Creative Nightmare: Why Returning to Your Project Feels Impossible Right Now 🎵🎶🎵 [059]
Motivation in making music - Trapping Creatives After a Break
If you work in a creative field, especially music production, you probably know this feeling:
You’ve taken a break, maybe for weeks, months, or even longer. Life got in the way. And now you’re finally ready to jump back in - but instead of excitement, there’s fear. Instead of flow, resistance. You’re stuck.
I’ve been there. That knot of anxiety, the quiet (and not-so-quiet) self-criticism, the mental gymnastics to avoid opening your DAW... it’s real. It doesn’t matter whether you’re just starting or have years of experience. That kind of block doesn’t discriminate. And it can feel huge.
But here’s the truth:
You’re not broken. And you’re definitely not alone.
In fact, a lot of producers reach out to me with the same story:
“You’re out of practice”
“I don’t know where to start.”
“I’m scared I lost my sound.”
I hear that. I’ve felt that. And I want to share some thoughts - not just from the studio, but from working with artists who’ve gone through this exact thing and come out stronger. Let’s unpack what’s really happening and how to gently reconnect with your creative flow.
1. Breaks Are Not a Step Back - They’re Quiet Growth
There’s this myth that if you step away from music, your skills will fade and your creativity will die. That’s not how it works.
Creativity doesn’t rot. It evolves.
Even when you’re not making music, your subconscious is still working. It’s absorbing sounds, processing emotions, and refining your taste. I like to think of breaks not as voids, but as incubation periods - quiet seasons of growth that you might not notice until you're back at the DAW and something just clicks.
Sometimes, the time away is the very thing that lets you hear differently.
Your rhythm feels tighter. Your taste has matured. You suddenly know what not to do- and that’s a kind of wisdom you can’t force.
So try this reframe:
What if the break you took wasn’t a setback, but a silent collaborator?
2. You’re Not Lazy - You’re Protecting Yourself
That avoidance? That fear when you hover over the DAW icon but don’t open it? That’s not laziness. It’s your brain trying to protect you from potential failure.
Anxiety is your nervous system's way of saying, “Whoa, are we sure about this?” And after a long break, even opening a blank project can feel like jumping off a cliff.
It’s okay. That resistance isn’t the enemy - it’s information. Observe it. Name it. Take the power out of it.
I just want to remind you: Awareness is the first step to freedom.
You’re not avoiding music because you don’t care - you’re avoiding it because you do.
3. The “First Session Back” Cheat Code
The fastest way to kill your comeback? Expecting brilliance on Day One.
So don’t. Start stupid on purpose.
Make a ridiculous beat. Sample a duck. Run a synth through ten phasers just to see what happens.
Set micro-goals: Open your DAW. Save a new project. Tweak a preset. That’s a win.
Try something new: a plugin you’ve never used, a BPM you’d never touch, a sketch in your notebook before hitting the grid.
This isn’t about making a banger. It’s about reconnecting.
Take the pressure off. Focus on curiosity over quality. Exploration over execution.
4. Channel What You’re Feeling
If you’re anxious, if you’re grieving, if you’re overwhelmed - don’t wait for those feelings to pass. Put them into the music.
One of the most intense and emotionally powerful tracks I ever produced came from a moment of real loss, when my grandmother passed away. That experience showed me how deeply negative energy can be transformed into something meaningful, even beautiful, through music.
So if you're going through something heavy right now, I truly believe you can channel that into your art. That track became a way to say what I couldn’t put into words.
Music is a container. A mirror. A release.
So if you’re carrying something, don’t fight it. Use it.
Turn that fear into a nice-sounding bassline. That doubt turned into a haunting pad. That hope into a melody that lifts and breaks at the same time.
5. Make It a Ritual, Not a Sprint
You don’t need to “come back hard.” You just need to come back kindly.
Build a simple, pleasant ritual around your sessions.
Tea. Candles, or whatever you like. Open the same synth patch every time you return. Make it familiar, even comforting. Your brain will start to associate this setup with something beautiful called creativity, not fear.
And celebrate every small win.
Did you open the DAW? That counts.
Saved a cool loop? That counts.
Quit before overthinking it into the ground? That definitely counts.
6. Final Thought: Progress Isn’t Perfection
Creativity isn’t linear. It’s seasonal.
Planting. Growing. Resting. Renewing.
The opposite of creativity isn’t inactivity - it’s self-judgment.
So here’s your permission:
Make terrible music. Make weird music. Make any music. But above all, make without judgment.
The world doesn’t need another perfect track. It needs your voice, exactly as it is, right now.
You’re not behind. You’re not rusty. You’re just getting started - again.
And if you ever need a reminder of that, I’m right here.
Let’s fire up the DAW - and see what unfolds.
Cheers
Marcus