How to Embrace Your Creative Demons in the Drive for Success

Imposter syndrome not only hinders personal advancement, but also team progress

I once thought: I’ll never be a creative director! Are you kidding me?

Sometimes our inner monologues scream the wrong ideas. I compared myself to industry rockstars—blinded by the show. I didn’t have a specific game design background. I considered my art, UI, advertising and production background lacking. I was mostly unaware of different backgrounds, characters and approaches to creative direction.

Some of us feel comfortable in the second row, in the trenches with the team, with presentation anxiety keeping us from the spotlight. Industry leaders—legends and showmasters—captivate and shine brightly on stage. But their influence casts long shadows. 

I once pursued comfort in a world where I never became a public speaker, which prompted me to skip an initial offer to become a CD. I know what I risked: a loss of growth, opportunities and inner peace. I didn’t realize what could be lost for my team; as a previous CD had left the project I was offered, I could provide guidance and security at a time my friends needed it.

Why is perfection still a thing for so many of us? Maybe we love the drama of big failures or success stories, accepting our roles. Most focus only on clear progress, thanks to narratives pushing that focus intensely. For me, it began with heroes in movies and TV; social media amplified the effect.

My opportunity came when I accepted a truth I understood implicitly, but not always explicitly: Perfection is the enemy of creativity. When we aim for perfection, we avoid risks and new ideas that are essential for growth. The realization that nothing good is perfect changed my perspective. 

Destroy your gods. Kill your heroes—or they will kill you. 

Imposter syndrome not only hinders professional advancement, but also team progress. Emerging leaders must learn to actively love their demons through embracing reality—surpassing perfect illusions to attain imperfect, messy, real progress. 

Re-examining and embracing demons lights a path to personal growth. I even named these demons, to unlock opportunities they’d previously obscured.

The Unknown

The unknown specifically told me: Refuse the position, because of all you don’t know. Embracing the unknown meant finding those strengths in others for shared benefit.

Embrace this demon by building the right team around you. Trust them, and let guts vs. brains take the lead for a bit. Take time building the team, especially if on a years-long journey. And be fearless while seeking help. Directing necessitates embracing the unknown. Ask for a lot, then never hesitate to listen. You’re not always the expert. Take your time and plant a seed to rally people behind your ideas. 

Fun is part of it. It’s easy to get lost in deliverables and problems. Forgive mistakes, make some of your own and find ease. When our team asked whether our game Anno would work on consoles, question marks arose around technical and creative limitations. We pulled it off by listening to each other, prompted by the unknown. 

The Silence

The silence is a loud demon, creating a quiet fear of being on-stage. Start by unmasking idols to look behind the curtain. Instagram popularity is the fireworks, not the foundation of the show.

Embracing silence gives us a chance to listen further and think. In that space, embrace your style and find the tools that suit you best. My public speaking fear was eased by using pre-recorded presentations, especially during the pandemic; there isn’t just one way. Connect with other leaders to see their approaches, personalities and struggles, which can open your eyes. It’s easy to stay in your silo. Engaging other leaders helped me understand that there’s no single path. 

I recall the first time I had to speak on a big stage, for 1,000 people in-person and several hundred thousand live on screens. In the silence, I stepped back and thought: I’m proud of my team and our work. Is there anything better than showing the world what we are working on? I imagined how proud each team member would be after we spread the word. I was scared as hell. But giving voice to others broke my silence.

The Perfect Score

This demon is a gaming trope: but no perfect score is needed if you redefine success.

Embrace this one by choosing your fights. Real life is too complex to have all the answers, yet people struggle to admit this or go to the other extreme—playing it 100 percent safe. Establish a culture that embraces failure, takes responsibility, provides security and unlocks opportunities.

Pushing the team and project will create pain. But see the imperfection around your competitors, and know that the push is relatable and worthwhile. Distribute ownership to the larger team. You can’t be the single person making it perfect; it starts with you and a small group of people. But at some point, you accept that you need to ride the wave you kicked off.

This is all a hard lesson. I still struggle. But a landscape with fewer gods and more acceptance of demons is ultimately perfect for the game we need to play.

Keep creating—and accept that there will always be another demon around the corner.