Creative block... What is it?
How does it affect your brand or even just your ability to freely create?
Creative block can be described a mental, emotional or personnal barriers to inspiration, it can feel like the inability to access your creativity.
It can even cause anxiety and feelings or low-self worth.
If you’re experiencing creative block as a business owner it could leave you feeling stuck, underpaid and creativity strained.
I believe that creativity is like a muscle the more you use it the stronger it gets.
The quickest way to reframe the belief that you are experiencing creative block is to let go of the outcome of your project or art piece because when you can do that you allow flow to come back in.
Expectations play a huge part in our ability to succeed in our creative endeavours & depending on whether they are too high or too low they can be inhibiting our chances of achieving a positive outcome for all with our creative work.
Here’s 3 ways to beat creative block:
1. MAKE TIME TO PLAY
Everytime you launch something new in your brand or even just your weekly content creation, start by asking yourself how can I bring more play, fun & excitement into creating?
When you ask this question it becomes more about the joy of creativity rather than the outcome or the desire that launch or content brings.
This is something that I have been practicing myself this year and the more I do it the funner content creation becomes.
Affirm: I am creating for the joy of creating.
2. DO MARKET RESEARCH
Now, this may seem counterintuitive as when you are creative you just want to follow your passions and create, create, create, but imagine how much more powerful your offerings could be if you stopped to ask whether your audience actually like, need and want it?
By doing this you not only get confirmation on your offering before you start bringing it to life, but it allows you to make it even better from the start. You also get the language your audience uses to describe your product or service and can use that in your brand messaging.
It beats creative block because it stops being about you and becomes about who you serve.
3. TAKE MESSY IMPERFECT ACTION
Hands up if you suffer from perfectionism? Which leads to a lack of taking action? According to google the BIGGEST cause of creative block is fear of imperfection.
And I’ve experienced it first hand. Perfectionism is the No #1 thing that slows you down when building your brand. It’s really just the mother of procrastination.
The famous and controversial artist Andy Warhol even said “Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decided if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding make even more art.“
And he is right! The quicker you put your ideas out into the world the quicker you can get the feedback you need to make it better. There is NO such thing as perfect. Just the chance to keep making it better.
So, with that in mind.
When the fears of imperfection creep back in, disguised as creative blocks.
What will you do to stop it in its tracks?
I’d love to know! Reach out on Instagram and tell me how 😇
