8 Ways to Stop Playing It Safe as an Artist

How to have more audacity with your creative dreams

There’s one thing that every successful creative has in common, and that is audacity. That bestselling author had the audacity to write a book, that editor at Penguin Random House had the audacity to apply for the job, that 6-figure freelance marketer had the audacity to start their own business.

It’s the missing piece that holds many creatives back from truly going after their dreams, which is a shame because the world misses out on so much talent and art as a result. So if you’re tired of playing it safe and stopping yourself from pursuing your creative goals (like me), here are eight ways to become more audacious so you can achieve your artistic dreams.

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1. Leap before you’re ready

I’m sure you’ve heard the overused phrase “ready is a decision,” but it’s overused for a reason. It’s true. You’re never going to feel fully ready. There isn’t going to be a magical green light that appears and tells you to go. You have to choose it for yourself. You have to make the decision to follow your creative dreams.

Share those posts, write that book, start freelancing, make a song, paint something. Do whatever it is you constantly daydream about doing, but never actually do. Because if you leap, the net will appear.

2. Do things that scare you

The scarier something feels, the bigger the potential payoff will be. So do what scares you. Shoot your shot. Apply to a job you feel unqualified for, send a cold email, ask someone with a bigger following to collaborate. It will feel scary and unnatural at first, but the more you do it, the easier it will get.

And you’ll probably be surprised by the results. Sure, lots of them won’t amount to anything. But some will end up working out. You won’t know unless you try, so just try. You’ve got nothing to lose.

Also, if something scares you, it’s a sign that you’re on the right path. Because the more resistant you are to something, the more likely it is to alter your life. Your mind wants to keep you in your comfort zone, where you’re safe. Don’t let it.

3. Get comfortable with rejection

No one wants to be rejected. It’s a basic human instinct to crave acceptance. But if you want to be an artist in any sense, whether that’s writing a book or painting or making music, you’re going to face a lot of rejection. It’s just the name of the game.

And if you’re unable to weather that rejection, unfortunately, you probably won’t last long in your creative pursuit. The ones who make it are the ones who are resilient. They bounce back time and time again and don’t take no for an answer.

It can be extra hard to be rejected for your art, as it feels so near and dear to your heart. But you just have to learn to separate yourself from your creation and take the rejections objectively, rather than as a personal attack on you and your talent. Believe in yourself despite the rejections. They’re just a temporary obstacle, and you can’t let them throw you off track.

Plus, every “no” is one step closer to that “yes.” So celebrate each rejection for bringing you closer to success.

4. Act, don’t overthink

If you spend too much time in your head, it’ll paralyze you. You’ll blow things out of proportion, and it’ll become more and more daunting to actually do anything. So instead of overthinking, just start. You don’t have to have it all figured out beforehand. You’ll learn along the way. Just get clear on what your dream is, and begin working towards it one small step at a time.

For example, if you want to write a book, don’t think about all the things you “should” do before you start writing. Just sit down and type 100 words. They can be bad, and they may all end up being deleted, but just the act of sitting down and writing will make the end goal feel more doable.

Don’t overcomplicate things for yourself. Simplify them. Think less and do more.

5. Be OK with being seen (especially at failing)

If you want other people to consume your art, you have to be OK with being seen. You have to put both yourself and your art out there. At the beginning, your art will probably be bad. You’ll fail a lot. People will most likely judge and criticize you for it (and ironically, those will be the same people who come crawling to you for advice once you are successful).

But we all have to start somewhere. We all start badly. We all start with zero followers/fans. The only way to actually improve and build success is to keep showing up. Don’t worry about what others think about you going after your creative dreams. They’re only judging you because they’re too scared to do it themselves. Instead, be proud of yourself for even trying.

6. Be confident that you can figure it out

So many people don’t apply for a job or take on a client/project or accept a creative opportunity because they don’t feel capable enough. They don’t feel like they know how to do it.

But don’t let that stop you. Trust that you can rise to the challenge. Even when something seems above your skill level, be confident that you can figure it out. See it as a learning opportunity to uplevel your expertise. You’re probably way more capable than you realize.

7. Believe in the identity you’re pursuing

Belief is a powerful thing. And when you believe that you were meant to do/be something, it will carry you through any obstacle you face along the way. You’ll just see them as a temporary roadblock on your path to inevitable success.

So if you want to be a NYT bestselling author, start pretending that you already are one. Say it to yourself in the mirror, journal it at night, put it in your social media bio. When you really embrace the identity you’re pursuing, you’ll be more likely to act in alignment with that identity. You’ll keep showing up day after day and working towards that goal because you believe you already are that person.

8. Validate yourself with previous wins

Look at previous times in your life where being audacious and taking risks has paid off. Make a list of those wins. This is your proof that audacity works.

For me, I landed a job by having the audacity to cold email publishers. I grew my Substack platform to nearly 8,000 subscribers by having the audacity to just start posting. I had no clue how the platform worked, nor did I have any writing credentials, and yet I posted anyway. I let myself figure it out along the way.

Being audacious really does lead to amazing things that you’d probably never have gotten if you’d played it safe. Instead, someone with more audacity (not necessarily talent or intelligence) would have swooped them up. So stop playing it safe, take those bold swings, and celebrate all the success that it brings.

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What is one audacious thing you’ve done that’s paid off for you? Let me know in the comments!