When practice fails

You FINALLY step out of your comfort zone. You decide to finally give your secret dream a try. You start with that first burst of enthusiasm, go through the process and… the result feels off.

This is not how you imagined it.
It looked so much easier when XY person did it.

So you try again. Same results.

And then comes the thought: “Maybe I’m not cut out for this.”

That was literally me today. Filming an unscripted video for my next chapter bringing my deep passion for empowering creatives like you through storytelling.

Seven hours of filming!! Dissatisfied with the result. Not going to post it. Day wasted. Maybe I’m a bad storyteller. Can you relate?

Because if so → congratulations!! You’re closer to your goals than you think.

And before I explain why, let me show you something truly inspiring: the way my students have been learning drawing with me and actually enjoying their progress, just look at these:

LOVE YOU FOREVER, ASDB students 💛

This is exactly why I created the ASDB Academy: to give you a structured way to combine timeless drawing foundations with modern tools like iPad + AI, so you can grow faster, feel freer, and actually enjoy the process.

👉 If you’d like a taste of it, you can start with my brand new free 3-part masterclass HERE.

Now, here’s why mistakes are proof of progress.

Just by starting, you’re already ahead of 90% of people who are still thinking-thinking-thinking, stuck in analysis paralysis for years.

When you DO take that courage, your first steps will be messy. That’s normal.

I remember when I got my very first iPad 9.7 as a birthday gift. My friend knew how much I dreamed of switching to digital, and I was SO sure it would finally give me the freedom to boost my creativity.

P.S. A little life hack: when you show your genuine passion, endless curiosity, and paint that bright picture of your creative future… people around you can’t help but want to support you. (That’s probably why my friend showed up with an iPad 9.7 back then :D).

And just so you know → I didn’t stop there. That iPad was my start, but soon I was buying myself a bigger one - fully paid for with the money I made from my first commercial illustration projects!! That’s when I realized: this isn’t luck. This is a skill that changes everything!

👉 But here’s the part no one saw: behind those early projects were countless messy attempts.

Despite the simple interface, I didn’t even know where the eraser was. For months, I painted over mistakes with the background color, thinking I’d “cracked the code.”

I repeated the same wrong steps. Hated how the brushes looked. Kept searching for that perfect marker/pencil look in digital. And I didn’t even know the drawing guide existed to help me with perspective. FOR YEARS.

And yet… those mistakes still brought me closer to my dream of drawing like a pro on iPad.

I was proud of testing. Of creating. Of designing.

But, after 3 years, STILL no real breakthrough.

And this is the thin line:

🛑 Practicing vs. delaying growth by saying “one more week and THEN it will work.” 🛑

That’s exactly when I realized: I needed help.

That’s when I found a professional digital artist whose style blew me away.
That’s when I hired a public speaking coach to refine how I communicated.
That’s when I invested in a business community to fuel my energy and get feedback.

That’s how I broke out of endless practicing and started moving forward.

And that’s why even though today’s video felt off, I know exactly what went wrong and how to fix it. I’m proud I filmed. I discovered new ideas. And next time, with my vision and my framework, it will be ALIGNED.

So here’s the takeaway:

✅ Be proud of every step you take.
❌ But know when “just one more try” is actually self-delaying.

Because growth doesn’t come from being the cleverest person in the room. It comes from asking for help from those who’ve done it and who can shortcut your learning curve 1000x.

That’s what I’ve built in ASDB Academy. My decade of mistakes, breakthroughs, knowledge, and my roadmap - all packed to help you finally break through that plateau.

You’ve got this. And I can’t wait to see your skyrocket progress inside the Academy blending traditional drawing skills with the freedom and speed of iPad + AI ;)

With big drawing energy,
Anna 🎨