How to Develop a Growth Mindset as an Artist (And Why It’s More Important Than Talent)

“Cocoa Cafe” by Therese Tucker for #tinseltown2025 challenge.

There’s a quiet revolution that happens when an artist shifts from asking, “Am I good enough?” to asking, “How can I grow from this?” That’s the difference a growth mindset can make. In this post, I want to share what this shift looks like in real time: the messy, hopeful, vulnerable truth about creating art when your inner critic is loud, your skills are evolving, and your dreams are huge.

Whether you're in a season of expansion or frustration, I hope these thoughts will help you reconnect to your creative path and keep walking it with love.

1. What a Growth Mindset Looks Like in Real Life

For me, a growth mindset as an artist means deeply believing that my skills, talents, and voice aren’t fixed. They’re alive and expanding with every brushstroke, sketch, or creative decision I make.

Even when a piece doesn’t turn out how I hoped, I’ve learned to trust that each session sharpens my hand and my eye, and takes me one step closer to the artist I’m becoming.

2. What It Feels Like When I’m Stuck in a Fixed Mindset

Every time my inner critic flares up, I know I’m brushing up against a fixed mindset. It’s that harsh, “reasonable-sounding” voice that tells me my work isn’t good enough, or that someone else’s style or polish means I should just quit trying.

Recently, while working on the #TinselTown2025 challenge, a cozy Christmas village illustration series, my self-doubt came in fast. I love this style of work, but I don’t feel confident in it yet, and my inner critic had a lot to say about how “wrong” it all looked.

Fixed mindset thinking makes you feel like you’re trapped in a box, with only one “right” way to make art. And that’s a lie.

3. How I Shift Back into Growth Mode

When I catch myself spiraling, I remind myself: This is just one piece. It’s not the defining moment of my career. It’s one brushstroke in a much bigger picture.

I also work with my nervous system with a few deep breaths, a body shake, a little movement to get my energy flowing again. I remind myself that moving the body helps move the mind.

Growth lives in motion, not perfection.

4. A Trick That Helps Me Regain Perspective

When things start feeling visually or emotionally “off,” I give myself permission to walk away. Distance softens the critical voice and resets your eyes.

Sometimes, I even invert my body by hanging my head over the edge of the bed upside down or do a stretch to literally shift my view. It sounds simple, but changing how you look at your work helps you feel differently about it too.

5. To the Artist Who’s Feeling Behind…

Have compassion for yourself. You feel this way because you care deeply. That’s a beautiful thing.

If your vision feels far away, know that most dreams are made up of tiny steps, not giant leaps. There are days when I can only sketch for 5 minutes. But that 5 minutes helps me feel my momentum.

If I showed up today, then I’m closer to my dream than I was yesterday. And so are you.

6. Want Support for Your Creative Growth?

If this post resonated, you might love some of the spaces I’ve created to support other sensitive creatives:

• 🎨 Follow my journey on Patreon — See my collections unfold, get exclusive access to stickers, postcards, behind-the-scenes process, and more.

• 🌠 Try the free Dream Lab — My guided tool to help you clarify your soul-aligned “North Star” so you can turn big dreams into grounded direction.

• 🌙 Join the Epic Year Workshop — This workshop turns your soul-aligned dream into a 12-month creative strategy rooted in nervous system alignment, numerology + your progressed moon.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need to be perfect to be powerful. You don’t need to be the most polished to be on your path. You just need to keep showing up.

If you’ve been looking for a sign to keep going — this is it.

When the Collection Finds You

Meet “Knives Meow” from my Scary + Sweet Collection.

Reflections on unexpected inspiration, “ugly” sketchbooks, and letting the art take the lead

Every October, the art world lights up with prompt challenges. From #Inktober to #Peachtober to smaller niche lists, the community energy is high—and this year, I joined the #ScaryandSweet2025 challenge on Instagram (hosted by @roymeister, @heathermuellerdesign, @heyalissandra, @jenprocreates, and @jessmillerdraws). I entered with one small intention: use a single color palette for the month.

That’s it. No plan, no vision, just show up and make art.

And then… something happened.

After creating my first prompt piece ("sweet + sharp"—a kitten baring its claws, framed in Victorian wallpaper), I took a totally different approach with my second. It fell flat. It didn’t feel like me. So I reworked it using the same structure as the first—and suddenly, something clicked.

A collection had quietly started forming without my permission.

Every piece since then has followed the same loose format: a wallpapered background, a central frame, and a character. Each one rooted in the theme of the prompt, but shaped more by feeling than logic. I’m not even usually drawn to spooky or Halloween-inspired art, but working with these themes has given me more creative freedom than I expected. I’m chasing texture. I’m sketching in a deliberately “ugly” sketchbook. I’m letting go.

And more than anything—I’m letting the art tell me what it wants to become.

Growing Out Loud

There’s something awkward about evolving your style in public. I look back on old work and sometimes feel disconnected. Some pieces still feel true. Others feel like echoes of another artist—or like I was just following a tutorial. There’s pride, sure, but there’s also cringey vulnerability.

Still—I’m glad I kept sharing.

I believe art that truly moves people doesn’t come from strategy. It comes from surrender. From being the channel. When you let go of the outcome and simply prepare the space—your art will meet you there.

💌 Want to See the Collection?

You can view the first 5 pieces of this evolving series over on Instagram at @starthistle.and.quartz. Want to help me vote on which piece becomes the October Patreon reward? Come join me on Patreon where this collection is unfolding in real time—postcards, stickers, and behind-the-scenes process videos included.