• There is a lot of art that is fueled by negative sources: a sense of dread, wanting acknowledgment, needing love, needing to feel special, craving power, I am fearful if I won’t be successful X will happen
• There is some art that is fueled by positive sources: joy, expressing love, sharing for the benefit of others, and feelings of awe.

These two forces exist in varying proportions within every creator or within any motivation.

I think a majority of motivations in creative industries stem from negative foundations. Similarly, a large portion—though perhaps slightly smaller—of human motivations for any action also arise from negative sources.

When I was doing art I remember I posted on my blog: “if art requires me to perpetuate some negative states within me, I deny art”. I went into a lot of therapy and stopped doing art professionally. I am not sure how causal therapy was, it feels it may have been and if that’s the case it’s an interesting find.

I feel that one of my most important processes is untangling this and increasing the proportion of positive motivation. If I see a great work of art and I discover it is done on primarily negative fuel I strongly feel it wasn’t worth it

(I feel slightly different about cases where someone who suffered a lot or was even a terrible person starts an incredible non-profit that creates a lot of good - in these situations the positives might be easier to weigh against negatives)

One open question I have about the contemplative path is whether it would be bad for people who are motivated to do great things by a sense of dread. While I believe that it’s entirely possible to contribute great deeds to humanity from a place of joy and ease, I’m not stupid enough to presume that this is true for every person. – Sasha Chapin via One open question I have about the contemplative path is whether it would be bad for people who are motivated to do great things by a sense of dread. While I believe that it’s entirely possible to contribute great deeds to humanity from a place of joy and ease, I’m not stupid enough to presume that this is true for every person. Learning to be humble about this has been its own journey—when I started having big meditative openings, it seemed insane that everyone didn’t want the same thing as I was experiencing, like they must just be misinformed about their interests. With a little time and experience, though, it’s become clear that suffering can be load-bearing. It would be nice if I’d found the truth that everyone should live by, and, for a time, mystical experience seemed like that truth. But unfortunately, it seems like the more potent, enduring lesson of mystical experience is the narrowness of my own perspective.)

The Way to Love is a wonderful eso-book speaks about it and strongly inspired these processes in me.