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Writer's pictureyzhensiang

Creative Plateau

Updated: Apr 12, 2020


What is Creative Plateau?


There is no specific definition towards explaining Creative Plateau or commonly known as Creative Block. To me, it means reaching a point where you are way too used to your own creative work that you start to develop and experience the sense of lost and emptiness.


A weird feeling that you could reach further but something is hindering you from doing so. Something in you that is holding you back. At this point, you are still creating, but not creating with a purpose.


This is the point where self-doubt comes and where most people start procrastinating and eventually gave up everything that they started. The initial reason and joy behind why it was started at first is eaten up by yourself.

Why Creative Plateau?


Creative Plateau might sound as scary as it is, but it is never a bad thing. At least to me it is a good thing to know that it is happening and take the opportunity to self reflect.


It is a silent way of measuring your progress and improvements as there is no way you can be bragging about this while you are falling apart from the inside. You are unable to express it through words in your social media. There is no way of explaining it to clients and peoples in general. The only visible prove that this is happening is through your creative product.

When Creative Plateau?


From experience, I do believe that the frequency of it reoccurring solely depends on how hard are you pushing yourself forward.


It happens every 1-2 months (to me) since mid of year 2018 until now. When I started creating back in year 2011 it has almost never happen to me. I was living in my own world and ego while floating in my own space of thoughts. Thankfully, the naive thoughts ended at year 2015. Even then it occurs to me annually, and slowly becomes semi-annually by year 2017.

How to overcome Creative Plateau?


To overcome it, first you need to acknowledge that it happen to you. Embrace it! Put away your self doubt and self reflect.


You may put the blame on a million excuses such as not having inspiration or waiting for it to come, but let me ensure you, the solution lies inside you! Your attitude towards things. The only way out is to work harder pushing through it. Keep creating! and try doing things that are out of creative field. Travelling to a different place helps most of the time!


If you are a photographer like myself, the good news is that this is when you will start to develop your characteristics in your photographs or better known as your own vision.


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