Creating a masterpiece is hard. This is a feature, not a bug!
We all know that creating an artistic masterpiece takes years of training, blood, sweat, and tears.
So many challenges come up along the way:
Creative blocksDifficult emotions like frustration and disappointmentLimiting mindsets like perfectionism and procrastinationPhysical tension and injuriesTechnical hurdles
Sometimes these challenges can feel like insurmountable obstacles, which is why so many people give up before achieving mastery.
The critical moment occurs when things seem impossible.
How do you respond? Give up — or grind through?
Neither of these options work because:
😒 If you give up, then you never fulfill your artistic purpose
😰 If you grind through, then you miss the magic and spontaneity that are the hallmarks of a masterful creative process
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🌟 There is a third option: Soulforce.
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“Soulforce” is the transformative energy that comes from facing your creative challenges from a place of wholeness, aliveness, and connection.
When you create in connection with your Soulforce, your art will inspire, heal, and connect with sublime skill.
Thus, Soulforce is the ultimate characteristic of a masterpiece.
So, how do you connect with your Soulforce and make your masterpiece? Here’s a historical example.
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“Soulforce” is a translation of the Sanskrit word “satyagraha,” which also means “love insistence” or “firmness in the pursuit of truth.”
It was the defining principle of Gandhi’s movement to free India from British colonial rule.
Instead of fighting against the British Raj with force (which would end in inevitable military defeat), he chose to stand in a deeper truth (that India should rule itself) and act from there.
In other words, he inspired millions of people to face an impossible challenge from a place of wholeness, aliveness, and connection.
And guess what?
It worked! 🤩
The reason it worked, and the reason we’re still inspired by it today, was that facing those challenges from wholeness, aliveness, and connection is SO counter-intuitive.
Most of us are so used to fighting, forcing, and controlling, that anything else stops us in our tracks. 😮
When we see people facing their challenges in this way — with Soulforce — inspires us, heals old emotional wounds, and brings us all closer together.
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Stopping people in their tracks is also what an artistic masterpiece is supposed to do.
Artists can learn from Gandhi’s example by facing our creative challenges in the same way that he faced his political ones.
👉 When you’re facing a creative block, stop bull-dozing through it and look deeply into the block itself. What hidden wisdom does it have?
👉 When you’re disappointed with how your creation has come out, use that as an opportunity to empower yourself with a new perspective on your creative process.
👉 When you’re dealing with physical issues, learn to listen to and have compassion for your body. You’ll be amazed by the results!
When you do this, you will notice the most astonishing thing.
When you stop giving up or grinding through, you will notice new creative energy and inspiration that you wouldn’t have had access to without your “obstacle”! 🤯
Thus, a creative process capable of bringing forth real Soulforce never shies away from or grinds through obstacles.
Instead, each obstacle is regarded as a gift in disguise. 🎁
The obstacle is the path, my friend.
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Want to go deeper? Email me to claim a FREE session with me, and we can explore the gifts hidden inside your creative obstacles.
