A Jungian coach helped me foster greater creativity, which I utilize in my writing, and in software design.

It begins with cultivating a sense of ease. It's an invitation for intuition to manifest.

Anxiety contracts the mind; ease expands.

She also taught me to remind myself that I am "merely sketching."

This has the effect of reducing expectation, thus avoiding excessive self-criticism and "analysis paralysis".

If a "sketch" subsequently resembles my original objective, it is renamed "what I wanted".

WRT creative pursuits, I suggest you spend less time trying to identify what might be going wrong, more time identifying the places, circumstances, mental states most conducive to mental flow.

Let mind flow, note what emerges, edit on another day.

If flow isn't there, don't fret. Make a mental bookmark. Jot down some notes, and allow it to ferment.

I often get good ideas while in the shower, washing dishes, or engaging in another task unrelated to the creative task.

If, while writing a story (or a program), you reach a fork in the road, take both forks.

Save the original + 2 duplicates. In each of the duplicates, follow the train of thought associated with each fork.

Allow fermentation. Examine them a few days later.

I always strive to separate flow & editing.

Flow is free, unedited noting of what emerges, fragmentary and non-linear as it may be.

Only once the flow is complete do I survey, assemble, and edit.

Creativity is stifled by the notion of finality. Yes, you do need to complete tasks/assignments, submit them to clients, etc.

But when it comes to your own creative work, no such sense of finality is necessary. This poem is temporary. For now. I may change it tomorrow.

I also find it useful to speak to myself, aloud.

"Your mind is a treasure house. Let the treasure flow."

"Let mind be free to sketch and create"

"Without attachment, give birth to wonderful things"

Create phrases conducive to your own flow.

I thank my dear friend @OtisManousakos for inspiring this thread.

May you all benefit.

May you all give yourselves permission to be artists free of attachment to the works you create.