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"Artist."
What do you usually associate that word with?
Did you include crippling self-doubt, fear of failure, lack of confidence in your work and being overshadowed by better artists out there that make you think 'Why is this even worth it?'

This is a constant problem for the artists out there. Whether it be in music, drawing/painting, literature, or any craft, we all encounter these same constant problems one way or another.

So why do you think it happens mostly to creative minds?
Is there a reason artists are most vulnerable to these problems, and what advice would you give to help them along?

I've been drawing for the better part of 5 or so years, and up until a few years ago I've been struggling with the mentality that I'm just not good enough compared to everyone else. That little voice in my head that says "Just stop, you won't get noticed. No one will care. " is merciless.

I carry on with my drawing either way, with just that little hope that someone will say they like my work and lift my spirits up, even if they only say "Nice."

"So why do you think it happens mostly to creative minds? "
..Because its only creative minds that have to worry about it?

The biggest reason we hate our work is because we know exactly what is wrong with it.
I'm a programmer. I make games. Other people will say my games are great, but i know they are terrible, the code is all bad, and if you do that one thing at that one point, then there will be a small glitch, and that this one thing is off center by one pixel and etc.
Other people don't notice, and if they do, they don't care.

So thats (one reason) why our creations bother us, because we notice every single tiny detail that literally no one else would notice.

Anyways, the advice is to create things for yourself and let other people come to you. Don't try so hard to get other people to like your stuff, just make sure you like it. The goal is to be happy about our own work, the goal isn't to be the most liked artist ever.

Musician here.

For me it all depends on the motive of the artist. If im in the mindset of promoting myself and a desire to be noticed, all those feelings come naturally.

I think it is in our nature to be our own worst critics. And I can admit that when another person compliments you on your work it does feel good.

I've been through phases where (1) I want to be praised on my talent (2) Feeling like nobody gives a shit so why bother (3) Well, damn. This isnt going to make any money lol (4) Fuck everyone, I do this for fun.

At the end of the day you have to just remember this is something you enjoy doing.

Hope that helps a little?

@poochyena

now I have to find that glitch

This may sound weird, but I don't think thoughts like that are a problem. If we didn't constantly have self-doubts and merciless criticisms of our own work, we would never improve our craft and pull out better work as a result. It's the artist's struggle, but it's the struggle that makes art amazing. If I were comfortable and content with my own work, I wouldn't be going to art school right now to improve my skills and learn things I never even considered opening myself up to before. I have an instructor who constantly says "you should always be pissed off at your work for not looking right". Art never gets easier, there never comes a point where you are content with your work and think there's no way to improve it. It can get really brutal at times having those thoughts of being a failure running through your head, but you should use them as a motivator.

Same can be said with music. When playing in a band and you make a mistake, you know it, you hear it and everyone in the band likely heard it. The Audience however doesn't and won't ever notice it. The mistake is lost in the melody. The musician is focusing on playing the music and therefor will notice when he makes a mistake. The audience is relaxing, listening to the music for it's beauty, focusing on the good, never noticing the minute mistake like the musician does.

I notice it when drawing too. I notice things about my picture that differ from what's in my head, or notice a line is 1/16th of an inch off where it should be. The person looking at the art never notices because they don't know nor care what the picture in the artists head looked like, just what's in front of them. The audience judges based on what is front of them while the artist judges by comparing the final product to the perfect version in the artists head.

This is also why artist think their art is not as good as others. We see others art like the audience does, as a whole, in all it's beauty, because we didn't make it. We can't see the minute mistakes, nor do we see the 'perfect version' in the artists head, so we assume it's flawless while looking down at our own creation.