Do you consider yourself a creator? Most people think you are “a creative” or you’re not. As kids we are taught that creativity is “fun” and “nice to have”, not a resource to be nurtured. And by the time we are adults, the pursuit of creativity is often considered an indulgence rather than a habit to improve our daily lives.
These limiting beliefs stifle the innate creator that lives inside all of us. But if you can learn to release yourself from your preconceived notions of what creativity “is” or who creative people “are” – you can find new paths to self-discovery and happiness.
Unfortunately, for creatives of all levels the above is easier said than done.
Chase Jarvis’s new book, Creative Calling helps everyone from novices to creative pros learn how to work through the creative process and build a daily practice that cultivates new forms of creativity that will enrich your life.
Over the next 7 days Chase Jarvis will be going Live on the CreativeLive Instagram to help you better where you are in the creative process and how to overcome the hurdles that plague all of us.
Being creative is a matter of practice and intention, but even when you are intentional with your creative goals you get stuck. You may struggle to come up with new ideas. You may procrastinate. Or you may fail to execute. By identifying the type of creator you (currently) are, you can better understand how Creative Calling can help you cultivate your own innovation and invigorate your life.
Who Are you:
(an excerpt from Creative Calling)
The Starter: For Starters, the beginning of a creative project is an exciting time, a new romance filled with possibility. Whether you’re envisioning a grand photo series on an important theme, the Great American Novel, or an indie documentary, there are no limits. There’s no need to worry about budgets, timelines, collaborators, or— gasp!— finding an audience. Not yet, anyway.
Creative Pain Points: execution, accountability, daily practice
The Noodler: A flood of new ideas isn’t the problem. As a Noodler, you’re perfectly happy working on the project at hand. In your mind, you’ve uncovered a rich seam of material, and you plan to mine it. Starting isn’t your problem. It’s stopping. It’s not ready yet, we think. One more draft. One more week of color correction. One more scene in the can.
Creative Pain Points: creative blocks, procrastination, discovery
The Prioritizer: “Hey,” you’re thinking, “I wish I had these problems. I’ve al- ways been productive— when I sit down to work. If it weren’t for my [family/medical diagnosis/financial problems/etc.], I’d have buckled down and finished my [creative goal] long ago.” Whatever the reason, you’ve hesitated at the gates. As a Resister, you are stubborn, pragmatic, rational.
Creative Pain Points: ideation, accountability, daily practice
The Resister: Who knows why you’ve refused your own call? Maybe your parents worked their fingers to the bone to provide for you, so pursuing your passion feels self- indulgent. Maybe you have a fixed idea of what “creators” look or act like and don’t want anything to do with that image. Creative Pain Points: daily practice, accountability, discovery
The Striver You may have a solid creative practice and a substantial community; you may even support yourself entirely with income from your creative efforts. But you’re still not where you think you should be. Creative Pain Points: ideation, creative blocks, imposter syndrome
Regardless of what type of creator you are or where you are in your creative process – we all struggle with the same things… creative blocks, procrastination, execution and commitment to name a few. But according to Jarvis, these are barriers we can overcome. After building his own creative career and talking to hundreds of creative entrepreneurs on his podcast, Jarvis has identified a process that anyone can apply to expand their creativity and build the life they want.
Or as he puts it, “Creativity is a force inside every person that, when unleashed, transforms our lives and delivers vitality to everything we do. Establishing a creative practice is therefore our most valuable and urgent task – as important to our well-being as exercise or nutrition.”
