I love the Helsinki Bus Station Theory.
If you’ve never heard of it, be prepared for it to reframe your thoughts around creative work. There’s no way to summarize it succinctly but it’s a fairly simple idea, so I recommend reading the original writing by Arno Rafael Minkkinen in the link above.
Next, check out James Clear’s treatment of it because it’s great (he goes through the theory too, so if you are in a time crunch, just read below).
The Proven Path to Doing Unique and Meaningful Work [James Clear] – “I write frequently about how mastery requires consistency. That includes ideas like putting in your reps, improving your average speed, and falling in love with boredom. These ideas are critical, but The Helsinki Bus Station Theory helps to clarify and distinguish some important details that often get overlooked.”
Next, enjoy this video by Ira Glass called The Gap, which speaks to the gap between your ability to create and your ability to critique: