“New Level, Same Devil” The Spiral of Creative Growth

If you’ve ever felt that each new creative milestone brings the same stubborn problem dressed in fresh colors, you’re not alone. When you picture your journey as a spiral instead of a straight ladder, you’ll notice how your growing skills also sharpen your eye for the subtle details that once slipped by. By stepping outside your own medium, wandering through a museum, listening to music, or admiring a neighbor’s metal sculpture, you invite fresh perspectives that deepen your work without falling into the trap of comparison. Come on in, get comfortable, and let this warm conversation nurture the creative spark inside.

“No matter where you’re at creatively, you still have problems—new level, new devil.” — Nicole Fende

“The creative path isn’t a ladder; it’s a spiral—you’re always moving up while seeing where you started.” — Monette Satterfield

• Explore how every new creative level brings fresh challenges and why it is often the same “devil” in new clothes
• Discover how the spiral of creative growth sharpens skills and increases discernment
• Learn how stepping outside one’s own medium, through museums, music, or neighbors’ art, enriches creative work
• Hear ways to appreciate progress, enjoy the challenge, and keep moving forward without falling into comparison traps

• Take What Belongs to You - Wild Creativity: Claim Your Creative Authority by Monette Satterfield
• Receive a joyful nudge to create delivered right to your inbox. Claim your 30 days of creative prompts!

Nicole Fende is a published author and board game designer. Monette Satterfield is an artist working outside the velvet rope. Together they host Holding Creative Space, a podcast from Creatopia, an imprint of Tesseray Publishing.

Keep creating. We are holding the space.