The feeling of just “going through the motions” has to be one of the worst feelings for an artist.

It’s that feeling of “I feel so unfulfilled; this current way of life isn’t it, but I’m not sure how to change it.”

So what does it really mean to feel this sense of fulfillment as an artist — without dealing with the distractions of comparing ourselves to others? And how can we reignite that spark that made us love life and be patient with our creative journey in the first place?

Finding life purpose is a lofty realization, and definitely not one you’re going to find reading a singular blog post. So instead, I’m going to help you break down how to see your current artistic trajectory and life goals. Perhaps you’ll find some gaps that you’d like to fill in your own life, or some inspiration for how to shift your mindset for the future.

Your Perspective on Your Creative Career

Let’s first outline one of the biggest parts of this “I feel so unfulfilled” problem: your current career.

Many of us feel like we need to define ourselves by our career. If you were an artist at a young age, maybe you felt like you were only praised when you did something “talented” in your art. When you didn’t, you were merely just a shadow.

So it’s safe to say that if you’re not in your absolute dream career right now, you might be saying the same things to yourself: “You didn’t succeed!” “You’re not as good as the others!” “You didn’t try hard enough!”

I just want to take this moment to remind you:

🦋: You are at a perfect place in which to start your work. (This is a phrase I got from my studies at The William Esper Studio, and I think it’s absolutely perfect.)

💫: Everything in the past has actually been perfect. (Took this from Jack Canfield.)

💖: You have hundreds of points of leverage in which to cultivate your artistic dream — just by being you.

🤔 Signs of Artistic Unfulfillment: Solving the “I Feel So Unfulfilled” Problem

The constant refrain of “I feel so unfulfilled” is just a little sign to take a step back and recalibrate. But first, let’s get a read on how you’re actually feeling.

📆 You’re Looking Forward to Fridays

When you’re constantly living for Friday, it might be a sign that something’s off in your creative life.

You might be thinking, “well, I’m just working my Cozy Girl Job to help me get to the next point in my career — so of course I don’t love it!” And I totally get that. But when we’re feeling so much dread on Mondays and so much anxiety for Fridays, there’s still something to analyze.

You might not be working your dream job right now. But you should find some ways to spark joy in the work you’re doing so your day-to-days are still romanticized.

We don’t want to be trapped in the “I just need to wait until I get X, and then I’ll be happy!” mindset. It’s a recipe for failure, even if you have somehow hit your goals.

We’re not going to love every single moment of our work, even after we’ve hit those dream goals (which I know you know is true!). But in order to be truly mindful, intentional artists, we want to find joy and purpose in every single day so we can enjoy the journey.

⚡️ You Feel Stuck

Maybe you’re repeating the same techniques over and over. Maybe you’ve been saying you want to try something new, but still haven’t taken the leap. This can come from all sorts of reasons — some of which I have no qualifications to diagnose (trauma and mental health included).

This is where the age-old adage comes in that actors use all the time: the definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. (I’m not calling you insane, by the way. We all do it to some extent.)

The important part is being aware of this. Audit where in your personal passion projects you feel stuck, and why. Look at it from a bird’s eye view, and be willing to change your approach with it.

🍋‍🟩 You’re Envious of Friends/Creatives Online

You scroll through Instagram, see the seemingly perfect lives and works of other artists, and suddenly your own efforts feel… well, less than stellar. (This is why I had to take 6 months off of Instagram when I first started my blog and YouTube channel. It was too much to handle!)

When you catch yourself thinking “I feel so unfulfilled” while scrolling through social media, it’s a clear indicator that comparison is affecting your artistic satisfaction.

First things first: let’s acknowledge that this feeling is completely normal. We’re human, after all, and it’s natural to compare ourselves to others. But when envy starts to overshadow your own artistic journey, it’s time to take a step back. Because you only have a certain amount of energy every day, and if you’re giving it all to looking at what everyone else is up to, well, you’re robbing yourself of having more energy for creativity!

🥰 Rediscovering Your Artistic “Why”: Self-Discovery Exercises

⚪️ Create Your Ikigai

If you’re constantly battling the feeling of “I feel so unfulfilled,” creating your Ikigai can be a powerful tool for rediscovering your artistic purpose, and finding work-life alignment, and maybe even overcoming feelings of emptiness in your work.

Ikigai is a Japanese concept that roughly translates to “reason for being,” and it sits at the intersection of four elements:

1. What you love
2. What you’re good at
3. What the world needs
4. What you can be paid for

It’s as simple as making a list of all of these things and writing down exactly how it relates to you. Then, look for overlaps. Where do these elements intersect in your artistic practice?

The best part about your Ikigai is that just like your creative career as a whole, it can evolve as you evolve as an artist. Whenever you feel stuck and are trying to overcoming feelings of emptiness, you can do this simple little audit to check in with your inner artist and see if you’re in-line with your Ikigai.

💭 Learn to Dream Without Barriers

There are waaaay too many people in this world who simply won’t let themselves dream big. Asking them to dream — like, really dream, without any practicalities behind it — is nearly impossible.

Naturally, as creatives, we dream big. But sometimes, even we can get stuck in thought patterns that are all practicalities and no manifestations. So, how can we push ourselves towards pursuing meaningful goals? Through vision boards.

🙌 Make a Vision Board

A vision board is a visual representation of your biggest goals and aspirations. All you need to do is gather magazines, printed images, quotes, or anything else that resonates with your artistic goals.

Then, arrange and glue these items onto a board. Or, if you want a digital one, place it somewhere that you see everyday, like as your phone or computer background (ideally, both!).

The important part of creating a vision board is that you do not think about practicalities. “Well, I don’t really have the money for this, so I’m not going to put it on,” is the wrong way of looking at it.

Instead, delve deep into all of your biggest desires. (You’ll figure out the “how” later, when you create artist systems. Vision boards can often be a great path for reigniting motivation and inspiration — you’re daring yourself to “face” all of your biggest dreams every time you see it.

Although it’s natural for artists to dream big, it can still feel scary to say our biggest dreams out loud. “What if I don’t achieve them?” I acknowledge your feelings, and welcome you to just keep going.

💻 Subscribe on YouTube

Head over to my YouTube channel for in-depth videos on artistic fulfillment, creative techniques, and more. As a female singer-songwriter, I’m dishing the tools I’m using to become a full-time artist so you can, too. Let’s combat “I feel so unfulfilled” mindset in our artistic journeys through a community doing it right there with you. 💖