fail fast, learn faster
getting over paralysing perfectionism, day 8/31
Before I get into today’s musings, I want to acknowledge the ongoing vicious racist and Islamophobic violence in the UK, and offer my support and solidarity to those being targeted and harmed by this violence, particularly Muslims and Asian communities. As a White person, I will never experience the fear, distress, or alienation that must be felt by those who are Black, Brown or Mixed Heritage or a practising Muslim. I am remaining awake to the facts and realities of this situation (the devastating attack in Southport, which caused enormous and appropriate distress to all, involved a Cardiff-born Black boy who was not a Muslim, nor a refugee) and I know that this racist violence has always existed in the UK manifesting as interpersonal violence that we see at present, and the equally devastating and longstanding systemic racism and violence.
Our politicians and media, in misreporting, misnaming, and omitting details, have allowed in particular Muslims and asylum seekers to be scapegoated for the political failings and economic hardship. Even now, the BBC are insisting on reporting racist rioters as 'protestors' and 'demonstrators' which is a gross misrepresentation of the violence impacting communities of colour across the UK.
There are a few things White people can do:
Check in on the physical and psychological safety of, and provide support to, colleagues, friends, and families who are Muslim or of a minority ethnicity.
Check your language: Avoid feeding into harmful narratives, accepting single stories, speaking hatefully about anyone, or using language that undermines the scale of this crisis. Describing the rioters as communities of "working class" or "uneducated" people and using ableist terms like "morons" and "dumb" is unhelpful. Yes, we could discuss why riots are occurring more often in areas with high poverty, which often come with increased discontent, frustration, grief, loss of identity post-industry collapse, and lack of access to education or opportunity (caused by poor governance over the decades) - but we won’t do that right now. Just be clear that labelling those causing violence and destruction based on class, education, or ability is wrong and it is incorrect and unfair to paint these communities with the same brush. The majority of those same communities have also led the cleanups post-destruction and are strongly against the riots. The rioters are racist and Islamophobic, emboldened by rhetoric from leading politicians and mainstream and social media.
Check your facts: If you are speaking about the EDL or the far-right, make sure you know who they are and what they stand for. Similarly, understand the facts about hotels which house asylum seekers and refugees in this country. Don’t say definitive statements about things you are not sure of.
Resources:
Read this post by Natalie Evans who co-founded Everyday Racism.
Read this statement by Together for Refugees.
Helpful info about refugees in this country here, written by the Refugee Council.
What exactly do we mean by far-right? a helpful article by Resisting Hate founder Roanna Carleton-Taylor
Finally, I am reminded of these words by Ibram X. Kendi, in his book, ‘How to be an Antiracist’:
‘We are surrounded by racial inequity, as visible as the law, as hidden as our private thoughts. The question for each of us is: What side of history will we stand on? […] “Racist” and “antiracist” are like peelable name tags that are placed and replaced based on what someone is doing or not doing, supporting or expressing in each moment. These are not permanent tattoos. No one becomes a racist or antiracist. We can only strive to be one or the other. We can unknowingly strive to be a racist. We can knowingly strive to be an antiracist. Like fighting an addiction, being an antiracist requires persistent self-awareness, constant self-criticism, and regular self-examination.’
Ok. If you’re here for day 7 of the August challenge. Let’s go.
(And by the way, if you find any of these little reflections helpful or know someone who might then please do go ahead and forward it on)
Fail fast, learn faster. The fear of failure is a common, and deeply personal, challenge for many creatives. This fear manifests in many ways: self-doubt, procrastination, and even abandoning projects altogether. But what exactly is the fear of failure, and why does it hold so much power over creative individuals?
At its core, the fear of failure is an apprehension about not meeting you own or someone else’s expectations. For creatives, their endeavours are not just tasks; they are vulnerable self expression - the stakes are high!
This fear can be paralysing and can be coupled with perfectionism; constantly revising work without ever feeling it is good enough to share. While it can drive one to achieve great things, it can also be a double-edged sword, leading to procrastination, burnout and a vicious cycle where the fear of failure prevents progress, which in turn reinforces the fear.
Creativity is hard, outcomes are subjective AND exposing. Let’s name that. It’s difficult to define what "success" looks like.
But we KNOW that failure is an integral part of the creative process. Fail fast, learn faster.
Step one: Reframe.
One practical approach to overcoming this fear is to reframe the concept of failure.
Instead of seeing it as a negative outcome, view it as an opportunity for growth and improvement.
Reframe your practice to priorities process over outcome. The process is by it’s very nature supposed to teach us things, it’s trial and error, it cannot be incorrect.
Reframe your approach: Set small, achievable goals to build confidence and gradually tackle larger projects.
Because by the way… nothing builds confidence faster than doing what you said you would do.
Surround yourself with supportive individuals who understand the creative journey and can offer constructive feedback. Practice self-compassion. Understand that every creative experiences fear and doubt, and it does not diminish their talent or potential. Celebrate small victories and progress, no matter how minor they may seem.
Step two: Make a mess.
Good news! Making messy progress is really good for our brains. Here’s why:
It encourages exploring the new, breaking usual patterns, sparking fresh ideas. It promotes that magical risk-taking and creates new connections in the brain 🧠.
Making a mess is about giving yourself the space and time to experiment without the pressure of immediate success.
Whether it’s a recipe, a sculpture, a painting, or a song, the process of getting messy is crucial for creative growth.
Like all things, it’s all about practice. The more you allow yourself to embrace the mess, the more you can overcome the fear of failure and perfectionism. This practice helps you to further reframe failure not as a negative outcome but as an essential part of the creative journey. So, make a mess.
Purposefully and intentionally get messy, take risks, in any medium to challenging perfectionism and the fear of failure. Your creativity will thank you!!
Tomorrow let's talk about how to deal with rejection like a champ… Okay byeeee.
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And who am I? That’s one secret you’ll never know, xoxo.. just kidding.
I'm Phoebe, I’m passionate about helping individuals and communities integrate art and creativity sustainably into their li
ves because I KNOW the positive impacts can be world-changing and powerful. With a Fine Art degree and over 8 years of experience in the art world I've been watching this world from all sides. Outside of my 9-5, I coach artists to find purpose, balance, connection, and excitement in their practice and lives. A challenge like this is as much for me as anyone else, as I continue to refine my own multidisciplinary creative practice.