"If we can tune into the idea of making things and sharing them without being attached to the outcome, the work is more likely to arrive in its truest form."
Yet another wonderful sentiment from Rick Rubin's "The Creative Act:A Way of Being..."
Fewer things are more true and more powerful than this sentiment when it comes to the act of creating. I believe this to be the case in any realm.
The challenge within this idea relates to the paradoxical series of steps that allow an artist (athlete, musician, etc.) to enter into this headspace.
A certain level of mastery must be achieved and maintained for most people in order to practice "connected detachment" and free oneself from expectations related to outcomes.
One must possess the ability and understand how to self-motivate, focus, execute, adapt and more. All of these skills require a certain level of commitment and care to develop. Time spent practicing and planning will naturally lead to a certain degree of attachment.
This is where the nature of our attachments play a crucial role in the overall development and quality of outcomes we're likely to see within our own creative efforts.
Add a little self-consciousness to the pile of incentives that scream to the creative he/she should covet the project they are currently working on and protect their own ego from harm. Now it becomes easier to see why so many people struggle with the creative process and the sharing process too!
One thing that seems to work for me (albeit I often have to relearn it from time to time...) is to think of each project as an opportunity to have some fun, learn and take those lessons into future work.
When I decide a project is near completion I share it and witness the feedback with the understanding that the response, or lack of response, has little to do with me or the art itself. This feedback can offer insights that can help us understand our own blind spots within our creative process.
Internalized and framed properly, this feedback can help us better understand ourselves and tilt the scales in favor for future works and increase their chances to arrive in their truest form.
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