Creative Block is a weekly newsletter that gives you a glimpse into my life, creativity, design, and music. It's like a little pick-me-up that you get delivered straight to your inbox each week.
Dear reader,
I recently had a heart-to-heart with a close friend of mine, Joe, about moving away from Instagram and finding other avenues that don't rely on me working on big campaigns for agencies and companies to make ends meet for my family. We brainstormed various ideas—from launching a YouTube channel to creating digital products like mockups, and even physical items like jackets and hats. However, I've hesitated to dive into YouTube due to overthinking—what type of content to produce, what niche I’d fit in, maintaining consistency, and branding my channel. Additionally, I often catch myself comparing my beginnings to seasoned YouTubers like Gawx, Peter McKinnon, and Jesse Nyberg.
During our discussion, I expressed my anxiety about restarting my YouTube channel and the fear of producing something less than stellar. Joe offered a simple yet profound suggestion: "Temi, MAKE BAD ART. Prove to yourself that you can make bad art." This advice resonated deeply because essentially what he was saying is if you think your video will be bad, make it still. Prove to your self that you can make bad art because from there you can learn, tweak things or maybe even realize maybe what you thought would be bad ended up looking better than you thought, .
My paralysis stems from knowing what good art looks like, and starting anew on YouTube feels like starting from zero—a truly daunting task. I worry about maintaining the brand I've built and living up to the high expectations set by my existing work. Yet, Joe's perspective—embracing the challenge to make bad art—might just be the push I need to break free from these fears.
This conversation was transformative. Joe wasn't suggesting I lower my standards, but rather, he was encouraging me to free myself from the fear of failure. It's about granting myself the permission to experiment, learn, and evolve without the overwhelming pressure of perfection.
I've realized that waiting for everything to be perfect might mean never starting at all. This is an opportunity for a fresh start, to experiment and find my footing in a new arena. The fear of making bad art often prevents us from making any art at all. So why not reframe that fear? Why not view each video as a chance to experiment, grow, and hone my voice and technique?
So, I'm inspired to take this challenge seriously. I'm prepared to push the boundaries of what I think I can create, to allow room for errors, and to learn from them. This venture isn't just about safeguarding a brand or meeting external expectations—it's about personal growth and forming genuine connections through my creativity. Thanks to Joe, I'm more eager than ever to embark on this journey and discover where it leads. Sometimes, the best way to conquer your fears is to confront them directly, and that's precisely my plan.
Hold me accountable, this fall, I’ll start my youtube journey. I’m not starting right now cause our baby boy is due in a few weeks and I know things will change forever so I want to give myself some time and grace being a first time dad.
Anyway, What’s something you think you’re scared to start because you think you’ll be bad at it?
→Creatives to know
Fred Sands, IV | Fred is an amazing designer who has a very detailed approach to his art. His work pay homage to the African American Diaspora and culture. I love the story telling behind each of his designs. He is a composer.
Marina Williams | Marina’s work is so colorful and full of life. I first heard of her through her Color Pop workshops a while back and we got reuinted when we got picked to do some work for Verizon Business. I really love her process and heart behind the art she makes and her passion to teach others.
Aaron Lawson | If you’ve seen my reels, well, 90% of it was done in collaboration with Aaron. He really is a genius when it comes to videographer and honestly stilI his heart to learn, his humility, and his dedication to his craft inspires me so much. I have a lot to say about Aaron but I’ll keep it short. Just know because of him I’ve been able to really dream big with my videos and try new things.
→Quote of the week
“Done is better than perfect. Because perfect is never done” - Unknown
I've started making art. Some pastel, some watercolor, some pen and ink. It's bad or it's stuff that shows that I'm a beginner and compared to everyone who shows their art online it's bad.
I started my Instagram journey two months ago with a simple idea in mind: ‘make something bad and doing something small with Reels.’
From one video to another, I learned something new and improved how I shot, script, gears, learned cinematic angles, etc.
Until I felt like I had this fear and doubt about what to launch next because I kept raising the bar higher than I could maintain. I have a full-time job, two kids, and a lot of unpredictable situations with work and family.
So here I am, pausing my journey–thinking about how my experiment with videos could work around my life.
I’ve learned it’s not just about experimenting with what you will produce but also with your operating system–how you will integrate the system into your life.
If you’d like to say hi to me on Instagram 😆
https://www.instagram.com/the.buddyman