Ever make something and immediately cringe because it’s… not nearly as good as you imagined?

Yeah, me too. In this episode of Transition Space, we’re talking about the taste gap—that maddening space between what you want your creative work to be and what it currently is.

Mia shares why this gap is not a problem—it’s actually proof you have excellent creative instincts. You’ll hear what NPR’s Ira Glass says about pushing through this stage, why your frustration might be the most hopeful thing about you, and how to keep showing up even when your inner critic is roasting your entire project.

Also: Sabine's opinions about growth. My goodness.

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🪜 The Focus Routine

Your taste is elite. Your skills are getting there.

But first? You need to start. Download my free ADHD-friendly Focus Routine—a cozy, low-pressure transition ritual to help you move from "ugh" to "okay fine, I’m doing it."

Perfect for those moments when your brain says, “I want to make something great,” and your hands say, “What if we just scroll instead?”

👉 authenticnetworker.com/focusroutine

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👯‍♀️ Wavelength

Your work deserves to exist—even if it’s not perfect.

Wavelength is a cozy virtual coworking space for solopreneurs and creatives who are currently somewhere between genius and gremlin.

We use body doubling, gentle structure, and mutual “you’ve got this” energy to help you get unstuck and actually finish the thing.

Come make messy magic with us.

👉 authenticnetworker.com/wavelength

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📚 Research? In This Economy?

Click responsibly. Your taste is not responsible for your four open tabs right now. Probably.

🎧 The Taste Gap Origin Story

Glass, I. (2009). Ira Glass on Storytelling. This American Life.

Yes, that quote. About the gap between your good taste and your “eh” execution. Legend status.

🧠 Growth Mindset 101

Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House. ISBN: 978-0345472328

She’s the reason your elementary school told you failure builds character. (And they weren’t wrong.)

🚗 Fear Rides Shotgun

Gilbert, E. (2015). Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear. Riverhead Books. ISBN: 978-1594634727

The book with the metaphor where fear is allowed in the car but doesn’t get to touch the radio. Iconic.

🏋️‍♀️ How Skills Actually Get Gooder

Ericsson, K. A. (2016). Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

ISBN: 978-0544456235

This is where we learn that talent is fine but deliberate practice is where the glow-up happens.

🌀 Why Creativity Feels Like Chaos (but Actually Isn’t)

Kaufman, S. B. & Gregoire, C. (2015). Wired to Create. TarcherPerigee. ISBN: 978-0399174100

Spoiler: You’re not a mess. You’re a creative work-in-progress with excellent wiring.

🎨 Resources for Creators Who Are in the Gap and Doing It Anyway

Online Creative Communities

• DeviantArt – for your digital daydreams

• Wattpad – for your moody YA fanfic

• SoundCloud – for your mixtape era

• Behance – for pixel perfectionists

Creative Practice Ideas

• The 100 Day Project – pick a thing, do it 100 times

• NaNoWriMo – write a novel in November, or just pretend to

• Wavelength - cowork with your fellow weirdos so it actually happens

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Episode Keywords: how to stop procrastinating, taste gap, Ira Glass taste gap, creative confidence, solopreneur mindset, ADHD and creativity, imposter syndrome, perfectionism, how to finish creative projects, start before you’re ready, creative resistance, creative momentum, executive function tips, body doubling, coworking, focus routine, content creation struggle, growth mindset, inner critic, neurodivergent creative, productivity for creatives, ADHD productivity tools