Failure comes hand-in-hand with creativity. Learn from these creatives how they bounced back from a creative failure in their careers.
Failure is an important part of the creative process. However, when we are in the throes of failing, before we’ve hit on the lightbulb moment, it can be incredibly discouraging. It’s Nice That spoke to ten creatives about a time when they failed, and how that failure later informed their success. Here are just a few examples of the takeaways these creatives gleaned from their setbacks:
Manage the review & approval process:
“It was mostly my fault, to be honest. I’d only just arrived in London and I was just a bit young and naive when I first got this giant commission. It was basically my first big job and I ended up presenting way too many options – while also failing to self-edit or curate my sketches – which I think ended up confusing everybody.”
“…I dusted myself off and went back and did a masters at Central Saint Martins. Creatively I’d got stuck in a real rut and I just wanted to learn new techniques and experiment with different ways of thinking…. So, all in all, it was a real blessing in disguise.”
Keep a sense of perspective:
“In terms of more abstract mistakes, I think my biggest mistake every day is thinking that I’m an idiot or not good enough for my job. Sort of like an intense version of imposter syndrome. I think I’ll look back on my career and think hey, I was actually doing pretty well, I wish I had believed in myself more and given myself a break! I need to concentrate on how great I am at loads of stuff, rather than dwelling on how bad I am at other stuff.”
Don’t dance in front of your peers:
“All in all, I learnt a few things from this experience. Trust your gut and don’t be tricked into doing things you don’t want to do. Don’t wear lycra. And don’t drink and dance in front of your peers.”