"Novice Enthusiasm": Find It in Two Simple Steps

Step 1: Ask yourself what you love about your craft—and why.

Step 2: Ask yourself what you love about what you produce—and why.

Got it? Congratulations, you’ve just reintroduced yourself to the “novice enthusiast” inside you. Hopefully they look familiar to ya because they represent the version of you that still believed in magic. To the novice, everything IS magic. They’re in awe of people doing what they themselves want to try, and that awe fuels their creativity.

Now, take a look at where you are in your career. What would the novice version of you think if they saw your current work? Chances are, they’d be blown away by all of it. So, picture this: suddenly that newbie you is handed the reins to your present skill set. You know they’d go wild. No limits, no fear, just the loudest, most imaginative, original work you’ve ever seen.

That’s the person you want in the driver’s seat. That’s the energy you want propelling you forward. It’s hard, especially when you’re stuck in a slump, but it’s key to survival as a creative. Because let’s be honest, if the magic is gone, what’s the point?

It took me years to get comfortable with my own earnest, eager, and sometimes embarrassingly intense younger self. He made a lot of “bad art,” and frankly, he still does. But wow, did he go for it! Rain or shine, he was completely in love with creating. Try spending some time with your novice self today. It might feel awkward at first, but you’ll end up having one of the most beautiful creative conversations you’ve had in a long time.