Break on Through

January 18, 2025


The journey of an artist is often romanticized as a continuous flow of inspiration, breakthroughs, and creative highs. But the reality is far more complex. For every masterpiece that emerges, there are countless moments of stagnation—times when it feels as though you’re simply turning the wheels without gaining any significant traction. It’s easy to become disheartened during these lulls, but it’s precisely in these periods that persistence and endurance matter most.

The Long, Slow Process

Every artist will experience these periods of seemingly endless inertia. Whether you’re struggling with writer’s block, staring at a blank canvas, or feeling uninspired in the studio, it’s easy to question your abilities. You may feel stuck in a loop, trying over and over to capture that elusive spark of creativity without success. But this is the natural rhythm of the creative process—those long, often frustrating stretches are as much a part of the journey as the moments of clarity and inspiration.

The truth is, creativity doesn’t always work in the linear way we expect. Ideas evolve, grow, and shift over time. There will be times when you feel as though you're treading water, moving forward in small, imperceptible increments. These moments can be disheartening, but they are also where the groundwork is laid for the breakthroughs that lie ahead.

Nature of Breakthroughs

Breakthroughs rarely come in a single, dramatic moment of divine inspiration. More often than not, they are the result of an idea that has been marinating, slowly developing beneath the surface. What feels like an “accident” is actually the product of all the time, effort, and frustration that came before. The breakthroughs happen when a concept evolves beyond its initial form, often in ways the artist couldn’t have predicted or planned.

Think about some of the most iconic works of art, literature, or music in history. The creators behind these works didn’t simply wake up one day with a fully-formed idea ready to be expressed. They stumbled, revised, questioned, and reimagined their concepts over time, sometimes through sheer persistence and sometimes through moments of serendipity. It’s only after the idea has gone through a process of maturation—often while the artist wasn’t actively “working” on it—that the breakthrough moment occurs.

Take Picasso, for example. His most famous works were the culmination of years of exploration, experimentation, and failure. His Cubist phase didn’t spring from nowhere—it was the product of years of learning, unlearning, and honing his craft. Similarly, writers like James Joyce or Virginia Woolf didn’t pen their masterpieces on a whim. They labored for years, enduring moments of stagnation, only to discover something new and revolutionary in the process.

Role of Intentionality

One key to enduring the stagnant phases is understanding that creativity is not always a matter of waiting for the muse to strike. Creativity, at its core, is an intentional act. It’s about showing up consistently, even when you feel like nothing is happening. The act of creation—whether it’s painting, writing, music, or any other form—demands discipline. You don’t wait for inspiration to find you; you go out and find it yourself, in the small, seemingly insignificant moments of practice and experimentation.

Intentionality doesn't guarantee immediate results, but it does ensure that you’re continuously developing your craft and refining your vision. This kind of persistence is what eventually leads to the breakthrough. You might not see it right away, but every brushstroke, every word, every note is a step toward something new and unexpected.

Importance of Patience

It’s easy to become frustrated when things aren’t moving forward, but it’s crucial to remember that the creative process is not a race. Progress doesn’t always come in big, bold leaps. Sometimes, it’s a quiet accumulation of small, incremental steps that will eventually lead to a significant breakthrough. Patience is a key ingredient in the artist’s journey. Understanding that growth happens at its own pace allows you to embrace the process without succumbing to discouragement.

This patience also involves a willingness to embrace uncertainty. When you don’t know where your work is headed, it can be tempting to give up or move on to something else. But some of the most profound discoveries in art come from that very uncertainty—the willingness to remain open to new possibilities, even when the way forward isn’t clear. In these moments, trust is essential. Trust in the process, trust in yourself, and trust that the breakthrough is just on the other side of your persistence.

Breakthroughs Are Waiting

The idea of “breaking through” often implies a moment of sudden revelation, an instant when everything clicks into place. While these moments do happen, they are typically the result of all the unseen work—the time spent honing your craft, the countless hours spent in quiet reflection, and the countless failures and false starts that eventually lead to something new.

Ultimately, breakthroughs are not as much a matter of luck as they are of intention and endurance. When you continue to create, to refine, and to push through the stagnant moments, you put yourself in the position to experience those moments of sudden clarity and excitement. And when they come, they’re not accidents—they’re the inevitable result of your dedication to the process.

So, when you find yourself in a place of stagnation, remember that this is not a time of failure. It’s a time of preparation. Keep going. Keep creating. The breakthrough you’ve been waiting for might just be around the corner. The other side is closer than you think.