Letting Go of the Pressure to “Produce” & Embracing the Art of Making

I was recently listening to a wonderful episode of the Artists for Joy podcast, where Meredith Hite Estevez interviewed Maria Bowler, a writer and coach who just released a book called Making Time: A New Vision for Crafting a Life Beyond Productivity.

Maria’s book is full of gems about overcoming creative blocks and embracing imperfection.

One of the key ideas that really resonated with me was this: as artists, we should focus more on the making and less on the producing.

Forget about the end result and enjoy the process of creating.

Which, of course, made me think about a student I worked with recently, preparing for an audition.

She came into our session feeling the full weight of what this audition represented—not just the pressure of preparing for it, but what it would mean if she booked the gig, and then, of course, the responsibility of doing the gig well.

The weight of all that producing was palpable. She was burdened with the expectation of doing it right—of delivering the perfect performance, of producing the outcome she was hoping for.

But here’s the thing: When we focus too much on producing, it can stifle the making.

When she released that weight, it totally freed her up.

Once she embraced the process of making the song, rather than obsessing over how it would be received, everything changed.

She started to experiment.

She allowed herself to make mistakes.

She found new colors in the song that she hadn’t noticed before.

She settled in—and guess what? She felt really, really good about it.

It’s such a simple, yet powerful reminder for all of us: When we let go of the need to produce the perfect outcome, we create the space to make art—authentically, joyfully, and with curiosity.

And we get what we want. Freedom. Confidence. 

And eventually the polished final product.

So how can we do this in our own practice?

1. Release the Outcome (aka Stop Worrying About ‘What Could Go Wrong’)

I know, it’s easy to get caught up in what will happen if we don’t “get it right.” But focusing on the future only robs us of the joy in the present and gets in the way of actually doing the good work. So set your intention at the beginning of your practice session: It’s about the here and now, not the “what ifs.”

2. Trust the Process (aka Let Yourself Be a Little Messy)

Did you know some of the world’s greatest artists got their start by doing things completely wrong? (Shocking, right?) Imperfection is where the magic happens. So go ahead—experiment! Try something totally weird. Let yourself be imperfect. It’s okay. Really. Throw in some animal sounds. 😉 If need help with this- infusing your creative practice with more play to help free you up- check out my FREE Masterclass. 

3. Reconnect With Your Inner Child (aka Don’t Forget How to Play)

Which brings us to play, my favorite word. Remember play? You know, when you were a kid and you sang at the top of your lungs in the shower just because it was fun? Let’s bring that back. It’s easy to get bogged down by the pressure to perform, but art is meant to be fun! So, play with your voice, dance around, make silly faces in the mirror if that’s what it takes to loosen up. The more joy you bring into your practice, the more joy you’ll bring into your performances.

4. Focus on Your Own Experience (aka Stop Trying to Please Everyone)

Oh back to this theme. (If you haven’t already, read my last 2 blogs on advocating for yourself as a singer. Let’s face it: We all have those moments when we try to please the teacher, the coach, the audience, or anyone else who’s listening. But guess what? When you are outside of yourself, worrying about what everyone else thinks, you are disconnected from your own inner authority which ultimately has the BEST answers for you. When you’re centered in your own experience, your voice will shine a whole lot brighter.

Next time you find yourself worrying about “getting it right” or “producing” the perfect performance, remind yourself: You’re here to make—to create, to explore, to discover.

And in that process, I promise, you’ll feel so much more freedom, joy, and (yes) maybe even a little bit of fun.