Career & Business Coaching Blog.
Inspiration and tips for multi-passionate creatives & entrepreneurs.
Why You Might Have More Than One Why (And That's Okay)
Okay, you want to change the world, but you also want to travel in style. Or you want to save the planet, but at the same time, you do love fashion, and you feel best when you look your best - in Chanel and Lagerfeld! Or perhaps you want to paint all day and brighten the world with your art, but you also love finance and AI, and you're dying to enter a program at MIT that you know will mark the future for DeFi.
As someone with multiple passions and interests, I can tell you that the struggle is real. Although after thousands of hours coaching multi-passionate creatives (creative generalists), I know that all our interests and passions are a whole on a certain level, it's often difficult to figure out what that looks like. The same is true for our "whys."
Many creative generalists feel torn between multiple reasons why they do what they do, as well as different dreams or even lives they'd love to live. Those whys and goals might even contradict themselves.
You're a multi-passionate creative, a creative entrepreneur, a creative generalist. In short, a complex, multi-faceted and nuanced human being. You're allowed to be driven by more than one thing. In this article, we'll explore why you might have more than one "why" and how that's okay.
The power of your "whys"
Your whys are a powerful force in your life. They drive your decisions and your actions. If you have more than one, even though you might not think it right now, I consider you very lucky! Some people desperately look for their "why" their entire life, without ever feeling the inspiration you enjoy every day. It might be what makes you so creative and unique. You're not just an artist, scientist, or businessman - you're all of those things at once.
Simon Sinek says that you should find your why before anything else. As a thought leader, he has popularized the idea that everyone needs to have a single "Why" as their driving force in life. But what happens when your "why" changes over time or you have more than one?
In his TEDTalk, "How Great Leaders Inspire Action," Simon Sinek shares how your why is your driving force in life and should be your priority before anything else. He talks about the golden circle of communication for companies and leaders and how their why can inspire cooperation, trust, and change.
It's true; a powerful why can move us. If it's powerful enough, it can even move mountains - or at least start a revolution. So that's not the issue. The problem begins when you have more than one why, but the world keeps on telling you to pick just one. When that happens, you're stuck in multi-passionate choice overload. And as you might be familiar with, this is not a happy place to be.
The many "whys" of multi-passionate creatives
If you're a creative generalist, you probably have many different types of whys in your life. You might have some creative passions like writing or photography and some other, more mainstream "whys" that keep you motivated.
As a multi-passionate creative or entrepreneur, your "whys" can contradict themselves. One day you might be driven by your passion for saving the world, and the next, you might be more interested in making a lot of money. That doesn't mean that one is more important than the other; it's just that your priorities might change from day to day or week to week.
Creative generalists often have multiple whys because they're interested in many different things. They're naturally curious, and they like to explore new things. They're also very adaptable and can easily switch between various interests. This type of creativity is often called divergent thinking, and it's the type of creativity needed for innovation.
As a multi-passionate, you might also have what's called a portfolio career. A portfolio career is a career where you have multiple jobs or roles related to your skills and passions. This type of career is becoming more and more popular, as people are looking for ways to escape the rat race and find more meaning in their work.
So if you're feeling overwhelmed by all your different passions, don't worry. You're not alone. And you're not crazy. You're a creative entrepreneur, and that's a good thing. Embrace your many whys and use them to drive you towards your goals.
How to find balance when you have more than one (contradicting) why?
Even though creativity is a "why" that feels like an escape or release for many people, there are other times when it can feel like your duty and obligation. This is because of another why that you have: your sense of responsibility. You might feel a strong need to take care of those around you, including your team, clients or customers, and family members.
This contradiction can make it hard for creative generalists to find the balance between their two (or more) whys. But it's possible to bridge the dichotomy in two ways:
The first way is by mixing your whys and your obligations so that one does not outweigh the other. This might include delegating your creative tasks to someone else or outsourcing them when you have too many deadlines on your plate.
The second way is creating a pattern or rhythm that reflects your sense of balance between your creative spark and your responsibility. This might be something like scheduling your creative tasks for a portion of the day so that you can focus on your work-related duties during another time slot.
No matter how you find balance, it's important to remember that it will always be a work in progress. Don't be hard on yourself if you feel like you're not living up to your high standards. Just keep working at it, and eventually, you'll find a groove that works for you.
You're a unique creative being; you're allowed to have more than one why! It's your life - and your only one. So take the time to go deep on what matters to you, identify your creative passions as well as your other "whys," and combine them in a way that makes sense to you.
Do you want to make a career out of your passions?
I know what it feels like to have multiple interests – but not knowing how to make them work together. Sometimes, it can feel impossible, but that doesn't mean it has to stay that way forever! If you're tired of feeling like there's no way to turn your passions into a career, then this might be the moment everything changes for you.
Let's explore your unique nature and create a plan together so we can figure out how best to turn your many interests into an extraordinary career and life!
How to Tell if You're a Multi-Passionate Entrepreneur. And Why it Matters.
Do you enjoy multitasking and can't stand to be bored? Do you have an insatiable hunger for knowledge? Do you see challenges or solutions where everyone else sees problems? Does it feel like you always have a million business ideas or things you're passionate about? If so, you might be a multi-passionate creative entrepreneur. Being multi-passionate is not always easy; after all, we still live in a world of specialists. To make the most of your unusual but incredible gifts requires patience, tolerance, curiosity, discipline, and creativity.
In this article, I'll help explain who multi-passionate creative entrepreneurs are, how they can make the best of their gifts and talents, and the benefits of their unique traits for multi-passionate entrepreneurship.
How to know if you are multi-passionate?
Multi-passionate creatives are individuals who have multiple passions and talents. It may not sound that extraordinary, but in a world that focuses on specialists and wants people to choose one thing and stick to it, being someone with a wide range of interests can be tricky, even painful. Especially if you don't know whether this fits into what society calls "normal."
Multi-passionate creatives are usually talented and interested in many things, not just one-off activities like marketing, writing, and dancing. They often are curious and want to know how things work and why. Exploring different areas of interest is probably what defines them the most. They love to expose themselves to new ideas, cultures, music, and so on. Thinking outside the box comes naturally to them.
In other words, a multi-passionate creative is someone who learns fast, is interested, connects dots, and thus can produce high-quality work in multiple fields of choice. If you're reading this article, my guess is you might be part of the family!
Why does it matter?
Multi-passionate creatives have a distinct advantage while pursuing their dream career paths: If you're an entrepreneur, you know that your business is only as good as the people who work for it. And if you're looking to hire someone or to turn an employee into an entrepreneur, multi-passionate creatives are the cream of the crop.
The ability to see the obvious answer is why multi-passionate creatives are in such high demand in today's competitive job market. Multi-passionate creatives like us can do their job well because we have a lot of different experiences to draw on. We're flexible and can deal with changes well. And we excel at problem-solving or coming up with creative solutions to challenges. Because we think differently from others, we can come up with fresh ways to look at issues or problems that others may overlook because it seems like the obvious solution.
Paradoxically, all these abilities and qualities that make us invaluable to employers also challenge finding or even creating our dream career. Multi-passionate people don't easily fit into the classic 9 to 5 work equation because we tend to be interested in more than one (many!) thing. Because of this, many of us might have opted out of a standard job or career path to pursue our dreams, but it takes practice and time before we learn how to manage all our projects well enough so that none of them suffer neglect.
The benefits of being a multi-passionate entrepreneur
We have multiple passions. Multi-passionate creatives have a hunger for knowledge and creativity. We're always exploring new interests and talents, which keeps us from getting bored. And this is important because boredom is our kryptonite!
We're multi-talented. We usually have a particular knack for a wide range of interests and crafts. This makes us incredibly resourceful! A multi-passionate creative is often a master in their craft, but that's not all.
We're curious. Multi-passionate creatives can access different knowledge and experiences that others don't have. This makes us a valuable asset to any team.
We're intuitive. And pick up quickly on different things. People with multiple passions can easily spot connections and patterns, enabling us to solve problems faster. Multi-passionate creatives can understand many subjects rapidly, as our broad range of interests allows us to learn from others and life.
We're flexible. Multi-passionate creatives are known for their ability to work in many different environments and with various people comfortably. We thrive when we have the opportunity to express ourselves creatively. This makes multi-passionate entrepreneurs an excellent fit for self-employment and consulting, as we don't rely on one particular kind of environment or people.
We're open-minded. Multi-passionate creatives usually have an interest in other cultures and backgrounds. We learn from other people's experiences and viewpoints, making it easy to connect with others. And that makes us great team members and networkers.
We love learning. Multi-passionate creatives love to learn from each other and life in general! As mentioned above, we often understand new subject matter quickly, which is a huge asset in today's fast-moving world. That's why most multi-passionate creatives have a natural ability to understand and integrate a lot of information from many different fields.
If you feel like you identify with some of the traits of a multi-passionate creative entrepreneur, then it's important to embrace those qualities! Own your multi-faceted personality and use it to your advantage. Be patient when it comes to exploring new passions and be willing to put in the hard work to make your dreams a reality.
Embrace your multi-passionate creative side and go out and change the world!
Do you have multiple passions?
We are all born with multiple passions, but many of us lose touch with them as we grow up. We start to think that it’s not possible to have more than one passion at a time. But the truth is, if you want to be successful in business and life, you need to embrace your multi-passions. It will help you become happier and more fulfilled in every aspect of your life.
But what if you're not sure what your passions are? Or if you're afraid of pursuing them because you don't want to fail? That's where private coaching can help. I can help you figure out what your passions are and how to use them to create a successful business.
Why You Keep Putting Your Dreams Last: Trauma Responses That Hold You Back
Do you feel like people-pleasing and perfectionism run the show sometimes? If so, you're not alone. These two behaviors can be hard to live with and limit us from achieving our potential and living our personal and professional dreams. In this article, I argue that perfectionism and people-pleasing can keep us stuck. They both can be responses to trauma, and as such, they're present in many people's lives - including that of multi-passionate creatives and entrepreneurs.
We'll go into depth on people-pleasing as a trauma response, the source of people-pleasing, and how to heal from it. We'll also discuss perfectionism and how it can keep people stuck in patterns of self-sabotage and far away from achieving their goals.
What is people-pleasing exactly, and why does it affect multi-passionate creatives and entrepreneurs?
People-pleasers are people who have learned to prioritize other people's needs before their own. This behavior is an unhealthy coping strategy that depletes you and leaves your needs unmet. I know because I've been there.
People-pleasing can be a response to trauma, or it might happen because of toxic caregivers, which is pretty much the same thing. Exposure to toxic people for an extended period can be as traumatizing as childhood abuse or even a short-lived catastrophic event.
In people-pleasing, when you're unaware of the mechanics, even when you think you're doing what is best for you, others are in control. Your behavior is an, often unconscious, response to their demands and expectations of you. This makes it difficult for everyone because people-pleasers often do things that hurt themselves to please someone and, in that process, create an unhealthy balance in the relationship.
For multi-passionate creatives and creative entrepreneurs, people-pleasing can be a learned strategy to conform. Even if you experienced a loving and warm childhood, you could still carry the stress and anxiety from trying to fit into the educational system, having to pick a major in college, or wanting to make your parents happy by choosing a 9-to-5 job you know will make you miserable.
The way you might have dealt with these painful demands is by developing people-pleasing or perfectionistic tendencies, or both. The problem with these strategies is that they're no longer helpful. When we're reliant on our caregivers for security and love, conforming is often the best (if not only) strategy. But you're an adult now, and you can take care of yourself. The strategy that helped you at some point is now working against you.
Long-term, people-pleasing is not a sustainable strategy.
First, people-pleasers never feel free to be themselves; they end up constantly censoring their thoughts and actions to avoid rejection.
Second, people-pleasing erodes self-confidence because people-pleasers constantly live under what they perceive to be others' judgment. If you care about what people say or think about you, then it's likely that people-pleasing has been operating your life for a long time already.
Third, people-pleasers have an increased risk of developing depression and anxiety disorders along with other mental health issues because being cut off from your feelings and needs is not a healthy state of mind. If you can't connect with who you are as a person, how are you to be happy?
Following these points, it's clear that as long as we keep on people-pleasing, we'll never get what we truly want. That's why it's so detrimental to our dreams and keeps us from being truly happy (alongside the many other toxic effects it can have on us and our wellbeing, something I won't go into here, but that is important to be aware of).
Let's take a look at how perfectionism fits into this before we move on to three things you can do to stop the cycle and start putting your dreams first.
Perfectionism often comes across as people-pleasing on steroids.
Like people-pleasers, perfectionists are people who think they should meet others' needs before their own. But it's not really about other people; it's about the fear of failing, not being good enough, or being found out for who you truly are. A perfectionist is maybe willing to tolerate disappointment from others but never from themselves. They're afraid that people won't like or love them if they don't put enough effort into everything they do or if they aren't perfect all the time.
The problem with perfectionism is that there is no such thing as an objectively determined "perfect" person, career, house, outfit - you name it. Perfection is a moving target that people adapt to in order to feel safe. The sad thing is that, while you're trying so hard to do everything right and never make a mistake, you're too afraid to take a step towards your dreams.
I've seen many clients claim they were going after what they wanted, only to find out later it was only a "safe" or watered-down version of what they truly dreamed about. If you don't believe you're good enough for something, you'll never go after it - not really.
In the end, people-pleasing and perfectionism are two sides of the same coin: both responses to trauma or learned behavior and both keeping people feeling unhappy and unfulfilled long-term.
So what do we do about this?
One important thing you need to understand is that people-pleasing and perfectionism often (but not always) come from a place of fear. That means that these behaviors protect us from more pain - at least they did when we were children; they're reactions we developed to survive. But now you're a grown-up who can take care of yourself.
I don't know about you, but I've personally experienced people-pleasing and perfectionism as a way to avoid being rejected, not being good enough, or being found out for who I am - all fear-driven reactions that originate from a place of vulnerability and insecurity. In my case, from a hard and painful childhood in which there was no room for me to express my needs or have them met. So I tried my best to adapt and understand what I was "doing wrong." To let go of these detrimental behaviors, it's important to realize you're good enough as you are that you deserve your dreams.
To stop people-pleasing and perfectionism, people need to understand how much they're hurting themselves by putting other people's needs ahead of theirs while at the same time sacrificing what they genuinely want in life (even if this self-sacrifice is at an unconscious level). People also need to learn healthy ways to regulate emotions so that people-pleasing and perfectionism are replaced by behaviors that help them take care of themselves and others.
How to change?
Awareness, as often, is the first step.
While people-pleasing might seem like the more accessible behavior to change, people who adopt people-pleasing as their way to relate to people are often very well aware that something is off but find it difficult to change their behavioral patterns. Especially in women, culture will reward the caring and the gentle ways people-pleasers operate. This makes it hard to change.
On the other hand, people who are perfectionists are sometimes less conscious about what they're doing because this behavior has become second nature over the years and is often also praised.
Whatever your situation, if you think this applies to you, I want to invite you to reflect on when you might be putting others first and your dreams (and yourself) last. Or when you might be expecting too much of yourself and being stuck out of fear.
Whatever your case, remember that you're good enough just as you, that perfection doesn't exist and that it's ok to choose yourself.
Are people-pleasing or perfectionism keeping you stuck?
My coaching packages are designed to help you achieve your goals. We'll work together to create a plan that fits your needs, and then I'll support you every step of the way as you implement it. You can expect me to be honest with my feedback and compassionate and understanding when things get tough.
I don't offer just another business coaching service - this is an opportunity for growth and change in your life. If that sounds like something worth investing in, schedule your free session below!
10 Rules You Need to Break in Business to be Successful
"Rules are made to be broken." It's a famous quote from the movie Scarface, and after being an entrepreneur for more than two decades, I've come to believe it couldn't be more accurate. Imagine for one second if Steve Jobs never had any rules about what he should or shouldn't do, Apple would have never been born. The same could be said for Bill Gates with Microsoft, Richard Branson with Virgin Airlines, and even Walt Disney when he started his empire. These are not just business success stories; they're inspirational tales of how these people found their way in life by doing things differently than everyone else.
So you want to start your own business? That's great! You're about to embark on a life-changing journey that will undoubtedly shape the way you think, see and experience everything. But before you get started, there are some rules (or should I say "beliefs") that you need to break to succeed.
Just because something's been done one way for years or even decades doesn't mean you have to do it the same way. The next time someone says "you can't," challenge them and think of a better idea than what they just proposed. They'll be so surprised at your creativity that they might change their mind and let you do it anyway.
Breaking rules is all about doing things differently.
In business, you will face obstacles and challenges designed to stop you from succeeding. It's a rule of thumb in life: the bigger your dreams get, the more people who want to see you fail. So don't give up on yourself just because something didn't work out right this time. If you can't break one rule, then break two instead (but not all of them - just the ones that are getting in your way).
After more than 20 years in business, here are 10 rules I've had to learn to break to up-level, breakthrough, and achieve lasting success:
Rule 1: Follow the rules.
No, there is no rule book; that's the thing! It's all up to you. You can do whatever you want in your business (it's yours) and still be wildly successful. It's great to have a few rules to get you started, but once you get the hang of them, use your creativity to play with them, bend or even break them.Rule 2: Choose a strategy and stick with it.
No, strategies are great, but choosing the wrong one can lead straight to bankruptcy and failure in business. You're always one choice away from an entirely new business. Remember that, especially when things get tough. It's not because you decided on a strategy that you have to stick with. Examining, assessing, and pivoting to a better approach is an essential quality to be successful in business.Rule 3: The customer is always right.
No, this couldn't be further from the truth. The customer is usually wrong. It's your job to figure out what they need, not what they want, which are two very different things. Also, the time is gone that customers could treat you like sh*t just because they spent some money on your business. Money doesn't buy your customer a wildcard to be an asshole; it only buys them your products or services.Rule 4: Hire for knowledge.
No, this is not a great rule because people can always learn new things, but you can't change someone's (shitty) character or mindset. Don't hire for knowledge; hire for attitude, value system, and how someone stands in the world. Hiring for attitude will benefit you, your company, and your team in the long run.Rule 5: Protect your ideas.
No, if you never speak about your ideas to anyone, you'll never know if they'll work or get support to work them out. I believe the more you talk about your ideas, the more they're shaped and the easier it becomes to turn them into a business or project. Also, do you realize how hard it is to turn an idea into a business? This quote says that "5% is inspiration and 95% is perspiration". Remember this next time you're questioning whether or not to share what you've been thinking about starting. Of course, if you need to, have them sign an NDA first. But do share.Rule 6: You need a business degree.
No, as a multi-passionate creative, you have everything you need inside of yourself already, so let's get started! An MBA or business degree might kill your creativity and make you less innovative. There are so many great books, courses, and even YouTube mentors around these days. Everything you need to know to become a successful entrepreneur is just a mouse click away. Don't spend your precious money (that you could invest in your idea) and years of your life stuck in a classroom before starting. You go out there and do it.Rule 7: Always ask yourself: "What would a successful business person do?"
Again, no, clearly, this is a rule that needs breaking. Don't ask yourself what someone else with an entirely different business would do. Instead, always ask yourself: "What would a rebel do?" What would someone do that breaks the rules and does business their way? That is the right question to ask - and act upon. Also, I wrote a book for multi-passionate creatives where I talk more about how to be a rebel. You can preorder the Dutch copy here.Rule 8: Don't follow your heart; follow the plan.
This is a tricky one. There may be many reasons not to follow your heart or speak up about what you're doing, but you should still do it. Your heart knows what is good for you. At the same time, I'm sorry to break it to you; you need a plan. Without one, you're navigating blind on your entrepreneurial journey. Never a good idea.Rule 9: There's a right way to do business and a wrong way.
No, there's no right and wrong way of doing things anymore. Of course, there are good decisions and bad ones, like good ideas and not-so-great ones. But there isn't "the only way" of doing things. As you've seen from the rules we broke above, you can (and should) do business in your way and be the rebel.Rule 10: There are no rules in business.
After everything I shared with you above, I want to debunk this rule. Indeed, there aren't that many rules in business, but you shouldn't take that as a wild pass to do whatever it takes to win. Yes, you'll never be able to achieve greatness if you're not willing to break some rules, but never forget that you're in business to serve people, have a great life and hopefully make the world around you a little bit better too.
Breaking rules is a habit for success, so allow yourself to be creative and free-thinking with every step you take. Just because it's been done before doesn't mean you have to do it the same way, so break those rules and be a rebel! Follow your path, and don't let anyone tell you what to do.
Are you looking for a business coach?
My signature 3-month private coaching series is designed to get results, and I have the track record to prove it. When you work with me, I will provide personalized support and guidance that helps you take your business where it needs to go! I'm here to help you achieve your goals.
I know how hard running a business can be, but my clients love working with me because they see their businesses grow in ways they never thought possible. So if this sounds like something that could benefit you, let's talk today! It only takes one conversation before we start getting results together.
How to Make Your Biggest, Most Unrealistic Dreams Come True
It's easy to think about all the little things you want to have or accomplish in life, but it's much harder to dream big and think about all the things you could achieve if you genuinely felt like you had no limits. To make matters even more challenging, once you've got the hang of dreaming bigger, it can still be hard to figure out how to make those dreams happen.
Our dreams are what make life worth living. They can be as big or small as you want them to be, but the bigger you allow yourself to dream, the more those dreams will carry you forward on your journey. If we dream big enough and act upon those dreams consistently, those dreams do come true! I know, believe me because I see it happen every day in my coaching practice.
In this article, we'll talk about how you can dream bigger and make your biggest, most unrealistic dreams come true! Because you know what? You can!
How to Stop Being Afraid to Dream Big
The first step to dream bigger is learning not to be afraid of your dreams. What's the worst that can happen? You fail; you learn something new and try again! There are no limits on what you're capable of if you dream big enough!
The first step to overcoming the fear of what's possible for you in your life is to admit you have the dream. You have to stop brushing it off as something "you could never do" or that "will never happen. Whenever a client dismisses their dream like that, my question to them is this: "What proof do you have that this could never happen or that you could never do it if you don't try?"
We tend to make other people or the world responsible for not achieving our dreams, but in most cases, those big dreams don't even get a chance to get out of the starting blocks because we throw them out before we reach the running track.
So take a moment now to think about some big, beautiful, seemingly unrealistic dream or goal you have for yourself. Got it? Good! Now let's talk about how to make that dream a reality.
How to Make Your Biggest, Most Unrealistic Dreams Come True
Once you're ready to accept your big dreams for what they are and are no longer pushing them away, the next step is to figure out how to make them happen.
Here's an easy 5-step plan to follow to get you started:
Make a list of your biggest dreams.
Don't censor yourself, instead of push yourself to dream even bigger. Imagine you'd like to leave your 9-to-5 job and start your own business. How big would you like that business to be? How free would you like to be with it? What would it look like if this business could be exactly as you want it? Those are the dreams we're looking for. There will be plenty of time to be realistic later.Pick a dream and give it 30 days of undivided attention.
If you only have one dream, you're good for this step. If you have more, and they're all screaming for your attention, pick one - for now - and devote 30 days to it. I know this can be scary for creatives and entrepreneurs, especially those with many ideas lying around, but we're not saying drop everything forever. Just pick one idea (the one that speaks to you the most right now) and give it four weeks of your time. After that, you're free to drop it, pick another or keep going.Start with the end in mind and create a plan.
What small step can you take every day for the next 30 days to bring you closer to this dream? I'm not saying reach it, but get closer to it because a big part of achieving unrealistic dreams is to be very realistic about the time you have and the effort needed to achieve them. You can only sustainably achieve big dreams because, yes, it's a marathon and not a sprint.For the next 30 days, spend at least 10 minutes working on your dream.
One small step each day for 30 days is all it takes to make unrealistic dreams feel more attainable. Please don't take my word for it (who am I, I've only been doing this work for almost eight years with 100s of clients :) ); try it for yourself. You'll see.Keep moving forward, and don't stop dreaming bigger.
Even if it takes some time for your dreams to become a reality, keep dreaming big and never give up – every time you take a step, every time you believe you can do it, you'll get closer to achieving your dreams!
If you want to make your biggest and most unrealistic dreams come true, start by believing in them. Get the ball rolling on achieving them by taking small steps towards making your dream a reality, and don't give up when things get tough. Conditions are constantly changing, so be flexible with yourself as well! It's not that hard to turn any fantasy into reality if you're willing to put in the work. What is one of your biggest or most seemingly impossible goals? Do you believe it can happen? Why or why not? Let me know!
You have big dreams but you don't know how to make them a reality?
I'm here to guide you through the process of achieving your goals and living a life that's fulfilling, exciting, and successful. When it comes down to it, my clients tell me they want a life that is truly meaningful and rewarding - both personally and professionally - because ultimately this is what helps us feel fulfilled as human beings (and isn't this why we're all here?).
And when we feel fulfilled, everything else falls into place much easier. So let's do this together! Let's start working towards creating the kind of life where fulfillment comes naturally instead of being forced upon us by circumstance alone...
7 Common Stumbling Blocks for Creative Entrepreneurs That Might Keep You Stuck
It's no secret that creative entrepreneurs can be their own worst enemy. As someone who identifies as one, I know how hard it can be to make progress on what you're working on when you're getting in your way. In this article, we'll explore seven common stumbling blocks for multi-passionate creative entrepreneurs and discuss what keeps you stuck or unable to move forward on your projects, careers, or businesses.
You're not flaky, you lack focus
How to focus on different things simultaneously and make progress on all of them without losing our mind? That's the question we need to answer to be happy multi-passionate entrepreneurs or creative generalists.
In Western society particularly, our worth is tied to our productivity. If we're not getting things done and getting them done quickly before the deadline is up, then we feel like a failure. A hurdle to this feeling of worthlessness comes from our mental blocks, often tied to limiting beliefs, negative thinking, or stress.
Creative entrepreneurs often struggle with productivity because they're not sure where their focus should be at any given time - or how to juggle with all the things on their plate at the same time.
The key is not in getting more focused but getting less unfocused, moving between different tasks without getting stuck or feeling like we're getting nothing done.
7 common stumbling blocks that might keep you stuck
#1 Not knowing what to get started with.
Aka having to make a choice. If I might change my mind later, why am I even starting? This is classic multi-passionate creative thinking, especially when you've experienced a change of heart before.
It would help if you remembered that choices are rarely forever, and you can always change your mind. Also, you don't know where a choice can lead, which is exciting! So instead of overthinking every choice and doing nothing, choose something! You can always change your mind later!
#2 Specialist schedules.
Even when you allow yourself to focus on multiple projects simultaneously, you can still fall into the trap of specialist schedules: a rigidity to concentrate on one particular project and nothing else. If you're anything like me, this will feel like you're still trapped.
As creative generalists, we need to know that we're allowed to let our minds wander and play with whatever interest comes up, even if only for a while. Of course, make sure you keep progress in mind and don't go down too many rabbit holes at once or for too long. But do allow yourself some time for flexibility to be curious and to explore.
#3 Poor time management.
It's an energetic thing; it's a boundaries thing; it's even a freedom thing. Time management, in essence, is self-management.
To improve how you use your time, you want to know how you work best first. To do this, you can keep track of what you're spending your time on for a week, and I have a handy PDF you can download to help you do that here. Once you have a better grasp of what works for you, apply that to your schedule.
#4 Internalized beliefs.
What you believe to be true could be keeping you stuck. We all have limiting beliefs about ourselves that hold us back from making progress or reaching our full potential. You might recognize them as things like not being good enough, always getting lucky with every project you work on, no one will ever take me seriously.
What's important is to become aware of your self-limiting thoughts and replace them with positive truths about yourself. For example, you might believe you're not good at writing because your brother always got better grades than you or that getting any job is hard if our school results weren't so great. But the truth could be that getting a job is hard for everyone, and you need to work on getting yourself out there.
#5 Fears and worries.
Besides limiting beliefs, our fears and worries are probably the biggest reason we stay stuck. Fears are the things that hold us back from getting started, getting out there, or showing ourselves and our work. We're afraid of failing, not getting it right, and being judged for it.
What's important to remember is that fears never go away - but they can be faced! You have to take little steps forward towards what you want to achieve, getting a little bit out there each time. Just by doing so, you will get more confident and fearless in the process!
#6 Lack of self-confidence and impostor syndrome.
Low self-confidence or feeling like someone is eventually going to find out about you will always keep you stuck. This is especially true if you're a creative generalist. You want to be the best at everything, and that's not possible!
The best thing to do to get rid of those feelings is to get clear on your strengths, how they can help you achieve what you want, and, most importantly, learn to trust yourself 100%. Because knowing that you always have your back is the most powerful feeling in the world!
#7 Not knowing when to quit.
On the other end of the spectrum, not knowing when to quit can be as problematic as not knowing when to start. For multi-passionate creatives especially quitting can be challenging.
Of course, there is no such thing as a perfect time to quit. But getting clear on what you want and especially what makes you happy can help you know when it's time for you to move on. Also, remember that your definition of "done" is different than that of other people. Once you've learned everything there is to know about a subject, job, or even business, chances are you'll be ready to move on.
I've been a creative entrepreneur for the past 20+ years and a coach for them for almost 8. In that time, I've seen many other creatives get stuck. I hope the common stumbling blocks and tips to overcome them that I shared with you today will help you move forward.
Before I go, I'd love to leave you with a question to ponder: what's one thing you could do this week to challenge yourself creatively?
Are you stuck in your career or life?
I can help with private coaching for creatives and entrepreneurs. You don't have to have all the answers, but you need to be ready to take the next step and get unstuck. If that's you, let's talk about how we can work together.
You deserve more than just another day at work or another night on Netflix. You deserve more than just going through the motions every single day without ever really feeling alive. It's time for something different – it's time for a change! If this sounds like something that resonates with you, then let's schedule a free 30-minute coaching session today! We'll talk about where you are right now, where you want to go next, and how coaching could help make those dreams come true.
Too Many Ideas? Here are 5 Tips to Stop Feeling Stuck, Lost or Under Pressure When you Don't Know Where to Start
As a (multi-passionate) creative, I know the struggle is real. We have too many ideas, and they all seem so good - all of the time! Feeling stuck or lost because of my lack of time or not knowing where to start used to be a familiar feeling for me. Feeling like I didn't have the legitimacy to do what I wanted to do also haunted me for years, and it still comes up from time to time.
If you're feeling overwhelmed with everything, pressured by the burden of having to do something meaningful that pays the bills, feel like you never have enough time to get started, or don't know what to do, this article is for you. Together let's discover how to stop feeling stuck, lost, or under pressure when you're a multi-passionate creative.
Thinking that we'll never have the time or never be able to do everything can make us restless: we want it all right now! It's not that we're greedy; we don't want to miss any opportunity, and we want to do all of the things! The problem is, we have so many ideas that even if we work relentlessly, we still don't know how to get around and do everything.
But the good news is, there's a way to get unstuck from under that pile of ideas AND take steps towards your dreams.
How to stop feeling stuck when you have too many ideas and don't know where to start. Here are 5 tips to help you get started.
#1 Make a list - braindump and categorize
Make a list of everything that is running the show in your head. Write it down as a brain dump or mind map. Don't worry about how good something sounds or if someone else might do the same thing: write everything down without editing yourself. You can also challenge yourself by writing your ideas out on paper instead of typing, but remember to get rid of distractions such as phone notifications or chatty colleagues or family members when doing this!
When you've got your list or overview, categorize (this is the magic step, so don't skip it!). See which ideas could work together, are related, or build on each other. Very often, a lot of our interests will be connected, even if just loosely. By grouping them, you'll feel less overwhelmed by everything that is asking for your attention, and you'll start to see what you could get started with.
#2 Make time - so you can take action
When you have categorized, start with what you think is most important RIGHT NOW, reminding yourself that you're choosing for now and not forever! All your other ideas will get their turn; you can't do everything all at once.
Take action by starting small; don't think about the result and go for it. Starting small can help you to get out of your comfort zone without feeling too overwhelmed by things that might feel stressful or difficult at first.
#3 Avoid perfectionism - it's nothing but a dream killer
Many of us are scared to start working on something we think might not be perfect, and that makes sense because nobody wants their work to look unprofessional or silly.
Avoid feeling overwhelmed by thinking about how difficult or stressful everything might seem at first, and go for it! Timeboxing your work will help by making you focus on doing something for a certain amount of time, giving you less time to overthink or worry about everything that could go wrong.
If you're struggling to get started because you're afraid your work won't be good enough, perfectionism might not be the only thing at play. It may be that you lack confidence or fear failure: both things we've all experienced at some point in our lives. Instead of focusing on the fear of failure, focus on what you have to gain by taking action and creating something real instead of just thinking about it!
#4 Follow a creativity schedule - not a specialist one
Multi-passionate creatives are rebellious by nature. The problem with most schedules and calendars is that they're made for specialists who don't need a sense of freedom as creative generalists do.
As creative generalists, we have many interests and talents. Still, the flow we need when performing a particular activity cannot just be turned on or off (although that would be incredibly cool!). Often unconsciously, we choose tasks based on the available physical, but especially mental energy of the moment. I, for example, write my articles in the morning because I know I won't get a decent word on paper in the afternoon. If I try to write in the afternoon on a tight schedule, this always leads to frustration and reduced productivity.
The solution is simple: put flexible blocks on your schedule, but only fill them when you're ready to get started. So you can decide when you'll work, but do not lock yourself in with "what" it is that you'll do during those blocks. Use a running list of tasks for the coming weeks, for example, and organize them by priority. Then, when you're ready to work, pick what feels good to you in the moment. When you can freely choose what you work on every day, the feeling you get is indescribable, especially for a rebellious bird like you.
#5 Ask for help - nobody can do it alone
Nobody can do it alone. But as creative generalists, because we're so used to learning quickly and understanding practically any subject, we often think we're supposed to do it all ourselves.
But the truth is: It's not because you can do something that you should. Realizing this changed my life and that of many of my clients.
It's essential to ask for help whenever you think it might benefit your project. Even if you're struggling with something that seems like an easy task, remember this: nobody can do it alone. And nobody should!
To end, I'd love to say once more that you don't have to choose just one idea over all the others. If you find yourself overwhelmed with too many ideas, take a deep breath and go through the tips above (again). You really can build a career or business that includes many of your passions and interests. Believe me, I know, because it's what I help people, just like you do every day!
Are you a multi-passionate creative who is stuck in your career or life?
I can help. My name is Murielle Marie, and I'm a private coach for multi-passionate creatives. If you have too many ideas but don't know what to do with them, let me help you find clarity and direction so that you can live the life of your dreams.
Let me show you how we can work together by scheduling a free 30-minute coaching session call today! Click below right now to get started.