"You do not have to be great to start, but you do have to start to be great."

I believe one of the worst things you can do for your creativity and sanity is to presume that what you are doing has to somehow be important and notable.
 Who says so?
We live in a world where competitiveness is the rule. Winning is what it's all about. How to get ahead. How to leave your mark. How to stand out from the crowd. Many people think about it all the time. We believe that we need to strive to be noticed in a world that is already overflowing with snappy marketing campaigns and boisterous advertising slogans. Even in our personal lives, we feel the pressure to be, to do and to have more, better, the latest and sexiest on the block. Never mind "keeping up with the Jones's"; you have to find a way to outshine and outdo everyone or you risk being regulated to the category of an 'also-ran' and common before you even get started. It's a tough world out there and if you can't compete, then that's just too bad.

Then, of course, you have the other camp that will tell you you don't need to do a thing. "The universe", they say "is full of abundance and all you need to do is concentrate on this cornucopia of affluence to get your share. Sure, I agree that the world is full of abundance; just like it's full of water - you still need to go to the well to get your glass filled, though some people feel they need to bring a bucket. And once again we're faced with having to do something (or, in this case 'nothing') in order to be successful. People will try anything in their quest for distinction and glory.

I believe many great and worthy ideas are never brought to light because the originators of these ideas don't feel that they could possibly be competitive in an already highly competitive market. I say forget the market! Forget how good your nutty idea is and just do it anyway!

Write that novel, knowing full well that it will never become a best-seller. Get dancing even if you're no Fred Astaire. Does it really matter? You may be confronted with criticism from people who prescribe to the view that only public triumph is real triumph, but you must simply ignore this delusional thinking. There is no need for it to be perfect as long as it's something you really love. Perhaps you will confirm that by finding the courage to try and fumble, you may also find the courage to excel.