I recall a particular year when I swore I’d finally “make it” as an independent creative.
I was buzzing with ideas. I wanted to write essays, start a podcast, design a product, launch a course, and maybe even illustrate a magazine on the side.
By February, I had eight different folders on my laptop—each holding half-finished drafts, mood boards, outlines, and scattered notes. By June, all of them sat untouched, collecting digital dust.
Here’s the truth: I wasn’t lazy. I wasn’t unmotivated. I simply didn’t know which idea actually mattered. Every time I opened one folder, I felt the weight of all the others tugging at me. And so, I defaulted to doing nothing.
If you’ve been here too, you know how painful it feels. You question whether you’re cut out for this. You scroll online, see other creatives shipping things left and right, and wonder why you can’t “just focus.”
The problem isn’t your creativity—it’s your clarity.
Until you know what you stand for, what voice is genuinely yours, and what direction to follow, every project feels like the wrong project.
Things didn’t change for me until I stopped trying to juggle everything and asked myself: What’s the one story only I can tell? That question became a compass, slowly pulling me out of the fog.
If this resonates, stick with me for the rest of the week. I’ll share the lessons I learned about defining your unique voice and direction. The same lessons that finally helped me start finishing what I began.
👉 What’s your “unfinished projects” folder look like?
Your story about having eight folders and not knowing which to prioritize resonated with me. I often feel like I’m juggling a million things at once! Projects for work, my daughter’s activities and personal creative pursuits with whatever time is left. It’s a good reminder that clarity beats quantity. I’m going to apply this in my life by choosing one meaningful creative project to finish this month instead of letting everything pile up. Thank you Idris Elijah and enjoy the holiday!
I definitely related to this with my painting. I’ve got sketchbooks full of half-finished canvasses and ideas that never went anywhere. After reading this I can see I’ve been mistaking volume for progress. I’m committed to slowing down and focus on finishing the one thing that will move things forward. I want to look at my projects with fresh eyes and see what’s truly mine. Thank you for sharing this lovely and unexpected Monday newsletter Idris Elijah!