Audacity, not talent.

What if I told you that you don’t need talent to be creative?

I started The Artist’s Way this week. It is my second go, the first being in 2019 when I never finished the full 12-week program.

I intend to finish it this time, albeit on my own timeline. If one week takes me 10 days, so be it. Who cares? Now, I’m older and have more time to devote to creative nurturing.

In chapter one, author Julia Cameron writes about the “shadow artist:” the part of oneself that yearns for a creative life but is repressed for any number of reasons. Often, our shadow artist lurks behind endeavors that are almost in line with our creative desires, but not quite (like studying PR when what you really wanted was to be a writer), or intense admiration–longing, even–for other “real” artists.

Artists love other artists. Shadow artists are gravitating to their rightful tribe but cannot yet claim their birthright. Very often audacity, not talent, makes one person an artist and another a shadow artist–hiding in the shadows, afraid to step out and expose the dream to the light, fearful that it will disintegrate to the touch.

The Artist’s Way

Pearl Ada said it, too.

You don’t need talent. That comes later, after you’ve said “yes” to your creative desires.

Start the YouTube channel. Write the book. Paint the picture. All you need is the audacity!

Try it and see what happens.