Being Creative and Different is a True Gift to the World!
Call it what you like, rule breaker, trouble maker, disruptive, rebel, teenager, maverick, head strong, or entrepreneur, you see the world differently than the average Jane or Joe.
Most of the creative people I know (including myself) feel as though they are slightly (or totally) outside the norm. We don’t really fit in with the 9 to 5 crowd, or, at least, feel misunderstood. And that is not surprising, given that we think a little differently, or see the world through eyes that see colors, or we are busy spatially reorganizing it. We hear a problem and 10 solutions start spinning in our minds some of which are actually pretty good ideas. To top it all off, we tend to feel energy and lean toward empathic.
So how do you take all of that and make it worth something people will pay you for? Make Your Art!
How to get started — the short list:
#1 Take Your Art Seriously
Too many creatives think they are just a little weird… and that is true we are. However, to make your way of pushing the edge of the envelope pay off you are the first one who has to recognize it as a contribution in the world. If you do not take yourself seriously, no one else will either! Guaranteed!
This is especially important because for most of our young lives people have been pointing to the very way you are unique and asking you to tone it down or be more normal! Of course, you do need to get along and communicate well with others in this world… but that does not mean you have to give up your art!
‘Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.’ Albert Einstein —
#2: Distinguish what is unique about you!
If you want to make money doing what you love, the first thing you will have to do is figure out what is unique about your way of thinking. What is different about how you view the world? If you always have an idea that would make things easier for everyone, that is a place to start. Here are some other questions to get you started.
Q. Do you always see things a little differently? How is it different? Write it down!
Q. If you ran the place where you work, what would you do differently? Write it down!
Q. If you could create a world (town, state) how would people live there? How would they make a living? Write it down!
Q. If you could redesign the economics of our society (how money flows) what would you do? Write it down!
Q. If you could redesign our educational system, what would all kids learn that is currently missing (or being done badly)? Write it down!
Now that you have answered these questions, look for the common themes throughout your answers.
Do you come up with collaborative solutions (where everyone works together)? Do you redesign the systems? Maybe there is a tool that would make things work better, something no one else realizes! Maybe you see the best of two unrelated systems and think to blend them to create something new. Or you think of a way to apply an existing system to an area that it was not created for…you see connections that others don’t see.
This is your unique way of viewing the world. It may take years to fully distinguish your view… it is an inquiry. There is no right answer! If you are inspired by it and you know it will make a difference, then you are on to something!
#3. Start a business
You cannot make your rebellious nature pay off if you don’t have something to offer people. So take the theme you distinguished and look for an area of the world that inspires you. If you love education, then design something in that area. If you love art, than art! If you love working on teams, then figure out a way to help folks work on teams (which is challenging for many people).
Creative businesses tend to be in the design area or education based. For example, a systems designer, a city planner, a Montessori teacher; landscape design. You may need to get further education in an area you are passionate about but now that you take yourself seriously, you can go for it.
The biggest missing in our society and world right now are creative solutions to world problems. As Einstein said so beautifully, ‘We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them’. We need your thinking in the world! Get busy!