How perfectionism kills your creative spark
And how to break free and create anyway.
Now that looks like inspiration to me…
You sit down to start something.
A painting. A blog. A dream project. A messy little idea that makes you feel alive.
And then… bam.
That voice kicks in.
“This isn’t good enough.”
“You’re not ready.”
“You don’t even know what you’re doing.”
Sound familiar?
That voice sounds helpful. Protective, even. But what it’s actually doing is shutting down your creativity before it even gets a chance to breathe.
That voice is called perfectionism, and it’s killing your creative spark.
If you’ve been feeling stuck, blocked, or like you “just aren’t creative anymore,” you’re not broken. You’re battling perfectionism. And the good news? Once you see how it works, you can stop letting it run the show.
What perfectionism really is
Perfectionism doesn’t mean “having high standards.” That’s healthy striving. That’s growth. That’s okay.
Perfectionism is what we call it when your worth gets tangled up with your output. It whispers that if something isn’t flawless from the start, it’s not worth doing at all. It's really a symptom of fear, dressed up like ambition. It doesn't push you forward, it shuts you down.
And it thrives in silence.
So let’s talk about how it’s messing with your creativity.
How perfectionism strangles creativity
Perfectionism:
Turns play into pressure. You stop exploring and start performing, even if no one’s watching.
Replaces curiosity with comparison. Instead of “What would happen if…?” you think “Why bother? Other people are better.”
Demands results before you’ve even had a chance to enjoy the process. You can't guarantee brilliance, so you freeze.
Creates an endless loop of ‘almost starting.’ You prep. You research. You organize your desk. You take out your supplies. But you don’t actually make anything.
Makes you forget why you wanted to create in the first place. When perfection is the goal, joy doesn't stand a chance.
TEACHING MOMENT
Perfectionism vs. healthy striving
Healthy striving says, “I want to grow.”
Perfectionism says, “I need to prove my worth.”
One is expansive. The other is paralyzing.
🔎 A 2019 study in Psychological Bulletin found that perfectionism is linked to higher levels of anxiety, depression, and procrastination.
Perfectionism doesn’t drive success. It drives burnout.
The brain on perfectionism
Creativity needs freedom. Your brain actually has two different modes:
Exploration mode – curious, relaxed, playful
Evaluation mode – critical, cautious, performance-focused
You can't be in both at the same time.
Neuroscience shows that your best creative insights come when your brain is relaxed and wandering, not when you’re judging every sentence, brushstroke, or step (Beaty et al., 2015).
So if you’re criticizing your ideas before you’ve even started? You’re cutting off your creative spark at the root.
When I first built my website, I wanted it to look professional and polished with clean lines and a modern feel. What I ended up with? Something that looked like a 1980s motivational poster.
Bright pink. Fonts that fought each other. Buttons that screamed “crisis energy.”
Barbara, my inner critic, was appalled.
“If you can’t do it properly, maybe you shouldn’t do it at all.”
I nearly believed her. But I kept going. I redesigned. I revised. I played. I laughed. I started over. I won’t admit to how many times.
But eventually, my site began to look like me.
Not perfect, but functional. A bit fun, and completely mine.
How to create even when perfectionism shows up
You're not going to eliminate perfectionism completely. But you can stop giving it the microphone.
Here’s how to start:
Start smaller than feels comfortable
Perfectionism loves grand plans and dramatic overhauls. It freaks out when things are small, quiet, and imperfect.
So trick it.
Set a 2-minute timer.
Draw something bad.
Write the worst sentence you can think of.
Just start.
Celebrate showing up, not the outcome
Psychologists call this a “process mindset.” It’s when you measure success by engagement, not perfection.
🔎 Research by Carol Dweck (2006) shows that focusing on effort builds resilience and motivation. And it makes creativity way more sustainable.
Source: Dweck, C. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.
Show up = win. Messy progress still counts. Full stop.
Talk back to Barbara
When that inner critic pipes up with:
“You’re not doing this right.”
Try replying: “I’m not doing it wrong, either.”
When she says:
“You’ll embarrass yourself.”
You say: “Probably. But it’ll be interesting.”
You’re allowed to be playful. You’re allowed to be a beginner.
Make “bad art” on purpose
I mean it.
Set a challenge for yourself:
Create the worst poem.
Draw the weirdest tree.
Write a journal entry with the most dramatic metaphors you can think of.
Why?
Because it breaks the spell. ‘Bad’ art gives your brain permission to breathe again. It reminds you: This doesn’t have to be good. It just has to exist.
Reconnect with why you create
Creativity doesn’t need to impress anyone.
🔎 Research shows that even casual creative activities reduce cortisol (your stress hormone) and improve emotional regulation (Kaimal et al., 2016).
Source: Kaimal, G. et al. (2016). Reduction of Cortisol Levels Following Art Making. Art Therapy Journal.
You create to feel grounded, to express your individuality, and to reconnect with your inner child. Even when it’s messy. Especially when it’s messy.
The spark is still there, it’s just buried under pressure
Perfectionism is sneaky. It tells you to wait until you're ready. But the longer you wait, the harder it gets to start.
So… start anyway. Not because you want to create something perfect. Not because you’re confident that you can. But because you miss yourself.
Were you inspired to create something? Tell us in the comments.
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