Blame It On Your Muse

All we have is our art.

That is all we are.

Non-artists love asking the true artist...

1. What is your back-up plan?
2. Isn't it time to get a real job?
3. What if you never succeed?

And to top it off your Ego kicks into high gear every time you embark on a new artistic endeavor!

But then something wonderful happens...

You finally win the Oscar
You finally book a Broadway show
You finally write a best seller
You finally achieve artistic success

You'd think the questions would stop, you'd think your Ego would quiet, you'd think the artistic battle was over...

But then...

The Non-Artist asks, what if you've reached your pinnacle? Aren't you afraid you'll never achieve another masterpiece?

And then we undergo "tortured artist" syndrome.

In extreme settings, we as artists:
Become deeply depressed
Go insane
Overdose  
Or...
End up killing ourselves

Simply because we are our art. And our creative juices have been spent. 

Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Pray Love picks apart our western ideas about the so-called "tortured artistic" journey in her 2009 TED talk... a must see click here.


Elizabeth made it her mission to find a new set of beliefs about the artistic journey... maybe it didn't have to be so painful? She landed on the Greeks and the Romans. Their belief was far from negative. And here's why...


The Greeks and Romans didn't see the artist as the sole creator of the art. Instead a muse or genius was the artist, and the person was simply the creative channel. Therefore artistic failure wasn't solely the fault of the individual, the blame was shared with the muse.


Why is this important? Next time writer's block creeps up on you... don't blame yourself, call out for your muse to show you the way. Think of your art as a joint venture between you and your muse. Show up everyday knowing you're going to have ups and downs... but you'll still do you're best to channel your muse.

And when you fail, it's not entirely your fault, blame it on your muse. Blaming your failures on your muse allows you to avoid "tortured artist" syndrome. Being an artist doesn't have to mean a lifetime of struggle. Maybe you never will create something as brilliant as your break through art piece... OR maybe you will, either way...

Don't take failure personally, this will lead to your destruction; simply blame it on your muse, and continue to create yr art.

And yes, it's easier said than done.

Tunnel Vision

We all know comparing ourselves to someone else is bad news. But sometimes we need to be reminded. My Ego loves to use this “comparing” tactic against me, and it does a great job at making me feel less than. 

MY LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES = SHITTY

HER/HIS LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES = WAY MORE FABULOUS THAN MINE 

Maybe it’s true, and maybe it’s not.

And then I remember, this is my journey, not someone else’s journey. It’s my rollercoaster ride, my story, and my life.

Where you are right now, is right. And where you are going, is right.

When your Ego switches into overdrive, alerting you how much better everyone else is compared to you… focus all your energy on your journey only.

Ask your muse for guidance, and Tunnel Vision. 

My Dragon

“On the field of the Self stand a knight and a dragon. You are the knight. Resistance is the dragon.”

Do The Work, Steven Pressfield

I always believed overnight successes were impossible… or in other words, one’s success may appear to happen overnight, but in actuality that’s never the case. But then, a real overnight success asked me out on a date.

Over dinner, he explained there was prep-work and lots of talent behind his good fortune, but he did ultimately agree he was an overnight success. I couldn’t help but hold a mirror to my own life… this mirror A.K.A: my dragon of resistance screamed:

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING WITH THE LAST 24 YEARS, MALORIE?!

WHY ARENT YOU FAMOUS?!

WHY HAVENT YOU CREATED SOMETHING BRILLIANT?!

An achy feeling over took my body. My dragon told me to curl up and die. She insisted I drown my sorrows in someone else’s bed. And she continued to remind me how shitty my artistic journey has been, and yes, how unproductive.

Despite the intense flames from my dragon, I kept my cool, and the Overnight Success didn’t seem to notice my raging fury. Dinner ended, he kissed me on the cheek and we parted ways.

As I walked home… the pity parade gallantly followed my every move, singing gleefully “You Suck, You Suck, la la la!!”

I was losing the battle.

And then…

I began to write.

I scheduled artistic meetings.

Embarked on a new book.

And sang with all my heart.  

The achy feeling dissipated.

This wasn’t the first battle and it wasn’t the last. And for the time being my dragon has been pretty quiet, but I know she’ll creep up again soon. It’s a good thing I know her weakness.

And who knows maybe you’ll be the next overnight success… and until then create while you wait.