The time has come for a pep talk. This inspirational rant is intended to motivate anyone who has ever felt as though his or her work is insufficient or common. This is a reminder that everything you create can impact the world. This is the assurance that everyone goes through periods of dissatisfaction. The more you push the more you begin to make your ideal work.

The classic catchphrase “practice makes perfect” holds true in the creative realm. As a blossoming creative copywriter, I have faced several moments where I just feel inadequate. I look around and it seems as if everyone else is developing amazing portfolios in a seemingly effortless fashion. I wonder if I will ever live up, if my work will ever get noticed, and most importantly if the things I create will make a difference in the world. I often convince myself that I should just give up, but I quickly realize that would be taking the easy way out.

The fact of the matter is that I am not the only one who feels this way. Even This American Life host and producer Ira Glass admits having to overcome obstacles to achieve his ambitions.

Before I continue, I ask you to take this moment to enjoy a motivational interlude straight from Ira Glass himself.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ResTHKVxf4&w=560&h=315]

Just as Glass says, we must make more time to create. We need to make time to create in order to hone our skills as creators. Adobe tells us “Creativity defines a person and enables them to make a difference in their lives and the lives of others; creativity is something that they share.” But in a recent study, Adobe found only 25 percent of people believe they are living up to their creative potential. That’s a shame.

These statistics are particularly saddening because nearly two-thirds of the survey participants agreed creativity is valuable to society. The American respondents- more than any other society- recognized creativity’s importance. The problem is they didn’t feel as though they had time to create. Eighty percent of American respondents reported their workplace emphasized productivity rather than creativity.

Likewise, more than half of the respondents said they feel the current educational system is stifling creativity. Since neither work nor school are encouraging creativity, people feel as though they must create in their own free time. The problem is that people report feeling as though leisure time is rapidly diminishing.

These findings by Adobe point to a bleak future for creators unless we do something to change it. So, that’s exactly what we must do. We must change our attitudes and fight through creative barriers. We must push ourselves to produce as many things as we possibly can. Next time you face a creative slump remember Glass’ words, “The most important possible thing you can do is do a lot of work.” And keep going.