“Most creative persons are very passionate about their work, yet they can be extremely objective about it as well… Without the passion, we soon lose interest in a difficult task. Yet without being objective about it, our work is not very good and lacks credibility.”
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
How could you do 100 takes of one scene aiming for perfect and not blow a fuse when critics slate it in the press?
Can you spot the parts of your song your audience will perceive as weaknesses?
For me the phrase that helps the most comes from the inimitable Seth Godin:
“This might work, this might not work”
That’s the attitude you take when you’re on day 4 trying to get a scene right.
It leaves enough room for you to give it your all and try your best but it also reminds you that your audience might not like it.
As the great man himself says:
“The productive artist refuses to incur an artistic obligation. She acts as though the audience doesn’t owe her anything, and forgiving them in advance gives her the freedom to make the work she needs to make”
Thomas Duggan 