creative life Archives - Jessica Abel

Answer these 10 quick questions to uncover the real reasons why you’re not able to take control of your creative work.

creative life

Losing focus? There are reasons you derail your progress

It happens every time I get about two-thirds of the way through the Creative Focus Workshop with a group of students, and creaky, self-defeating patterns start breaking down. People start to take action on projects that have been back-burnered for ages. Stuff starts to happen. It was happening for Chris, who has wanted for years

If creativity is so freeing, why do I feel like I’m trapped?

You have a passion. You’re inspired and motivated. So why can’t you manage to do the thing? Feel trapped? Here’s some news: You are. Ready to get out?

Against grit: Why setting the bar low is the key to making real change in your life

You don’t need a will of iron or a massive supply of “grit” to make real changes in your life. Instead, you need to set the bar low. The secret to hitting those big creative goals is not about waiting for inspiration, it’s taking much smaller steps, much more often.

12 hard-won tools and strategies from navigating a 12-year project

The point of being human is to try things that are incredibly difficult, to reach for heaven, even if it exceeds your grasp. That’s who we are. That’s what makes it all worth it.

Stop fixating on “shoulds” — follow through on your new creative habit

Banish the endless self-critical monologue running in your head. Decide what you want to do, what you WILL do, and follow through on your creative habit.

How to finish that major project you’ve been avoiding for…ever

There are projects on your list that have been there a very long time. Everybody has them. I have them. Here’s how to (finally) get them done.

“It’s kind of poised to leap now, and that’s really scary and exciting…”

Liz Schiller had been putting off finishing a years-long project of writing a musical…until she made it her One Goal and got help from her CFW cohort. What can you do when you’re overwhelmed by a giant project?

Treat yourself like a dog

If we all agree that punishment and cruelty don’t work on others, why are they your go-tos when it comes to changing your own less-than optimal behaviors?

Facing the gap between where you are and where you want to be? Take the next step.

Inside your head, there’s a version of you who’s killing it.
That you is working steadily on the novel, the blog, the film, the podcast, the comic, the website. Alternate-you is publishing, going live. And the world is loving it.
But on the outside? You’re barely moving.
You’ve got to take the next step.

How do you know if it’s time to quit?

You’ve worked so hard, gathered so much research, gotten really deep in…and all you feel is overwhelmed. How do you know when it’s time to quit?

Answer these 10 quick questions
to uncover the real reasons why you’re not able
to take control of your creative work.

Start Here