One of the biggest things my clients wrestle with is figuring out what to focus on when everything sounds exciting. The to-do list is full of ideas that light them up—but they’re not just choosing between artistic dreams. They’re also trying to figure out where creativity fits in the middle of errands, work deadlines, emotional labor, and the sheer chaos of being a person.
They ask me things like:
“What creative project should I actually start with?”
“What’s worth my very limited energy?”
“What’s really aligned with my long-term vision—not just screaming the loudest right now?”
“What actually moves the needle... and what’s just noise?”
Let’s start by talking about how our biology prioritizes for us—before we ever consciously make a choice.
Your Biology’s Prioritization Defaults
Our brains aren’t optimized for creative fulfillment. They’re optimized for survival. That means our instincts for where to spend time, energy, and money are often completely out of sync with what helps us make meaningful, satisfying art.
So before we get to strategy, let’s take a quick tour through your brain’s “default settings.”
1. Immediate Gratification (a.k.a. Temporal Discounting)
We’re wired to prefer short-term rewards over long-term benefits. That’s not a character flaw—it’s just evolution. When food was scarce and the future uncertain, “now” always won.
Today? That same wiring makes it really tempting to do something that feels good immediately (hello, doomscrolling or redesigning your website again) instead of committing to the long, slow work that actually builds something real.
Example: A songwriter sets out to record an album, but after a tough week, doubts creep in. Instead of pushing through, they start posting bite-sized content on TikTok—it’s faster, easier, and gives them instant validation… even though it’s not the work their heart’s truly in.
2. Loss Aversion
Psychologically, losses hit us harder than equivalent gains. We’ll go to great lengths to protect what we have—even if what we have is slowly draining us.
Example: A jazz singer has steady gigs singing the standards. They’re good at it. People like it. But they secretly dream of writing genre-bending originals. Fear of losing their audience keeps them stuck in the comfort zone… long after that zone stopped feeling like home.
3. Energy Conservation
Thinking burns calories. (So does making art.) And your brain, being the overprotective guardian it is, will try to save energy by nudging you toward anything easier.
Example: A composer sits down to finish a piece. But instead, they organize files, tweak their homepage, and read articles about gear. The music feels too hard right now. So they avoid it—while still feeling busy.
4. Familiarity Bias
New things require more brainpower. And in evolutionary terms, unfamiliar = potentially dangerous. So we tend to loop back to the stuff we’ve already done—whether or not it still lights us up.
Example: A painter is curious about digital art. But they’ve always worked in oils, and they’re known for a certain look. Starting something new means more mental energy per piece, and also being a beginner again… so they just keep painting what’s worked before.
5. Social Influence
Early humans survived in groups. Conformity meant belonging. Belonging meant not dying alone in the woods. That wiring’s still with us.
Example: A classically trained singer is feeling the pull toward experimental indie folk—but their teachers, colleagues, and audiences all expect opera. So they keep showing up in rep that doesn’t feel true anymore, hoping no one notices how out of place they feel inside it.
6. Urgency Bias
Urgent tasks hijack our attention—even when they’re not actually important. This worked great when the “urgent task” was escaping a lion. It’s less helpful when the urgent thing is responding to 14 emails about headshots.
Example: A playwright dreams of crafting a new show. But weeks go by filled with auditions, gigs, bios, and grant deadlines. The play gets pushed again. No one’s specifically asking for it yet, so it never makes it to the top of the list.
7. Emotional Intensity
The more emotionally charged something feels, the more our brains prioritize it. Joy, fear, shame, excitement—they all crank the volume knob.
Example: A multidisciplinary artist wants to build a polished portfolio. But they keep chasing whatever idea lights them up that day—leaving half-finished projects everywhere and a growing sense of overwhelm.
These defaults helped us survive. But in a creative life? They can keep us reactive, distracted, and far from the art that feels most like us.
So let’s talk about what to do on purpose.
Strategies for Prioritizing with Intention
Once you know what your defaults are, you can choose when to follow them—and when to lovingly override them.
1. When Immediate Gratification Is Loud
Tool: Time Horizon Filter
Ask:
“Will I still care about this in 3 months? 1 year? 5 years?”
This helps you…
Stop chasing trends and start honoring work that has staying power.
Invest in the version of you that’s becoming—not the one who just wants to avoid discomfort today.
2. When Playing It Safe Feels Smarter
Tool: Opportunity vs. Security Matrix
Here’s how to use it:
Draw a 2x2 grid.
The horizontal axis: Feels Secure ←→ Feels Risky
The vertical axis: Low Opportunity ←→ High Opportunity
For each project or decision you’re considering, ask:
“Does this feel safe or risky?”
“Does this offer a lot of potential growth, or not much?”
Place the project somewhere on the grid based on your answers.
Look for projects in the High Opportunity zones—especially the ones that still feel secure enough for where you are right now. When you’re feeling brave, go for the ones that are both risky and high opportunity.
This helps you…
See which projects are helping you grow vs. which are just keeping you busy.
Make informed choices about when to choose safety—and when to step into something bold.
3. When Everything Feels Like Too Much
Tool: Effort vs. Impact Grid
Draw a 2x2 grid.
The horizontal axis: Low Effort ←→ High Effort
The vertical axis: Low Impact ←→ High Impact
List out the projects or tasks you’re currently considering.
For each one, ask:
“How much effort does this take—mentally, emotionally, or logistically?”
“What kind of impact could this have on my goals, fulfillment, visibility, income, or creative satisfaction?”
Place each task on the grid accordingly.
Look for items in the High Impact zones. If you’re low on energy, focus on the ones that are high impact but lower effort. Save the high-effort, high-impact ones for days when you’ve got more in the tank.
This helps you…
Stop spending energy on things that feel productive but don’t actually move you forward.
Prioritize the work that creates real momentum—even if it takes more effort.
4. When You’re Avoiding Newness
Tool: Curiosity Quotient Check
Ask:
“How curious am I about this, really?”
“What would I learn by doing it?”
“Would it stretch me in a way I haven’t been stretched?”
This helps you…
Spot the difference between stale familiarity and genuine interest.
Choose projects that ignite curiosity, not just comfort.
5. When You’re Hiding
Tool: Audience-of-One Filter
Ask:
“If I was the only one to see this, would it still matter to me?”
“If I wasn’t trying to impress anyone, what would I make today?”
This helps you…
Reconnect to the you under the performance.
Make art from alignment, not approval.
6. When Busywork Is Winning
Tool: Weekly Priority Reset
Each week, ask:
“What are the 3 most important things I want to move forward?”
Then block time for them first.
Here’s how to use Covey’s classic 2x2 prioritization grid:
Draw a square and divide it into four quadrants by drawing a vertical and horizontal line through the center.
Label the horizontal axis: Urgent ←→ Not Urgent
Label the vertical axis: Important ←→ Not ImportantTake a look at all the tasks on your plate for the week. For each one, ask:
"Is this time-sensitive or demanding my immediate attention?" (Urgent)
"Does this deeply impact my goals, fulfillment, or long-term success?" (Important)
Plot each task in the quadrant where it belongs. Aim to spend most of your time in the quadrant that is Important but Not Urgent—this is where the meaningful, strategic, creative work lives.
Tasks that are Urgent but Not Important? Delegate or minimize them. Not Urgent and Not Important? Maybe they don't belong on your list at all.
This helps you…
Spot fake emergencies before they hijack your whole week.
Make space for what matters before the noise takes over.
7. When Emotions Are Driving the Bus
Tool: Strategic Pause + Parts Check
Ask:
“What parts of me are showing up right now?”
“What does each part want for me?”
“What are they afraid of?”
“How can I honor their feelings and needs, but also make decisions with the bigger picture in mind?”
This helps you…
Let all your inner voices be heard—without letting fear or urgency steer the whole ship.
Make creative decisions from clarity, not chaos.
One last thing:
If none of these tools feel accessible right now—if even choosing feels like too much—it might mean your system is trying to protect you. Start with safety. That might mean calling a therapist, reaching out to your trusted people, or just… sleeping more and drinking some water. Intentional prioritization doesn’t work well when you’re running on fumes.
So tell me:
💭 Which default do you fall into most often?
🛠 Which of these strategies are you curious to try?
Drop a comment—I'd love to hear.
And in the next post, I’ll dive deeper into figuring out what actually matters to you… a key skill for any creative trying to make decisions that stick.
Thanks for hanging out with me here.
This is gold!