Have you ever sat in a room full of people creating something amazing… and instead of feeling inspired, you just froze?
You wanted to start, but every time you looked around, you convinced yourself you weren’t good enough—like everyone else was ahead, and you were somehow behind.
I’ve been there too. In fact, I can still remember the exact moment it happened to me in college art class.
Everyone around me seemed so confident — their pencils moving effortlessly, their ideas coming alive on paper. And there I was, staring at a blank page, frozen. I’d look around and see all these incredible sketches taking shape, while I sat there doodling just to look busy — hoping no one would notice that I hadn’t actually started.
I wasn’t just afraid of other people’s judgment… I was afraid of my own.
The truth is, I was judging myself harder than anyone else ever could. And anytime I felt that pressure to create in front of others, I’d shrink. I’d get small. Because deep down, I believed I wasn’t good enough to take up space.
Now, more than twenty years later, after guiding hundreds of students through their own creative fears, I can see that what was really happening back then wasn’t a lack of skill — it was fear.
Fear disguised as comparison.
Fear that whispered, “Don’t bother—someone’s already doing it better.”
In NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), we call these fears gremlins. They’re the little voices that creep in and wreak havoc on your confidence — whispering stories that keep you stuck in creative paralysis.
Maybe your gremlin sounds like the Perfectionist — “Don’t start until you have the perfect idea.”
Or the Comparer — “Everyone’s already ahead of you.”
Or maybe it’s the Impostor — “Who do you think you are to call yourself creative when you can’t even start?”
The moment you recognize that voice — when you can name it and see it for what it is — it starts to lose its power.
Because when you stop fighting the fear and start observing it, you take back control.
Comparison isn’t always the enemy.
Sometimes it’s a mirror — showing you what you care about most. Instead of judging it, you can use it as a guidepost.
Ask yourself, “What about this person’s work inspires or triggers me?”
That one question turns comparison into curiosity — and curiosity is where creativity begins.
Sometimes it’s a mirror — showing you what you care about most. Instead of judging it, you can use it as a guidepost.
1. Use comparison as data, not judgment
Let it show you what excites you or what skill you want to grow, without letting it define your worth.
When something triggers you, that’s an invitation to look more closely. Often, it points to a wound that needs healing or a desire you’ve been ignoring.
Notice what comes up for you this week — is comparison asking you to pay attention to something within yourself?
2. Create without editing
Give yourself permission to make something messy — a sketch, a voice memo, a note on your phone. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s momentum.
When I taught high school art, I often had my students sketch with pens so they couldn’t erase. The same applies to life: just get your ideas out of your head and onto the page.
3. Unplug to reconnect
Step away from the scrolling and return to your rhythm. Inspiration needs quiet space to breathe.
Take a walk in nature, play your favorite music, or sit in stillness. Create a ritual around unplugging so you can reconnect with your soul’s creative rhythm.
4. Notice your progress
Keep a journal or photo folder of your creative work — even the rough drafts. Over time, you’ll see growth where your gremlin only saw flaws.
You might create an album on your phone for process photos, or document projects like gardening, home renovation, or even reorganizing a space. This evidence helps your brain see that you are growing — and it builds trust in your creative self.
5. Turn comparison into connection
When you feel comparison rising, it’s often because something in you is being activated — a spark or longing to create. Instead of letting that energy turn into envy, use it to connect.
Tell another creator, “Your work inspired me today.”
That simple act not only validates their courage but awakens yours.
When you share energy, you dissolve envy. You turn competition into collaboration.
The truth is…
You’re not broken or behind. You’ve just been listening to fear instead of your creative voice.
When you stop looking outward for permission and start looking inward for truth, your creativity flows again.
The gremlins might still whisper — but they’ll never hold the pencil.
If you’re struggling with comparison or self-doubt…
Know that you’re not alone. These “gremlins” are simply parts of your identity that have learned to protect you through fear. But you have the power to take back control.
Through intuitive life coaching and NLP techniques, I’ve helped many creatives quiet those inner voices and reconnect with their confidence and purpose.
If this message resonates with you, visit my website to learn more or schedule an intuitive life coaching session. Together, we’ll help you release those gremlins — and return to the creative, confident, authentic version of you.
Want to listen to more conversations like this?
Tune into the Creative by Nature podcast, where you’ll find this episode—and many more—designed to inspire, ground, and empower creatives and sensitives just like you.
What gremlins keep you feeling creatively stuck?
How can you shift your mindset to overcome what’s keeping you for getting started on your next big idea?