Reasonable Doubt: Creativity and the Power of Second Thoughts
Whether you think you can or think you can’t – you are right. ~Henry Ford
When I was in school, I was a “straight-A student.” I made perfect scores on nearly every test.
Our teachers told us: “Go with your first answer, it’s probably right.”
But I knew better.
If I thought I was wrong, I usually was. So, I’d mark the questions I had doubts about. When I was finished with the exam, I’d go back. I’d slow down. And I’d carefully tackle those questions. The strategy worked brilliantly.
Different Doubts
We’re often told not to doubt ourselves. Self-doubt is one way we undermine our best creative efforts. It can be a sign of our low self-esteem. It can keep us spiraling in indecision. And none of those qualities make for expansive creativity and artistic brilliance.
But reasonable doubt, or using our trusted instincts to question ourselves, can serve useful purposes.
It can be a signal to slow down, to take a second look, and to make necessary changes in our writing and in our creative lives.
What’s the difference between reasonable doubt and self-doubt?
The difference is where our doubts come from. And doubt can come from at least two places: fear or trust.
Self-doubt vs. Reasonable Doubt
Doubt becomes a serious problem when it’s coupled with fear. For instance, it triggers our inner critic, which is a negative agent of low self-esteem.
Also, self-doubt makes us insecure about our creative ideas, keeps us second-guessing our best artistic work, and inhibits us from taking the kinds of risks necessary to discover new creative possibilities.
Finally, doubt, together with fear, can keep us completely and utterly immobilized, creating serious blocks to our creativity and writing.
But what happens when doubt is coupled with self-confidence and trust?
As a school kid, I trusted my intellectual abilities. Because I was confident, doubt was a gut instinct that directed me towards right answers and better solutions.
When doubt, or that second-thought, is coupled with trust and self-confidence, it can propel us towards better creative ideas and more brilliant artistic work.
It can keep us challenged creatively, make us work harder, and keep us in tune with our creative instincts. And that kind of doubt can be just what we need to prod us towards better writing and better poetry.
For instance, when I doubt the strength of a particular poem, I’m fairly certain that I can make it better. So, I usually send it off to another poet-friend or post it to an online critique group. In other words, I ask other poets for critical feedback—not to assuage some insecurity but to get professional opinions about the problems I’m encountering with any given poem.
Doubts, then, about our creative abilities can hold us back or they can help us take creative risks, prodding us forward towards experimentation, innovation, and ultimately better art.
Transforming Self-Doubt
So, how do you transform the fear of self-doubt and tap into the power of reasonable doubt?
It’s as simple as questioning your doubt, and recognizing the difference between fear and trust.
When you have a doubt, is it because you fear you might make a mistake or is it because you trust your gut and it’s telling you that you can do better?
If your doubt stems from fear, then it’s time to flex some creative self-esteem, to call upon your inner coach, build some self-confidence, and trust your creative skills and talent. In other words, it’s time to doubt your doubt.
And how do you do you that?
Try to be as objective as possible; focus on your creative accomplishments and internalize the positive opinions of your work by others. Believe me, when people are moved and inspired by your work, they’re not just blowing smoke when they bother to tell you as much. And you might try believing them, just to see where that positivity takes you.
The Creative Power of Reasonable Doubt
If you’re self-confident in your artistic abilities and trust your creative talents, then doubt can be an important sign to do exactly what I did as a child—to slow down, to take a second look, and to investigate new ways to express your skills and talents.
In other words, when coupled with self-trust and self-confidence, doubt can be a powerful creative tool.
It can help us exercise and build trust in our creative instincts, and it can lead us to create better, more brilliant writing.
What doubts do you encounter with your creativity and writing?
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Flickr photo courtesy of izimbra
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Having completed four novels I have no doubt that I will (sometime) finish my fifth. My biggest fear is that it won’t be worth reading. By that I mean that it won’t say what I meant it to say. It’s not the book I set out to write because I doubted (quite rightly) my ability to pull it off and so I dialled back a bit. Not that the book isn’t stretching me but I’m not trying to overreach myself. I have no doubt that other writers could have taken my original concept, run with it and turned in a decent novel but I’m not that kind of writer. You need to know your limits and focus on your talents. In this case doubt saved me from wasting several years of my life on a project I’d be ultimately unhappy with.
Jim Murdoch´s last [type] ..The Meat Tree
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Ami Mattison Reply:
December 1st, 2010 at 5:38 pm
What an interesting perspective, Jim. I hadn’t thought about reasonable doubt as one way to spare us from being unhappy, disappointed, or frustrated creatively. I’m glad to hear that in your deep knowledge of your limits and your talents that “dialing back” on your novel still stretches your talents and skills. That’s what seems most important–that we learn to challenge ourselves in just the right way. Sounds like you’re doing just that!
Thanks for sharing your experience!
PS–I’m really looking forward to this novel you’re working on. I hope you’ll keep us updated on its status.
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Margaret Wheatley has written that “[w]hat’s important to decide is what we do with our fear. . . What’s important is to question the fear itself. . . then the fear begins to change….” You’ve written here so well of the meaning behind those words.
Maureen´s last [type] ..Poem at Red Lion Sq
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Ami Mattison Reply:
December 1st, 2010 at 5:45 pm
Fantastic quote, Maureen. Certainly, I couldn’t have said it better or more efficiently! Questioning fear, doubting self-doubt. This is definitely how we begin to transform self-doubt into an empowered sense of self: a trusted gut instinct guiding our creative journey. Thank you for sharing this quote today. I really needed that inspiration!
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Fantastic posting Ami. I’m in the throws of starting a new blog and this is helpful in remembering what doubt is to be heeded and what is just more of the same old stuff I can can quiet with a bit of internal dialogue.
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Ami Mattison Reply:
January 2nd, 2011 at 8:52 am
Thank you, Carolyn! I’m glad you found this post helpful. Starting a new blog is both exciting and challenging (and nerve-wracking! ha!). So, kudos to you for taking up that challenge. When you get your blog up and running be sure to visit again and let us know the URL!
Happy New Year!
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Ami, I really enjoy how your posts stimulate my thinking. It’s not fluffy, it’s meaty
I don’t think I have thought about doubt in quite this way, but it makes sense to me. Doubt can be paralyzing if you feel “threatened” or it can be motivating. I doubt my delivery and worry that I will offend someone. It helps me to value, but not overvalue other’s opinions more than my own.
Marci´s last [type] ..5 Ripple Making Steps to Liberate a Life
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Ami Mattison Reply:
January 2nd, 2011 at 8:50 am
Thank you, Marci, for your kind words. It makes me happy that my posts stimulate your thinking. Blog writing is particularly tricky when it comes to either offending or inspiring a reader. But I think the doubts we may encounter around this question keeps us on our toes, so to speak. It helps us to think carefully about our words and ultimately to challenge ourselves to do our best work.
Happy New Year!
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Marci Reply:
January 2nd, 2011 at 10:36 am
Very true Ami! Glad you’re back
Marci´s last [type] ..Uncover the Silver Lining in a Stormy Economy
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this one really hit home Ami. a friend & I were having a similar conversation, from that discussion I decided to get over the inner debate of if I am good enough, take “me” out of the equation & focus on what I’ve written, look at it objectively & decide if what I’ve written is my best. I’m bookmarking this one to keep me focused.
sMichelle´s last [type] ..weaning
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Ami Mattison Reply:
January 2nd, 2011 at 8:46 am
Oh, sMichelle, you absolutely slay a part of me when I think about you having doubts about whether or not you’re “good enough” as a writer because I think you’re an utterly brilliant poet! But I know exactly what you mean. It’s great that you’re taking your ego out of the equation and trying to look at your work objectively. I think this is an excellent strategy for trusting our talents and for writing even more brilliantly.
Happy New Year!
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