Why don't we just do the thing?
This week in the studio, something finally clicked.
I'm starting a new series of abstract paintings based on past events in my life. The abstracts are painted over previously used panels—I am sanding old paintings back, leaving traces of the past behind, and I plan to build something new on top of the textured surface.
My goal? Movement. Energy. Emotion. I wanted my paintings to feel alive, to hum with a kind of raw, untamed force.
But the results kept disappointing me.
Then, a few days ago, standing in front of a large panel, I had a sudden clarity.
"If I want movement and energy, I have to paint with movement and energy."
Duh! Sounds obvious right?
But we artists know how often we don’t actually do the thing we say we want to do. We think about it, talk about it, wrestle with the idea of it. But when we get into the studio, we do what we’ve always done—and then feel frustrated when the results don’t change.
That day, I decided to break the cycle.
I poured out generous amounts of paint, grabbed my biggest brushes, filled buckets of water, and attacked the panel with everything I had. No hesitating. No overthinking. Just movement, energy, action.
An hour later, I stepped back and saw exactly what I had been searching for. The painting was alive. I made a few subtle refinements later—some pops of blue, some neutral tones to balance the warmth—but 90% of it came from that intense hour of fearless painting. I will make a few final changes but mostly this is done.
It worked because I actually did the thing I said I wanted to do.
Which, again, sounds obvious. So why is it so hard?
Why We Struggle to Do What We Want
I believe it comes down to fear.
We want to step into something new—something we haven’t mastered yet. But because we have no proof that we can do it, we hesitate.
We instinctively stick to what we know, what feels safe. Even when we’re dissatisfied with our results, we keep repeating the same patterns because, at least, they’re familiar.
Taking a leap into the unknown is uncomfortable.
And yet, that’s where the magic happens.
How to Make the Leap in Your Own Art
If you’ve been stuck in the loop of wanting something new but not quite doing it, here’s how to break free:
1. Name the thing you want to do—out loud.
Get specific. Instead of saying, “I want to be looser in my painting,” say, “I want to paint in big, sweeping strokes with fluid paint.” The clearer you are, the easier it is to act on.
2. Change your process, not just your mindset.
If you always approach your work in the same way, you’ll get the same results. Change something physical—use bigger brushes, different materials, stand instead of sit, set a timer, work faster or slower. Shake up your routine to make space for something new.
3. Don’t give yourself time to hesitate.
Set a challenge: For the next hour, I will paint without stopping to think. Often, our best work happens when we bypass our inner critic and just create.
4. Accept that it won’t feel wildly different to anyone else.
Here’s the funny thing—when you finally do the thing you’ve been striving for, your work will still look like your work. It will still feel like you because it is you. That’s a good thing. Growth doesn’t mean throwing everything out; it means evolving within your own authentic voice.
5. Trust that what excites you is worth pursuing.
If you feel drawn to a new way of working, trust that instinct. Your excitement is a signal—follow it.
The Leap is Worth It
If something has been calling to you in your art—whether it’s a new technique, a different style, or a bolder approach—consider this your permission slip to go for it.
Let go of hesitation. Pour everything you have into it. See what happens.
Because the only way to get the work you long for is to actually make the leap.
Are you ready?