The Hidden Struggles Behind Every Creative Win

You probably only hear the success stories.

As creatives, we tend to share our successes on social media, not the countless times we were not accepted.

Last week, I received the news that one of my works was accepted for the Royal Watercolour Society exhibition in London. As you can imagine, I was over the moon and wanted to share the news immediately!

What I left out when I wrote this post was the MANY times I applied to open calls without being successful. We tend to work through these disappointments on our own and not share them publicly.

It is so easy to compare yourself to others, thinking that they get accepted while you don’t.

What you may not realise is that they’re probably in the same place as you — applying for things in the background and having to process losses and disappointments.

This is all part of being a creative business owner. Regardless of the industry you work in, you will experience the ups and downs of applying for things along the way: business loans, being a vendor at a conference, having a stall at an art fair, or open calls. The list goes on.

Unless you build some resilience in how you respond to the outcomes of these applications, you may lose hope and start feeling despondent.

You might begin wondering if anyone actually likes your work and whether it’s worth creating what you’re creating. You might start feeling like a failure. This can not only affect how you feel about your work but also your self-worth.

As you know, this is a very negative spiral and can be a dark hole to climb out of.

In Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic, she shares a powerful antidote to this habit of comparing ourselves to others and their wins: “You can measure your worth by your dedication to your path, not your successes and failures.”

This has become a mantra for me, and I offer it to you in case you need some encouragement.

We all need support, and this is how I remind myself that I’m not alone on the journey. On days when I feel down in the dumps and need a pick-me-up, here’s what I do:

💖 I call a friend, preferably someone who can resonate with my experience.

🎙 I listen to something inspiring. I have a list of favourite podcasts that help me feel a bit more energised and get the creative ideas flowing.

🌿 I try to leave the house and go for a walk. Just being outside can help shift how I feel about things.

Additionally, I remind myself to celebrate small wins along the way. These might not be headline-worthy moments, but they are meaningful steps forward. Acknowledge these achievements — they fuel your journey and keep your creative spark alive.

Next time you see someone sharing their win, remember that they’ve likely experienced multiple losses before getting to this place.

You're not alone in this. Keep going!