John Steinbeck used to say that the writer must believe that what he is doing is the most important thing in the world.
And he must hold to this illusion even when he knows it is not true.

It seems to me that this principle is valid for every creative activity.
We try to give a shape to illusions.
Illusions are not necessarily deceptive, if we are conscious that they are such stuff as dreams are made on (The Bard of Avon will forgive me for this improper quote).

When one illusion doesn't work then we become disillusioned and we go around with our antennae up looking for another illusion.