Expanding Your Creative Vision

As creative entrepreneurs, there are a million and one items on our to-do lists.  We create our product, cultivate a target market, and grow our brand.  We’re the salesperson, producer, marketer, photographer, packer, shipper, social media manager, customer service rep…need I go on? 

This can be dangerous territory - burning the candle at both ends can lead to major dissatisfaction.  When did the thing we were so passionate about become the thing that caused us so much stress? When did the hours spent in the studio creating turn into an endless to-do list for the business?

You can easily navigate the growth of your business by remembering one very simple, but essential, truth:  you are, at your very core, a creative.

You were made to imagine, to make, to design, to sketch, erase, and sketch again.  You need to feed this aspect of your being in order to be productive in all the other areas of life & business.  Your mind will tell you when your creativity is under-nourished...it comes in the form of procrastination, frustration, restlessness, or anxiety. 

We don’t need hours per day to feed our creative brains, or complex projects to challenge our artistic goals.  We just need a little shift in our mindset to restore the balance between the left and right sides of our brains.  Here are a few easy tricks to try during your work days this week:

1. Just Do It

When was the last time you drew, created, made, designed just for fun, with no goal in mind? Playing can be one of the greatest paths to fresh, new ideas—giving ourselves permission to play can be a big challenge, but it’s actually a great way to give your productivity a major boost.

2. Think Like a Kid

Children are a great inspiration for any creative brain.  One of their best qualities is their complete and total lack of fear. They’re willing to try anything & don’t get too caught up in what “could” happen.  They just try.  Get out of your own way just once this week and try something new—see how it feels.  I bet you might like it.

3. Find a New Way to Connect the Dots

The cornerstone of the creative mind is the way it sees things—always a little bit different.  Use that asset to its fullest.  Look for new ways to connect the dots in your product or other areas of your business; can you find a new way to market your design, or produce a cool promotion that boosts your social media presence, or refine your website. Look at it all through a different lens, ask questions, and listen to feedback.  It’s all going to help you grow.

Give yourself the opportunity to expand on your own creative vision this week.  I’d love to hear what comes up!  

Megan Gallagher is a small-business strategist working with creative indiepreneurs at Method & Madness.  She talks business development, creative vision, and indie lifestyle through one-on-one strategy sessions, e-guides, and the Method & Madness blog.

Main image courtesy of kenteegardin