By Yetunde Onafuye
Contrary to pop culture, being involved in one creative position or career is not all magical. It requires a significant dose of consistency, dedication, and zeal. As people who majorly engage in brain and mind work, it’s not strange that creatives face some down-time. After all, some will tell you they’ve had their fair share of mental blocks at some period. Others will tell you of periods of uncertainty about how good or valuable their crafts are.
It’s no myth that the diverse skills of creatives (ranging from writing, designing, photography, content creation, and many more) are regarded as natural. For instance, people feel writing is innate, designing is natural or photography is a hobby that makes money. The deal here is that, just like other professions, the creative niche comes with a lot of work. One can go off course when the focus is lacking.
Creatives are constantly in need to create one thing or the other. Content creators seek to develop content to satisfy the fast-paced world system. Every photographer desires to make their work different from that of the next photographer. Graphics and web designers also put in work to make sure their products are appealing, user friendly and in constant demand. That being said, the need for efficiency is a constant factor in the creative-game.
Having established this, it’s vital to establish that creatives of all niches usually find it challenging to stay consistent. That’s normal especially when motivation is low. And even if we want to deny this, the truth is that most creatives make their money based on their output. So, the desire and motivation to keep curating content, designing user-friendly websites, creating superb visuals for the web, producing online products, and many more, is vital.
This begs the question: How do creatives stay consistent, motivated and in good mental shape for the many tasks they have to carry out? A fantastic motivation for consistency is engaging in mentally stimulating activities. These suggestions can help you, as a creative, remain interested in your craft:
Journaling
Seems basic, right? But it’s far from basic. Keeping a journal is a great way to document your ideas as they come. Although it seems like an easy thing to pen down thoughts daily, it requires consistency. Journaling is fun and helpful. You can document memorable events, pen down future goals, map out your ideas for a project or a future endeavor, and write about the little things that interest you or make your day special.
You can also highlight your favorite line in a book or article that fascinates you. Besides, a simple sketch of your mind-map for a content project can fit into your journal. Sounds like a dairy right? But this is more purposeful. Because your journal is the home of your ideas as they come, it directs you and gives you a sense of clarity.
Sharing your knowledge and giving out related tips on your craft
Another great way to stay motivated and exercise your mind is by sharing your knowledge about your skill. Can you give out content creation, writing or screenwriting tips? Are you willing to share design-related tips? Can you share one or two useful tips on editing for photographers? If yes, all these can help you stay inspired. Although some might argue that teaching or training others can take out of your time, it’s definitely worth it.
Is it the extra feedback, valuable research, and recommendation? All these are some rewarding benefits you could get from dishing out knowledge about your craft. Best believe, besides gaining rewarding feedback to keep you spurred on and getting recommendations, you can make money from sharing these useful tips. So, why not stay on top of your game today by helping a newcomer?
Consuming related content and portfolios
One fantastic mentally stimulating activity for creatives is to check out related craft and their curators. Besides it being a motivating factor, it can help you in diverse ways. For one, it helps you locate where you’re lagging. It also gives you a fresh perspective on whatever skill or craft you have. It also shows you the style of different related creators and gives room for collaborations and exchange of ideas.
If you are new to whatever creative path you have chosen, you can check out the portfolio of experienced individuals. Do you have a favorite online creator? Why not check out their blog, website, YouTube channel, social media handles, design and image portfolios. This can give you new perspectives, ideas, and inspire you to remain consistent.
Bottom line: In as much as you want to practice all these, remember to be confident in what you do. Be open to sharing your work and accepting constructive criticisms. There’s every room to pick up one or two helpful tips. Remember to take a break, relax and have fun with what you do!
