In her book Big Magic about creativity beyond fear, Liz Gilbert shares something that resonates deeply with me: fear and doubts will always be there, so I let them be. When I take my creativity on a road trip, fear and doubts want to come along. I tell them, “You can come, but I will choose the music. And no way am I going to let you drive.”

Our mission isn’t to eradicate fear and doubts; it’s to live with them and create despite them. This practice is our true journey.

I’ve recently adopted this philosophy in my own life. Thoughts telling me I shouldn’t do something because I might fail or embarrass myself are always present. I’m also great at finding excuses not to do things I’d love to do. I know these thoughts will never disappear, because trying to eliminate them has only left me feeling defeated.

Now, whenever I hear myself fearing or doubting, I simply continue doing what I know I want to do, ignoring those negative, repetitive voices. Every time I do something I would have avoided if I had listened to my fears and doubts, it’s a success.