You Are Your Own Competition: A Creative’s Journey Through Self-Doubt and Growth

August 1, 2025

Creating in the Quiet

I used to think I was the only one feeling like this. Uncertain, self-critical, quietly comparing my creative work to everyone else's. I’d scroll past other artists and wonder, Why does it seem to come so easily to them?
Meanwhile, I’d be second-guessing a design for the fifth time, questioning if it even made sense, let alone mattered.

The truth is, what we often compare ourselves to isn’t the full picture. It’s a snapshot. Not their beginning, not their middle, and certainly not the nights they spent wondering if they were good enough.

It’s a bit like watching someone’s fully-grown garden through a hole in the fence. You see the flowers, but not the compost heap or the trial and error planting, or the seasons where nothing seemed to grow at all.
And yet, that’s the part we forget when we feel like we’re falling behind.

Creative Insecurity & Imposter Syndrome

Every creative person I’ve met, no matter how talented or experienced, has felt like an imposter at some point. The inner voice that whispers, “Am I even good at this?” tends to grow louder when you’re making something personal.

And creating is often a solitary act. You’re in your head. You’re building something that didn’t exist before. That in itself is brave, but also vulnerable. It’s easy to feel like you’re the only one unsure, like everyone else is further ahead or has some secret knowledge you're missing.

But what if this self-doubt isn’t a red flag, but a rite of passage?

The Case for Delusional Confidence

Sometimes I think you need to be a little delusional to make art. You have to believe in your vision long before it’s polished. Before it's validated. Before anyone claps.

There’s a strange power in showing up even when you’re not sure. I’ve learned that confidence doesn’t always arrive first, it’s built with every small step. Every card you finish. Every idea you release. Confidence isn’t always a feeling. It’s a habit. A decision to keep going.

Growing at Your Own Pace

I like to think of creative growth like a garden. Some flowers bloom quickly, others need more time underground. Just because someone is flourishing now, doesn’t mean they didn’t have a slow start. And just because your growth is quiet doesn’t mean it’s not real.

We all develop in different conditions, even if we appear to be standing side by side. Like siblings raised in the same home but shaped by slightly different experiences, exposures, and internal worlds.

Your journey is not meant to look like theirs. It’s not meant to be faster or slower. It’s just different.