For a long time, I felt pressure when I tried to create… in comparisons, in numbers, in the rush to grow faster, do more, be more.
At some point, I realized that the pressure wasn’t coming from creating itself.
It was coming from how I was measuring my growth.
I was comparing my pace, my path, my creativity to other people’s timelines. And without noticing, I started chasing their roads instead of walking my own. That’s when creating slowly stopped feeling like freedom… and started feeling like something I had to prove.
This is how I learned to create without pressure, and why it changed everything.
Why we need to stop comparing ourselves to others
Comparison shows up when you rush your process.
When you feel behind for no real reason.
When your chest tightens after scrolling.
When you suddenly feel the need to “do more” even though you were fine five minutes ago.
For me, comparison made success look urgent. Like something I had to reach fast, or else I was failing.
But the truth is, success is deeply individual.
Everyone defines it differently. Everyone carries different values, expectations, fears, and goals.
When we compare ourselves to others, we don’t just steal joy.
We steal clarity.
We stop creating a life based on what feels right to us and start running after someone else’s version of growth. And in that rush, we miss the beauty of becoming. We miss enjoying our own growth, even if it takes longer.
When you focus on numbers, creativity disappears
I love thinking about a shot for days.
I love walking around, observing, waiting.
I love standing in one place for minutes, sometimes hours – until I get exactly what I envisioned.
That’s where my creativity lives.
But the moment I start creating for numbers, followers, likes, engagement, something shifts. And I’m honest about this: I’m guilty of it too.
When numbers lead, I start thinking about the audience instead of my vision.
I start asking what will perform instead of what feels true. And slowly, creativity turns into pressure.
I have to constantly remind myself that I’d rather grow slower and get better… better at expressing what I see, better at translating what I feel, than grow fast by trying to impress people I don’t even know.
I don’t want success that costs me my voice.
The hardest part of being a photographer: being yourself
The hardest part of creating without pressure wasn’t letting go of expectations.
It was being myself. Not following trends.
Not shaping my work around social demand.
Not adjusting my creativity to fit into what feels acceptable.
It meant accepting my flow, my pace, my way of seeing.
It meant building my life around creativity, not forcing creativity to fit into a loud, fast world.
That’s scary. Because when you do that, you have nowhere to hide. You show up as you.
But here’s what I learned: Most fears only exist in our heads. The real world is often much kinder than we imagine.
Photography as a language
Photography is how I discover myself.
Street photography, especially, feels like sitting outside with my thoughts, except I’m speaking through frames. Giving moments a cinematic feeling is my way of translating what’s inside my head into something visible.
It still amazes me that you can say so much without words.
That’s why my camera feels like a friend.
Not a tool to perform. Not a machine for content.
Creating without pressure doesn’t mean creating less
This part is important.
Creating without pressure doesn’t mean being lazy.
It doesn’t mean not having goals.
It doesn’t mean disappearing.
It means choosing intention over urgency. I still learn. I still research. I still observe other creatives in complete awe of what artists create today. This is such a beautiful time to be an artist, the internet lets us share our work with people all over the world.
But I no longer let that inspiration turn into pressure.
I let it stay inspiration.
When I choose not to rush, I gain things numbers could never give me:
- Presence
- Depth
- Confidence in my vision
- A stronger connection to my work
- Trust in myself
Sometimes I create things I never post. And those moments remind me why I started in the first place. Creating just for myself brings a kind of freedom that no algorithm can replace.
What I never want to become
I never want to become a creative who is constantly chasing validation.
I don’t want to create from anxiety.
I don’t want my work to feel forced.
I don’t want success that disconnects me from myself.
Even if that path looks impressive from the outside, it’s not mine.
Who this is for
This is for the person just starting photography.
For the hobby creator who feels behind.
For the artist who loves creating but feels pressure creeping in.
You’re not late.
You’re not doing it wrong.
You’re just learning your pace.
What creating without pressure taught me
Creating without pressure taught me that creativity doesn’t bloom in force.
It blooms in safety.
It taught me that my timing is allowed to be mine. That slowing down isn’t failure, it’s alignment.
And most importantly, it taught me that when I stop trying to prove myself, my work finally starts speaking for me.