9 excuses you're making not to do your creative work and my rebuttals
📝 Creative work = writing, starting your business, making your art, publishing your substack, creating your content, building your personal brand - fill in the blanks.
There is an ambient anxiety that soundtracks your life when you’re a creative person who is not expressing themselves. I know firsthand, after a decade of building brands for other people – writing, designing, strategizing, building, posting – knowing, “I could be doing this for myself” – but simply not doing it.
After years of refereeing the wrestling match between my desire to create and my excuses – and after talking to hundreds of freelancers and creatives – I’ve become intimate with the un-unique excuses that feel so personal and true when we are in a state of procrastination. And I’m happy to report that my anxiety started getting a lot quieter when I finally launched my own thing…
Before I started building my own brand, I felt like I was running on a treadmill that never stopped and wasn’t going anywhere, only working for other people. But now I’m investing in building an asset that’s mine, expressing myself in a way that feels contributive, and realizing my potential along the way.
So, if you’re putting off writing, starting your business, making your art, creating your content, building your personal brand, etc. – please use this post as a resource… Find the excuse(s) that’re holding you hostage and consider my rebuttal… Maybe even drop everything you’re doing right now to create.
If I missed any, drop your excuse in the comments, and I’ll rebut it for you.
Excuse → “I’m too multifaceted and unfocused! Choosing one project, topic, niche, or message feels impossible and inauthentic. I don’t even know where to start.”
Rebuttal: Every piece of your work doesn’t have to represent every piece of you. And it feels a lot better to share a piece of yourself with the world than nothing at all.
Everyone is a multi-hyphenate – some people just choose to focus. Focusing means you’ve untangled your story enough to share a sliver of your perspective that might resonate with others.
People don’t need to understand you completely to appreciate you or your work. And the pursuit of being truly known is an inside job. Not many people will ever know 100% of you – and the ones who do are still only processing you through their own lens of perception.
All of this to say – just choose one thing to start with. One medium, one topic, one product. Whether it turns into your focus or simply leads you to the next step, it will get the ball rolling and help people understand if they want to get on your train or not.
Excuse → “I’m not an expert :(”
Rebuttal: This is like saying you don’t do yoga because you’re not flexible – when in reality, you go to yoga to become more flexible. As you work on your craft, you’ll hone your craft. There’s no way around that.
There’s no reason you have to be an “expert” to do or share your creative work. In fact, it’s much better if you don’t pretend to be more experienced than you are and instead take us along for the journey. There’s a reason we love a success story – it’s because we get to go along for the ride and watch your work evolve before it reaches a more final form. So be transparent about where you’re at and share confidently from that standpoint. You’ll get to your version of expert level, too – but only if you start.
Excuse → “I should have started 10 years ago – now it’s oversaturated.”
Rebuttal: This excuse will only keep you waiting 10 more years.
I used to really like this one because I was avoiding sharing on social media (because I was actually afraid of being seen). I hoped social media would expire before I got around to posting on it so I’d never have to. But finally, I faced my fear, launched my brand, started writing, creating videos, and sharing content – and now I wish I had started sooner.
Excuse → “I don’t want any more screen time…”
Rebuttal: It seems like my friends who say this the most also send me the most memes and reels. So if this is you, you need to shift from a consumer to a creator mindset and limit the mindless scrolling, so you can start using your screens as tools instead of black holes.
Remember, you don’t need screens to get inspired. Take a walk without headphones, take a long bath or shower, do a project with your hands, or invite your most inspiring friend over for tea and have a 3-hour conversation. Let the ideas drop in offline, so that if the creation happens online, you won’t be spending 24/7 on your screen.
Excuse → “I don’t have time”
Rebuttal: My first question is – do you like the things that are keeping you busy? If not, it’s time for a hard right. This is your life, and if you don’t have time for yourself, then something is off!
Regardless of your work hours, we all have mornings, nights, and weekends. And catching some momentum might mean deprioritizing your social life, TV, and scrolling – and making some space for yourself instead.
Ellen Mote, a (very cool) busy mom and artist, wakes up at 4:00am to do her painting – and I’m sure she feels so much better about the rest of her day when she’s tended to herself first. I’m spending my Sunday writing this essay because I’m excited to build my Substack, and I know I have a busy week.
Take a look at your life, and prioritize your creativity if it’s a priority to you.
Excuse → “It’s cringe, embarrassing, try-hard.”
Rebuttal: Anyone who’s done anything of note has had to climb “cringe mountain” (watch this) before they’ve enjoyed the views at the top. And I get it – nothing is more vulnerable than being seen trying and maybe even failing a little along the way. But these are all lessons that will point you in the right direction, so view them as data.
Don’t let your ex or someone from high school stop you from doing what you want. That is the definition of “giving your power away.” I recommend ripping the band-aid off ASAP so that everyone can stalk you and move on. You will find your people, and they won’t find you cringe – they will find you inspiring <3
Excuse → “I’ll do it when…”
Rebuttal: The myth of perfect conditions. That time when there will be no stress, more money, inner peace, and infinite time to explore your creativity.
But what if these things all come BECAUSE you decide to follow the ping inside you that wants to create? Write? Launch your own business? Wouldn’t that be a lot more fun?
For people who like to make excuses, more excuses will continue to come. It’s kind of like when you need to break up with someone, but then it’s their birthday, and then Christmas, and then Valentine’s Day. You need to break the spell by taking action.
And if you see money as a blocker – please know that MANY businesses fail because they have too much money and not enough passion. Sometimes money creates a comfortable position for people to do nothing. You’re better off being fueled by creativity and desire than by money – that’s how most things that make money eventually are born.
Excuse → “Someone else is already doing this – and probably doing it better than me.”
Rebuttal: In a world of billions, this way of thinking is a losing game. Yes, many people have similar ideas and interests – but nobody else is you. Nobody else has your lived experience, tone of voice, energy signature, or delivery. Someone could hear the same message from two people but be more compelled by one of the voices – and if you’re in the game, that voice could be yours.
I truly believe there is an audience for everyone if we are committed to being ourselves. This means the best thing you can do for your work is turn off the noise and stop mimicking (consciously or unconsciously) other people’s voices, work, words, or taste. People will be drawn to your energy when they can sense it’s something they can’t get anywhere else.
Excuse → “I use my creativity for my job, and don’t have any energy left for myself.”
Rebuttal: You’re going to have to mentally flip your priorities and do your creative work before you do your work-work, because you can’t give from an empty cup. Doing your own work will energize you and give you so much more to give in every other area of life.
Remember that building for yourself will go with you from job to job – you’re building an asset that doesn’t belong to a company… It’s yours. And it’s a worthy priority.
Whether that’s having some cozy time to write on the weekends, waking up early, or taking yourself to a new coffee shop to make it fun, think of it as watering your garden. You’ll be grateful you invested when the trees start to fruit.
✨ If you relate to any of these excuses – I hope my rebuttals helped! I wrote them as a reminder for myself, too. xx
★ Thanks for reading :) I’m here to help you on your self-employed journey. To start making money, grab my e-course How to Go Freelance or book a 1:1 Office Hours session where we can dig into your dreams and goals. Follow me on TikTok, Instagram, and shop my WFH Essentials here.
So much yes to this entire post — especially “every piece of your work doesn’t have to represent every piece of you.” That mindset shift helped me finally start sharing. And now that I am creating consistently, the ambient anxiety really has gotten quieter. This is a keeper ❤️
This post is inspiring, and watching your newsletter grow is inspiring. Thank you! I'm off to write!