How Creative Pros Push Through Self-Doubt
Lessons from Lady Gaga, van Gogh, Stephen King, and Ira Glass
Have you ever experienced THE GAP?
According to Ira Glass, host of “This American Life,” it’s a common frustration creative people feel in the early years of pursuing a craft.
Perhaps you’ve felt this way too. I know I have.
You start out with a vision. You have a great sense of taste. You know what brilliant work looks like.
But when you try to create something yourself — whether it’s writing, music, art, video, or any other form of expression — what you produce doesn’t match the level you imagined.
That frustrating space between what you aspire to create and what you’re currently able to create is THE GAP.
And it’s completely normal.
In fact, it’s a rite of passage.
The danger is that many people encounter this gap and assume it means they’re not talented enough. Not ready. Or not meant to pursue their dreams.
So they stop.
But the real solution is much simpler than that.
Glass says the way through The Gap is to do a huge volume of work.
Create. Publish. Experiment. Try things. Share them. Learn from them. Then do it again.
Over time — often faster than you think — your skills start catching up to your taste.
The gap begins to close.
Every musician, author, filmmaker, teacher, and entrepreneur you admire went through this stage. The difference is, they didn’t quit!
Want some examples?
Stephen King
Before “Carrie” launched his career, it was rejected repeatedly by publishers — and he dealt with a lot of early doubt and discouragement. His persistence-through-volume lesson fits the “close the gap” theme perfectly.
Vincent van Gogh
He’s the classic example of someone who created intensely without widespread validation during his lifetime. The Van Gogh Museum notes we don’t know exactly how many paintings he sold during his lifetime, but the broader point remains: he kept producing through obscurity and uncertainty.
Lady Gaga
Early on, she signed with a major label and was dropped soon after — a brutal version of The Gap where your identity/vision is ahead of what gatekeepers “get.” She stayed weird, kept working, and the world eventually caught up.
So if you’re feeling that tension right now between where you are and where you want to be… good.
It means you’re on the right path!
This theme was inspired by a section from my book:
👉 The Passion Principles: 101 Ways to Express Your Creativity and Share It With the World
Keep creating. Your future work is counting on it!
With encouragement,
Bob
