A creator must occasionally disappoint expectations to discover identity.

Expectations form from what you have already done, which means meeting them perfectly is a way of staying who you were. Identity develops at the point where you do something the audience did not order, and that always costs a little goodwill. Some part of finding yourself involves letting people be mildly let down.

Notice which parts of your work you continue only because people expect them. Try one project this year that would confuse the people who like your current work. Their reaction will tell you something, and so will yours.