HOW TO GET OUT OF A CREATIVE SLUMP AS AN ARTIST—STOP PLAYING IT SAFE AND START TAKING RISKS THAT MATTER

The Art of the Messy Leap

You ever spill something and, for a split second, panic—until you step back and realize, "Huh, that actually looks kinda cool"? That’s what risk-taking is like. Messy. Unexpected. A little nerve-wracking. But when you stop overthinking and lean into it, something real happens.

Look at that spilled blue paint. It wasn’t planned. It wasn’t controlled. But it’s vibrant, dynamic—alive. That’s what stepping into uncertainty looks like. It’s unpredictable. It doesn’t always land where you expect. But it creates something real. It forces you out of the well-worn paths of comfort and into the unknown, where the best things in life actually happen.

Research suggests that messiness and creativity are deeply linked. According to Open Culture, psychologists have found that cluttered and unpredictable environments can encourage creative problem-solving by pushing individuals out of rigid, structured thinking (Open Culture, 2022). This means that embracing the unexpected, like spilled paint or unplanned risks, can be a catalyst for innovation rather than chaos.

Similarly, Creative Fuel highlights that messy creative spaces foster inspiration and spontaneity. A workspace filled with unfinished projects, scattered ideas, and layers of experimentation often leads to more breakthroughs than a sterile, overly organized environment (Creative Fuel, 2022). Creativity thrives in the tension between chaos and control, making unpredictability a vital ingredient in any artistic journey.

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The Comfortable Cage of Playing It Safe

Chase Jarvis argues that playing it safe is actually riskier than we think. He points out that avoiding risk doesn’t mean avoiding failure—it just means delaying it until you’ve missed out on opportunities for growth and innovation (Jarvis, 2022). By choosing comfort over risk, we don’t eliminate uncertainty; we only ensure that we stay stuck. Growth happens when we step into the unknown, not when we cling to what feels secure.

Similarly, Psychology Today discusses how playing it safe can inhibit creativity. When we avoid risk, we deprive ourselves of new experiences that fuel innovation. The article highlights that discomfort and uncertainty are necessary ingredients for breakthroughs in creativity, encouraging individuals to embrace challenges rather than avoid them (Psychology Today, 2022).

Let’s be honest. Playing it safe is tempting. It feels like control, like security. It protects you from failure, embarrassment, disappointment. But that safety comes at a cost—stagnation, missed opportunities, and a slow drift into a life you never really chose.

At first, staying in your comfort zone feels like a win—no big risks, no major losses. But here’s the thing: comfort zones shrink over time. The longer you stay inside them, the harder they are to escape. Before you know it, your world gets smaller. Your dreams adjust to fit inside a life that no longer excites you. And deep down, you know it.

I know it because I’ve been there. After my accident, people expected me to lower my expectations. To shrink. But something inside me refused. I knew that to reignite my artistic passion after burnout, I had to take risks. I had to create fearlessly. I had to step beyond what felt comfortable. Because the truth is, the biggest risk isn’t failing—it’s settling for a life that doesn’t excite you.

And here’s the thing: taking risks doesn’t mean you have to make some grand, dramatic leap. Sometimes, it’s the small, consistent choices—sharing your work even when you feel unready, applying for the opportunity that feels just out of reach, speaking up when it’s easier to stay quiet. These are the moments that build momentum. And over time, they add up to something bigger—a version of you that is bolder, freer, and fully alive.

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The Risks That Actually Matter: How to Get Out of a Creative Slump as an Artist

According to research, taking calculated risks is essential for personal growth and creativity. Cliff Guren outlines that risks come in various forms—physical, emotional, social, financial, intellectual, and political—all of which push boundaries and foster resilience (Guren, 2023). When you take meaningful risks, you challenge your assumptions, step into discomfort, and open yourself up to opportunities for growth.

Similarly, Blurb highlights that embracing creative risk-taking is necessary for innovation. Many creatives fear stepping outside their comfort zones due to the risk of failure or criticism, but these are the very steps that lead to breakthroughs (Blurb, 2023). By recognizing and addressing these fears, individuals can break free from stagnation and fuel their artistic passion.

Not all risks are worth taking. Jumping out of an airplane without a parachute? That’s reckless, not brave. Quitting your job without a plan? That’s not courage—that’s chaos. But calculated risks? That’s where the magic happens.

So how do you know which risks will actually move your life forward? Simple. The right risks challenge you, push your limits, and open doors you never thought possible. They make you uncomfortable, but they don’t destroy you. They test your resilience, creativity, and ability to adapt. And if you’re wondering how to get out of a creative slump as an artist, these are the risks you need to take.

If you're stuck in your career and wondering what to do when you feel stuck in your artistic career, trapped in the same cycles, uninspired by your work, it’s probably because you’ve stopped taking risks that bring your creativity back to life. You’ve started avoiding discomfort instead of leaning into it.

The ones that matter are the ones that make you nervous in the best way because they demand growth. Here are a few of the big ones:

• The risk of pursuing your passion (even when it doesn’t make sense on paper, even when people don’t get it, even when it’s the hardest thing you’ll ever do)

• The risk of being vulnerable (because real connection only happens when you stop pretending)

• The risk of failing (because every success story is built on a mountain of failures)

• The risk of being seen (because hiding who you are is the fastest way to a life of regret)

• The risk of making art, writing that book, or starting that business (because the world needs more creators, not more spectators)

• The risk of letting go of what’s no longer serving you (because staying in a situation out of fear is just another form of self-sabotage)

  
  

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The Messy Beauty of Taking the Leap

Think back to that spilled blue paint. The chaos, the randomness, the unexpected beauty. That’s what risk looks like. Messy. Unpredictable. A little scary. But also bold, vivid, and unapologetically real.

If you're struggling with overcoming creative block, breaking through creative stagnation, or searching for ways to reignite your artistic passion after burnout, this is the discomfort you need to embrace. Creativity isn’t about playing it safe—it’s about pushing past what’s comfortable. The artists, entrepreneurs, and visionaries who make an impact? They’re the ones who experiment, who fail and try again, who refuse to stay inside the lines. Risk is the birthplace of innovation, and discomfort is the price of growth.

I won’t lie to you—taking risks isn’t easy. You will doubt yourself. You will wonder if you’re making a mistake. You will want to turn back. But I promise you this: when you take the right risks, you trade a life of regret for a life of possibility. You exchange comfort for expansion, hesitation for action, and fear for transformation. And that is always worth it.

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Your Next Step

Now it’s your turn. What’s one risk you’ve been avoiding? What’s the one thing that excites you but also scares you? It’s time to stop waiting for the perfect moment—it doesn’t exist. Take the leap, start small, and commit to stepping outside your comfort zone today.

If this resonated with you, share it with someone who needs a nudge toward their next big step. And if you’re ready to embrace change but don’t know where to start, let’s connect. Your boldest, most creative life is waiting—you just have to take the first step.

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References

Open Culture. (2022). The Psychology of Messiness and Creativity. Retrieved from https://www.openculture.com/2022/02/the-psychology-of-messiness-and-creativity.html

Creative Fuel. (2022). The Mess of a Creative Space. Retrieved from https://creativefuel.substack.com/p/the-mess-of-a-creative-space

Jarvis, C. (2022). Why Playing It Safe is Riskier Than You Think. Retrieved from https://chasejarvis.com/blog/why-playing-it-safe-is-riskier-than-you-think/

Psychology Today. (2022). How Playing It Safe Inhibits Our Creativity. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/creative-insights/202212/how-playing-it-safe-inhibits-our-creativity

Guren, C. (2023). Risk-Taking, Creativity, and the Experimenter’s Mindset. Retrieved from

Blurb. (2023). How to Take Creative Risks. Retrieved from https://www.blurb.com/blog/how-to-take-creative-risk/