High-achievers rarely struggle with execution. Strategy? We’ve got that. Discipline? Plenty. Vision? Overflowing.

But creativity? That’s where it gets tricky.

Not because we’re not creative—but because somewhere along the line, we started acting like creativity needed permission.

Like we had to earn our way back to the page. Like painting, writing, composing, or designing was a luxury for “after everything else was done.” Like being an artist was a label we had to wait for someone else to validate.

Let’s clear something up right now: If you have the desire to create—it’s because you were meant to.

Authorization: Already Granted

We treat creative work like it’s optional. Like it has to be proven. Like someone else gets to decide if it’s valid.

But here’s the truth: If the idea is in you, the permission is already yours.

Call it God, call it the universe, call it the same evolutionary spark that gave us language and music and architecture and brushstrokes. You don’t get the desire to create without also being wired to deliver.

So no, you don’t need a formal sanction. But just for fun—go ahead and imagine one anyway:

You’ve been authorized to write the book.
To build the thing.
To tell the story.
To let the color spill out.
To make what hasn’t been made yet.

Because you’re the only one with your lens, your life, your voice. And that’s reason enough.

Waiting for Permission? They’re Taking Cues from You

Let’s get real. Sometimes you do need logistical permission—like time away, help with the kids, or space carved out for what your soul is begging you to make.

But don’t miss this: Your people take their cues from you. If you treat your art like an afterthought, they will too.

Don’t expect others to respect your creative time if you’re constantly sacrificing it for dishes, meetings, or errands that could wait. If it’s not on your calendar, it’s not a priority. So ask for support. Create the boundary. Set the tone.

Teach the people around you—by how you act—that this part of you matters.

The Bigger Block? Internal Permission

External permission is one thing. But the real wall?

The part of you that still isn’t sure you’re allowed.

The one that says:

• “I don’t have the credentials.”
• “I’m not really an artist.”
• “It’s not practical right now.”
• “Maybe when things calm down.”

Sound familiar? That’s the voice of fear—not fact.

Maybe it was a teacher who told you not to waste your time. A parent who said, “be realistic.” A partner who rolled their eyes when you mentioned your dream. And maybe you’ve internalized it so deeply, it feels true. But it’s not.

That unauthorized sign hanging on your creative life? You put it there. Which means you can take it down.

Put This Sign Up Instead:

ARTIST AT WORK.
(Authorized by: Me + My Source + My Soul)

No more waiting. No more hiding it behind “hobbies.”
No more apologizing for having a muse and a mortgage.

10 Signs You’ve Given Yourself Creative Permission

1. You introduce yourself as a writer, artist, designer, composer—without shrinking or qualifying it.
2. You block time on your calendar for your creative work—and treat it as non-negotiable.
3. You speak about your creative projects with pride, not disclaimers.
4. You invest in tools, materials, learning, or mentorship the way you would in any serious pursuit.
5. You protect your energy—limiting exposure to people and habits that drain your creative force.
6. You recover from criticism faster—and keep creating anyway.
7. You share your work. Even before it’s perfect. Especially before it’s perfect.
8. You mentor or uplift other creators coming up behind you.
9. You say “no” to things that would cost you your art time—even when it’s uncomfortable.
10. You understand that creativity is not a luxury. It’s a life force—and honoring it makes everything else more powerful.

Ready to Own It? Start Here.

You don’t need a retreat to give yourself permission. You just need to stop waiting. So pick one act of creative reclamation:

• Post that unfinished sketch.
• Dust off the novel draft.
• Sign up for the thing.
• Block the time.
• Speak the identity out loud: “I’m a _____.”

Because the world doesn’t just need more doers. It needs more creators with fire in their chest and truth in their hands.

You’re not too late. You’re not too much. You’re not under-qualified. You’re here. And you’ve got work to do.

Permission to be creative: granted.