about making art but don’t because ‘I haven’t got time now’, or ‘it’s not worth starting at the moment’ or ‘my brain’s not geared up for painting’. In my head, creating seems a big commitment that is too large to take on in a short space of time.

David Kadavy calls this Inflating the Investment – seeing a task as too large and consequently opting for ‘low commitment things’ instead (Instagram, Facebook, checking emails, absently fiddling around ….).

He likens it to the times we pick up a book and feel committed to reading the whole thing, or starting at the start, or taking in every word and, therefore, put it down.

So don’t! Start where you like. Just read a bit of it. Don’t expect to do a complete. Same with painting and drawing. Dabble, if necessary, but do it in your art. Start something somewhere but don’t expect to finish. Don’t make the task larger and more daunting than necessary.

Maybe this is universal knowledge that I’ve missed out on (apologies from the born-again creator) ….. but it will surely change the face of my days. Doing nothing is fine if it’s a conscious choice. Wasting time because it seems too hard to start is, for me, demoralising.

So no longer! A new way of thinking and a new approach. Thank you, David.

Kirsten