Fear of failure ~ Fear of success

The February/March journal prompt is FEAR. I can think of lots of things to fear. Right now, doing this page is the BIGGEST one of them. Instead of focusing on day-to-day life fears, I am going to focus on fear as it relates to doing art. Or more precisely ... why my fear of making art prevents me from making art.

Several years ago, I picked up the book “Art and Fear” [Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking] by David Bayles and Ted Orland. This is a book about making art. Ordinary art. Not art not made by Monet, Picasso, or Rembrandt. Most art is made by ordinary people, ordinary artists. Our ordinary art can still be quite extraordinary, yet, we artists, sometimes fear our ordinary art will not be extraordinary. The book looks at the way art is made, the reasons art isn’t made and the difficulties that cause artists to give up along the way. Making art can be a lonely, daunting tedious task. If the book gets you to your art sooner and bolder, great. There is a mention that the book is a safety net. That reading the book can become a substitute for the process of making art. It makes you feel better but does not get you "working”. So instead of painting today? You reply, “No. I read parts of Art & Fear”

Hence, I find myself.
I have so many books on art and art processes that I’ve run out of room on my bookshelVES. I read about art. I do “do art”. However, mostly to the assignments and swaps I commit myself to do. But I rarely just do ART. Why?

Because ... I fear, I will fail.
I say... Humm ... I don’t know what to do.
Humm ... I need to learn how.
Oh now...I need a better technique.
Oops now ... I need a specific material.
Oh shoots ... I have no time.
Oh no ... Not now ... after this assignment.

They are all excuses not to do it.

"Everything I've ever done was out of fear of being mediocre." ~ Chet Atkins

“The greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure.” ~ Sven Goran Eriksson

Last year I resolved to “Create one thing each day” ... and I did. Only I let that creativity extend to all creative aspects of life and then any aspect of life from cooking to cleaning ... baby steps.

This year my word is CHANGE, so to change.....

“The key to change... is to let go of fear.” ~ Rosanne Cash

Nevertheless, saying I will change and let go of fear and actually doing it are 2 big and different things. Again baby steps.

It is easier if you just realize ... FEAR is just another four-letter word ~ Anon

AND

“FEAR is an acronym in the English language for "False Evidence Appearing Real" ~ Neale Donald Walsch

In his song, F.E.A.R. Ian Brown he gives several meanings to the acronym FEAR in the lyrics

Fantastic expectations Amazing revelations

Final execution and resurrection
Free expression as revolution
Finding everything and realizing

For everything a reason

Once we overcome a fear, we are courageous, successful, aware, and free.

Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live. ~ Dorothy Thompson

You don't face your fears, you stand up to them. ~ Anon

So, just do art.
Any kind of art ... Ordinary art ... Experiment ... Work in a new medium.
And keep in mind ....not every “work” will be a masterpiece. Some will be disasters, but learn from the “process”.
If you create one thing today ... It just might be extraordinary.

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear.
Action breeds confidence and courage.
If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it.
Go out and get busy.” ~ Dale Carnegie

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience
in which you really stop to look fear in the face.
You must do the thing which you think you cannot do. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt