I think that's the narrow path we all walk. Any decent artist I know wants to improve and grow. Self doubt can help keep a critical eye, but one always needs some confidence too or else it is stifling like you say. For me it helps to come back to my older works and contemplate how I'd do this or that differently. Sometimes I "play" with my images in Photoshop and try new looks... and sometimes, mainly in my glass paintings, I actually don't remember how I solved a particular problem... does that ever happen to you?
I think that's the narrow path we all walk. Any decent artist I know wants to improve and grow. Self doubt can help keep a critical eye, but one always needs some confidence too or else it is stifling like you say. For me it helps to come back to my older works and contemplate how I'd do this or that differently. Sometimes I "play" with my images in Photoshop and try new looks... and sometimes, mainly in my glass paintings, I actually don't remember how I solved a particular problem... does that ever happen to you?