Hey Reader
I need to tell you about something that happened recently.
An artist new to the professional design world and I were chatting. I was telling her how it felt like it had been forever and a day since I had finished designing a collection. She said she she could do one better and she opened her Procreate gallery to show me forty-seven unfinished patterns. Forty-seven!
Every single pattern was amazing. Seriously. She is a fantastic artist. But she hadn’t completed a single collection yet.
When I asked what was going on, she said: “I keep starting new things because they feel more exciting. I don’t want to trend-chase. But see all these cool ideas and I want to try them. I get pretty bad FOMO. I wonder if this new thing is better than the old thing. So I start over. And over.”
Here’s what I told her: Your letting your creativity sabotage you. Your brain is wired to chase novelty—that’s what makes you so creative in the first place. But it’s also what’s keeping you stuck.
Creative brains are wired differently. We’re brilliant at generating ideas, seeing possibilities, and getting excited about potential. But that same gift becomes a curse when we can’t finish projects or make a decision without spiraling into research mode.
Today, I’m sharing the two biggest ways creative minds trap themselves, and the exact frameworks I use to break free without losing the spark that makes our work special.
But before I do that:
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Hellebore Illustration – Sally Murphy Design
• Moody Floral Drama: The deep burgundy and dusty rose tones are eye-catching against the muted lavender background. It balances elegance and edge—instantly captivating.
• Pattern Potential: This could easily become a tossed floral repeat or a looser half-drop with added leaves and negative space to let it breathe.
• Best Fit for: Greeting cards, art prints, or even premium notebooks. With the right spacing and scaling, it would also look lush on wallpaper or luxe stationery goods.
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Floral Tea Cup Spread – THEY DRAW Garden!
• Whimsical Collector Vibe: This one’s like your grandma’s china cabinet exploded—in the best way possible. The curated feel of different cup shapes and florals layered with playful symmetry makes it pop.
• Pattern Potential: This is practically already a pattern—could be restructured into a block repeat or scattered repeat with room between motifs.
• Best Fit for: Fabric for aprons, tea towels, kitchen curtains, or vintage-inspired home goods. Also perfect for puzzles and adult coloring books (yes, really).
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Periwinkle Blue Gift Bag – Nathalie Contis
• Soft & Sophisticated: The pale blue, muted greens, and ivory on white give this a clean, high-end look. Think cottagecore but make it Nordstrom.
• Pattern Potential: This already is a pattern, but could be scaled down slightly or recolored seasonally. A mini version would be perfect for baby lines.
• Best Fit for: Wrapping paper, tissue paper inserts, stationery, or packaging for bath & body products. Also beautiful on fabric for pajamas or soft home textiles like pillowcases.
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Most business-minded artists and creatives aren't struggling because they lack talent or ideas. They're struggling because their brains are constantly seeking the next dopamine hit from something new and exciting, or they're so overwhelmed by options that they freeze completely.
Both patterns keep you stuck. So let's talk about fixing them.
Tip #1: When Every New Idea Feels More Exciting Than The Last
Look, I know I’m not the only one this has happened to.
Maybe you’re working on a soft, garden inspired collection and hop on Instagram for a “quick break.” Then you see this edgy, metallic geometric trend and open a new canvas to sketch out an idea. You’re taking your designs in an exciting new direction.
Or how about when you’re happily creating on Procreate, but then you remember that you read a post from someone about how you absolutely need to convert all your drawings to vectors and suddenly you’re learning Illustrator instead of drawing?
Your brain is chasing novelty.
And here’s why this matters: creative brains are wired to seek out new, stimulating experiences. We get bored easily. Routine feels like death. The next shiny idea always looks better than the current boring-but-important project.
This isn’t a character flaw. It’s how your creative brain works.
But it’s also why you can end up with seventeen half-finished collections, hundreds of barely-used templates and brushes, and a Skillshare account full of courses you never completed.
Patterns aren’t the problem. Idea-switching is.
Because every time you abandon a project for a shiny new one, you’re robbing yourself. You’re robbing yourself of growth. Feedback. Momentum. And yes, money.
The “One Before Two” Framework
I struggle with this, even now, but I’ve made a deal with myself. Here’s how I manage my own brain’s tendency to chase shiny new ideas:
Before starting anything new, I finish one thing first.
Sounds too simple, right?
Simple doesn’t mean easy. Anyone who has stood in front of the freezer fighting your late-night ice cream craving knows what I’m talking about. This requires discipline. And that’s hard.
But here’s what I do. When that exciting new idea hits, I pause and ask: “What will I have to give up if I start this?”
Our brains can get so distracted by the “new thing” that we forget there’s a downside. The downside is this: you can’t add without subtracting. Your time and energy are finite. Starting something new means something else gets abandoned, or at least put on hold.
So instead of immediately diving into the new idea, I do this:
Step 1: Write it down
Capture the idea IN A SPECIFIC PLACE. Keep an idea notebook next to your iPad or a “Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time” text file open but minimized. I keep a “Future Project Ideas” list in my notes app.
Write down that idea. Awesome. You’ve taken action. 🎉 This will give your idea-generating brain peace.
Step 2: Define what “done” means for your current project
Not perfect. Just done. (We talked about this last week.) For a pattern collection, “done” might mean: hero pattern complete, three coordinates drafted, colorways tested.
Step 3: Set a completion deadline
Pick a specific date. Make it slightly uncomfortable but achievable. This simple move harnesses all that creative energy toward finishing instead of fleeing. You’re suddenly steering your ideas rather than being dragged around by them.
Step 4: Only then assess the new idea
Once you’ve hit your goal, keep your promise. Evaluate the ideas you wrote down. Ask yourself is this actually worth pursuing? If so, is it worth derailing my current plans? If it is, go for it. But chances are, you’re able to see this new thing more clearly. Most “new things” aren’t any better than what we’re already doing.
I’ve used this framework to finish collections I would have absolutely abandoned. And you know what? Some of those “boring” projects I almost quit became my best-selling work.
Tip #2: Why Too Many Choices Kills Your Progress
Now let’s talk about the flip side of idea-hopping. It goes by different names but usually feels like your creativity is blocked or frozen.
Maybe you feel sick opening a blank canvas. Maybe you’re not a planner—you fly by the seat of your pants, letting the muse decide. Only she’s been silent lately. Maybe your brain is screaming that this collection has to be the one that becomes a bestseller.
There are as many reasons for being blocked as there are artists. But what happens looks the same.
Endless questions stream through your mind: Should I do florals or geometrics? Maximalist or minimal? What color palette? Should I research trends first? Check what’s selling on Spoonflower? Do I even like my ideal customer anymore?
Hours pass. You find yourself with a lot of tabs open: Pinterest, Instagram, Skillshare, three blog posts about what’s trending this year, a recipe website, and Instacart.
You’ve created exactly zero art.
This is analysis paralysis.
You tell yourself you’re using this time wisely. You’ll make the “perfect” choice by gathering more information.
But it’s a trap. More information doesn’t make the work easier. It makes it harder.
Why Creative Brains Freeze
Decision-making requires your brain to compare options, weigh tradeoffs, and commit to a direction.
But when you’re highly creative, you can see endless possibilities. Every choice can seem equally valid. And the fear of choosing wrong (and wasting time, or creating something mediocre) makes your creativity freeze.
So instead of deciding, you research. You gather more data. You analyze and re-analyze.
But you never actually create anything.
The 3 Options Maximum
Here’s what I do when I notice myself spiraling into research mode:
I limit myself to three options. Maximum.
Not ten color palettes. Three.
Not fifty reference images. Three.
Not every possible style direction. Three.
Why three? Because your brain can actually compare three things without overloading. More than that and you’re likely to get overwhelmed and blocked.
Here’s how it works:
Step 1: Set a timer for research
Give yourself 15 minutes (not three hours) to gather options. When the timer goes off, you’re done researching.
Step 2: Pick your top three
From everything you found, choose three options that feel most aligned with what you’re trying to create.
Step 3: Trust your gut
Don’t overthink it. Which one makes you slightly excited? Which one feels doable? Pick that one.
Step 4: Commit for one work session
You’re not committing forever. Just commit to creating with that choice for one focused work session (30-60 minutes).
If it’s truly the wrong choice, you’ll know after actually working with it. But most of the time? It’s fine.
Remember, getting started beats perfect planning every single time.
When You’re Already Frozen
If you’re already stuck staring at a project and can’t move forward, try this:
Do the smallest possible next action.
Sometimes, just opening the project file is enough to get unstuck.
Movement creates momentum. Momentum breaks the freeze.
Action is the antidote to comparison.
Speaking of decision paralysis, let me share a Procreate hack that’ll save you from the “which brush should I use?” waste-of-time spiral.
The 5 Brush Max Method
You know how you can waste a lot of time scrolling through brush options? Yeah, stop doing that.
Here's something nobody tells you about having a massive brush collection: it's actually working against you. Every brush you add is another option your brain has to evaluate. Every set you download is another place to look when you're searching for "the right one."
And here's the kicker: most of us use the same handful of brushes for 90% of our work anyway.
Here’s what I do:
For each collection, I have a “Go-To” brush set with exactly five brushes.
That’s it. Five.
One for linework, one for fills, two for texture, one for shading.
Limit your options to five, and guess what? Your artwork looks more cohesive across collections. The brushwork, shading, textures become part of your brand. And you’re not spending half your creative session deciding which brushes to use.
To create your set in Procreate:
- Tap the “+” icon in your brush library
- Name it “Watercolor Five” (or whatever makes sense to you)
- Add your five brushes
Now when you open Procreate, your only options are those five brushes. No endless scrolling. No decision fatigue. Just create.
You can always access your full library when you need something specific. But for 90% of your work? Five brushes is enough.
That’s all! Time to stop overthinking and start finishing.
Your creativity is a gift. But without systems to channel it, that gift becomes a curse that keeps you perpetually restarting or perpetually stuck.
Whether you’re implementing the “One Before Two” framework or limiting yourself to "Three Options Maximum," remember: done is better than perfect, and momentum beats analysis every time.
Until next Thursday, keep creating!
