Clarity in Confusion: Navigating Creative Identity and Direction

Take It or Leave It Creative Advice

Wow. Last week, we put out another Instagram story asking if anyone needed advice, and I was blown away by how many thoughtful questions came in.

We’re going to get to as many as we can over the next few weeks. I want to give each question the time and care it deserves so that you (the one who asked) and you (the one reading) both walk away with something real.

There are so many universal struggles creatives are facing right now. I truly believe that when we talk about them together, in community, it makes us all feel a little less alone and a little more understood. That’s what this newsletter is for. Creatives need creatives.

If you submitted a question, I’ll get to it. Make sure you’re subscribed so you can follow along.

Here are just a few of the topics coming up:

• Choosing a creative path without losing years to the wrong one

• Getting over the fear of starting (even the small stuff)

• Building an audience without burning out

• Finding your voice without feeling like a “delulu” dreamer

• Sharing ideas before they’re ready—helpful or harmful?

• How to keep creating after a setback or traumatic moment

• Fighting perfectionism when you’re scared you’re not good enough

• Where real creative courage actually comes from

This is a paid newsletter for $5/month. You get 4 issues a month, and I try to answer 3 questions per issue. That’s about $0.42 per question.

At the end of each issue, I also share a mood board of what’s inspiring me lately, along with a few things I just think are cool.

I know $5 can feel like a lot with everything going on in the world. And trust me, I don’t love asking the community for money. But if you’re in a place to support, it truly helps. Every paid subscription fuels Create.Repeat and helps us keep showing up for this community so we can continue to inspire the next generation of artists and creators.

With that being said, let’s get into it.

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Hey @malik_p1,

I’ve never heard the term “destination addiction” phrased quite like this before, but I really like it—and I definitely relate. Honestly, this is something I’ve been working through in my own life this past year, so I’m glad you brought it up.

From what I understand, destination addiction is the belief that fulfillment is always out there, never right here. It’s that feeling of:

“When I get X, then I’ll finally be happy, confident, at peace, worthy…”

But that feeling just resets itself every time you hit a new milestone.

Some people call that ambition, but often, it’s actually avoidance. Avoidance of the present. Avoidance of uncomfortable feelings. Avoidance of the idea that maybe right now has something to teach us, too.

I spent most of my twenties chasing goals and delaying happiness. I truly believed that unless I had my own TV show or was making movies for a living, I hadn’t “made it.” I tied my worth to my work. And when I didn’t hit those goals on the timeline I imagined, it sent me into the deepest spiral of my life—depression, burnout, and a full-on quarter-life crisis.

No matter how hard I worked, it was never enough. The goalposts kept moving. And even when I hit certain “wins,” the high was temporary. I didn’t feel satisfied, I just felt pressure to keep going. I wasn’t able to enjoy anything.

This year, I’ve been trying to better understand the engine behind that drive. Because the truth is, drive isn’t bad. It’s gotten me far. But when left unchecked, it can quietly run your life into the ground.

So I started exploring the idea of stillness.

I read Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday, spent more time in prayer and meditation, cut back on distractions (especially social media), and tried to give myself actual space to feel and think, not just achieve.

What I found surprised me.