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painting, or article on Helium! I happen to suffer from a curious mental state called uncertainty, which you may have heard of. It keeps me from turning my million dollar ideas into millions of dollars (or at least enough to pay for groceries).

I habitually think too hard on the outcome of my projects. As an artist and a designer aiming for success in a gruesomely competitive field, the subtle fear that my ideas won't translate properly to the outcome I desire often keeps me from beginning the process at all. I write about it, talk about it, think about it - but it takes an awful lot of time to get up and do it.

I spoke to a friend about this predicament - I'm in one as I write this - and she informed me that her poet friend feels the same about writing poems. As creators we want to be sure we can out-do our last efforts, impress our critics and mentors, possibly make an income off our talent. These pressures sometimes entirely suppress the motivation to begin.

The cure? Deadlines usually work for me, whether for a class, a boss, or myself. Open Google Calendar and rationalize a time span for that project you want to complete. Add reminders and keep media available that inspires you to progress in your goal. In the end it's a matter of awareness that time is always ticking, and in order to effectively use the future for creative fruition, you've got to develop a habit of making it happen now.

If there are any categories of procrastination I've missed, perhaps I should be ecstatic. It means there are actually genres of this condition I don't currently suffer from! Imagine that.

Learn more about this author, Michelle Christina.
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