A common aphorism in the business world is the suggestion that you "fail fast". That is, instead of spending a whole lot of time and effort on a project, just do the bare minimum and push it out to the world so you can see, based on how successful it is, if the project is really worth any more of your time and effort.

It's true that very little comes of most things that people create, whether businesses or art projects (at least, in the financial sense.) However, "fail" is completely the wrong word to be used given the spirit of the idea. Getting something done and out the door is never a failure; refusing to do something for fear of failure is.

Think of anything you complete as a small success. The work you do today or tomorrow may end up being inconsequential in the long haul. You might never get praise or recognition for any of those paintings you do, but each one you finish is one step closer to getting better at your craft.

There's something to be said for completion, and the faster the better, because it beats letting an idea stew in your brain without any action. That lets you get too attached to the thought. Doing is purging...and letting go is just as important as the work itself, because it frees you up to move on to the next idea.