For artists, creative genius is not something that magically occurs overnight. Instead, creating a work of art requires countless hours of reflection, vision, planning, design, and motivation. Artists often struggle to find their muse and create original works of art. Simply put, in a world full of phenomenal and inspirational art, artists are constantly working to reinvent their image and set their work apart from others’.

Due to the challenging nature of this field, artists are often faced with overwhelming mental adversities. On a daily basis, artists must navigate supporting themselves while also staying true to their creative dream. While these psychological obstacles are constant, each artist must overcome them in order to grow and succeed. Read on to find out the ten mental hurdles every artist has to overcome.

1. Not Feeling Worthy As An Artist

As an artist, you must remain confident in your abilities and techniques. The minute you start second guessing your worth, you in turn start second guessing your dream. Therefore, it is paramount to stay true to your purpose and your worth in order to succeed as an artist.

2. Stressing Over Whether Or Not Your Work Is Unique

One of the main mental hurdles that artists face is worrying whether or not their work is unique and has something thought provoking to say. No artist wants their work to fade in the background. Instead, artists dream that their art will connect with a large audience. Therefore, many artists worry that their work will fail to be meaningful.

3. Wondering If Being An Artist Is A Dead End

While it’s easy to praise all the artists that made it big, there are countless artists who never succeeded. Therefore, artists often worry whether or not they will be the ones to slip through the cracks. In this tough industry, doubting your potential success can mentally overwhelm you.

4. Struggling To Keep Up With The Times

While art usually defines a time period, many artists internalize how their art will fit into the world. The tension of creating art that belongs in society, while also rebels against it causes many artists to stress and overthink their creative vision.

5. Losing Sight Of Your Muse

Artists frequently struggle with discovering and then reexamining their inspiration. While an artist’s muse is one of the most important elements of art, it can also be the most mentally exhausting. Thus, many artists often struggle to stay true to their muse.

6. Mentally Processing Criticism

With art comes people who admire your work and those who completely dislike it. As an artist, you must be mentally equipped to handle any and all criticism. Not everyone will like your art, therefore it is important that you are able to overcome this negativity.

7. Owning Your Experience As An Artist

As an artist, it is paramount to recognize that the hours worked will be much different than others who work 9-5. There will be days that are totally slow and others that are a whirlwind of activity. Being an artist means that you recognize your path will be unique and unusual. While at times it seems that the experience is impossible, it is important that you keep moving forward.

8. Remaining Confident In Your Creative Process

Creative genius does not happen overnight. Art is a process. It is difficult, tedious, and requires an extraordinary amount of patience. One of the biggest mental obstacles that artists face is staying confident that their creative process will work out.

9. Feeling Isolated By Your Work

For the most part, creating art can be an incredibly isolating process. You may be stuck in your studio working tirelessly while your friends are out in the world. The mental hurdle of feeling alone can truly be one of the most mentally taxing feelings as an artist. Therefore, it is important that you remain connected as much as you can in order to overcome these feelings of isolation.

10. Endlessly Loving Your Work, No Matter What

This one is one of the most important mental hurdles that artists face. Sometimes it is hard to love your work when you face opposition, lack of inspiration, or any other creative roadblock. Honestly, more times than not, your piece will not turn out exactly how you wanted it. Regardless of the journey, love the work you create and be proud of your ambitions as an artist.