Are you a Creative Athlete?

When the cameras zoom in on an athlete at the starting block, we see someone about to run the race that might change their life. Behind the scenes, a team of sports psychologists, trainers, physios and others have worked tirelessly towards this moment: that athlete is there to prove their innumerable personal sacrifices and preparation worked.

Ready, set, go...

Everyone in the creative industries should be just like that athlete. We’re here to give it our all: every single day we should cherish being able to create something that matters to us, that we can take pride in. But unlike that athlete, we haven’t always got a team behind the scenes preparing us for gold. We have to invest our own time in the growth and development that’ll give us the chance to improve our work every day. Being a better creative is not only about making sure you know what the latest software feature or plug-in can add to your workflow. It’s about understanding all aspects of creative disciplines and how they connect together.

You can only become a better creative when you go out and learn.

As a creative athlete, you will learn how to understand the process of delivering your work and get the right reaction. 

Understand what makes others tick: learn how to tell better stories and make people fall in love with your work by explaining what went into the process. Show the offcuts that didn’t make the proposal. Share the behind-the-scenes.

A creative athlete stays focused. Learn to be more efficient and plan your time better. Write lists. To-do apps are a waste of time, use a pen and paper. Stop browsing time-wasting websites when you’re at work. Surround yourself with people – some who are inspiring, others who could be a little bit lost. Learn from the ambitious ones, and think about how you can inspire the wayward souls. Seeing both sides will stop you from becoming disillusioned.

Treat every project like the Olympics. Not every project will justify all the extra work and effort, but it should matter to you. These aren’t “lost hours”, it’s an investment in building your creative muscle. You never know when you might hit your personal best, or when you might win gold.

⟶ Excerpt taken from Book of Ideas - Vol.2 - released 07/09/2018

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Date: 11.01.2019          Category: #work