It is easy to get overwhelmed with deciding on what creative endeavors to undertake. We come across many things that spark our interest where we say, “Wow, I would like to try that!” Then we may buy books, supplies, videos, sign up for lessons, and go all out.

We attempt to take the entire pie without starting with a single piece, not knowing whether we will really like it, or if that one piece is enough to fill us or whet our appetite for more. Inevitably, it is too much at once. If we overindulge, we may become sick, and in the case of diving into a new creative pursuit, we become sick of the enormous involvement and commitment we have invested too suddenly. Then it may get set aside. We may move on to the next topic of interest, and so on, and so on.

Now this initial all-consuming method may work for some, but in my experience many people, including myself, become discouraged or otherwise quickly burn themselves out from this approach. Then we’re stuck with stacks of books we never read, supplies that go unused, etc. Some may even feel guilty that they “can’t stick with anything,” or “don’t have the talent to do it.”

These things are not true. We simply are not giving ourselves the proper time to explore and absorb the fundamentals of the topic in order to adequately understand if we really have a passion for it, and if we do, how we can grow within it. There is an analogy of the farmer who tries to sow and reap his crops immediately rather than cultivate them over the natural course of the season. Obviously, nature doesn’t work that way. Crops must grow in their own time, the process cannot be rushed. You cannot flood yourself all at once with all of the elements of playing a musical instrument, painting, sculpting, learning a new language, martial arts, etc. and expect to reap the full enjoyments they contain all at once.

When investigating a new hobby or creative outlet, take your time along the path. Start with one aspect then see where the next logical step will be in order to advance. Begin simply and allow your self to really decide if this is for you. If it is, then you have a firm foundation to proceed, but if it is not, it will be because it really is not a true fit for you– instead of being because you overwhelmed yourself. Plus, you won’t inundate your house with vast materials you’ve spent a lot of money on that will go untouched until the next garage sale.