Lost that passion for your music you had when you were a kid? In this conversation, Toby and Grace explore the pitfalls of their courage in their creative lives as adults, how adulthood can grind your creativity down to a pulp, and the mindset shifts around courage that are key to claiming back your passion. They invite you to analyse your subtext: are you being impatient with yourself? Could your priorities be re-jigged a bit? Who are you ultimately trying to please? Avoid being crushed by your own ambition as a singer and put your craft firmly in the place of enrichment. Then you will see it blossom in an environment like the free, joy-filled one you had as a child.

Takeaways

• Courage is often misunderstood as the absence of fear.
• Creativity can become pressured as adults, leading to self-doubt.
• Courage can be engineered and is often the one thing missing in creative adults.
• Overcoming fear involves accepting mediocrity and failure.
• Setting small, achievable goals can lower inertia in creative practice.
• Poor creativity levels can be directly linked to poor self-care practices.
• The vague ‘what ifs' of negative thought need to be brought into the light to be countered.
• Relationships and community should take precedence over work.
• Creative work should be seen as enrichment, not your whole life and worth.
• Action is the key to overcoming fear and self-doubt.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Courage in Creativity

02:30 Falling Short of Childhood Expectations

08:23 Strategies for Building Courage

13:11 Fostering Self-Belief

18:54 Self-Care and its Impact on Creativity

19:52 Patience is Key for a Creative Life

22:51 Talk Back to the Self Criticism

26:48 Overthinking Sucks Balls

31:57 A Priorities Shift Changes Everything

35:41 Final Words of Encouragement

Books mentioned:

The War of Art - Steven Pressfield

Man's Search for Meaning - Viktor Frankl

Find today’s co-host, Toby Brown on:

Facebook: @tobybrownmusic

Instagram: @tobybrownguitar

About the Host

Grace is a seasoned singer-pianist, vocal coach and composer. Over the past decade she has dedicated her life to music and creativity, performing aboard luxury cruise ships across the world and composing for theatre and short films. Her original compositions have been recognised by festivals such as the Paris Film Awards and Only the Best International Film Awards. She strives now to determine how to cultivate authentic expression in music and the importance of it for mental health and human connection.

Contact Method

gracehancockmusic@gmail.com

www.gracehancockmusic.com

Instagram: @gracehancockmusic

Facebook: @gracehancockmusician

Keywords

#courage #creativity #self-doubt #mentalhealth #artisticjourney #overcomingfear #selfcare #relationships #creativepractice #personalgrowth