42 | Jen Louden: Easy Ways To Start, Stick With, and Finish Your Creative Projects

Create Out Loud With Jennifer Louden

One of the questions I’m asked often is, ‘how do I stick with a project?’ followed closely by, ‘how do I know when a project is done?’ We want to see our creative endeavors through to completion, but it’s not always easy to do or be done. This is particularly true if a project has hit the skids or we’ve lost our way in the mushy middle or it’s a big damn project that takes a honking long time. Seeing your creative endeavors through to a conclusion (notice I did not write THE conclusion), is about asking the right questions… What do I want out of this? What financial impact will this project have on me? If I died doing this, would I be satisfied? What is finished for me? These types of questions can help us ground ourselves before we dive in, and not fall into extremes of isolation, apathy, or frustration. Sit down, buckle up, and grab a journal, because this solo episode is brimming with tips to help you create out loud and know when you have. We also cover... Why my book Why Bother? took 10 years to write Knowing what you’re looking for in doing a project Why creative work sometimes gets harder the more experienced you are How to stay motivated throughout your project and avoid common demotivating factors The subtle dangers of easy access to learning The power of embracing frustration and confusion How to know when you’re finished with a project when you want to keep working on it How to define what finished looks like -- what is “good enough” for you? Visit jenniferlouden.com/podcastkit to get instant access to a collection of audios that will: help you with some of the most common struggles we creatives have to manage including fear of choosing, falling into compare and despair, managing the inner critic (s), and feeling too exposed and vulnerable when you put yourself or your work into the world.