Millions of creative people worldwide have been told that a “good education” and a “serious job” are the only routes to happiness. Many faced failure in their early attempts at making art, leading to countless creative minds not reaching their full potential.

In our doubtful world, choosing to follow your creativity can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be. Living a creative life is not about seeking fame or dedicating everything to your craft. It means living a life guided by curiosity instead of fear.

Moreover, there’s no fixed criteria for what is considered creative. A creative pursuit is something others might find crazy but makes you feel bold, brave, or excited. Whether it’s painting, writing poetry, rock climbing, or cooking, it should be something that sparks your curiosity.

If you know what your creative pursuit is but feel hesitant, your fears might be holding you back. Worries about lacking skills, starting too late, or not having time or money can stop you from doing what you truly want.

How do you overcome this? It’s not always possible to let go of fears, so the best thing is to get comfortable with them. In a creative life, your passions and fears coexist. Fears can come along for the ride, offering input, but they shouldn’t take over. They are like passengers in the backseat, keeping you company and reminding you of what you care about.