How (Not) to Be Creative
Do you ever get so distracted by what others are doing that you become paralyzed about what to create or focus on in your own business?
I do.
One phrase for that is “shiny object syndrome.” Like when you’re walking your dog and suddenly they take off after a squirrel, then a blowing leaf, then the scent of another dog.
This morning, I read a copywriter’s post about how her TikTok video went viral. The video had nothing to do with copywriting but . . . she had some brilliant takeaways for writing copy.
Do I have any desire to use TikTok for my business? That’s a hard no.
Later, I read a marketing email about how Pinterest is an overlooked way to get leads. I’m not using Pinterest for any of my clients right now but this got me thinking about how it could work for one of them.
It’s not bad to get new marketing ideas or consume content. As someone who writes copy for a living, I’m always learning, researching, and evaluating. That’s how you grow.
But.
And I’m not the first one to say this.
Comparison kills creativity.
Don’t get so deep into consuming what others are doing that it leads to you getting stuck.
There’s an easy solution to this:
One. Create before you consume. 🎨
Don’t take in anyone else’s work until you’ve moved forward with your specific goals and strategy.
Two. Review your goals and strategy. 📋
Write down where you intend to go with your business and the steps you’ll take to get there. Review it daily. If you can take five minutes to start your day with this, it’s going to help you stay focused.
Three. Remember, it’s okay to be different. 🦋
It’s okay if you’re not doing all the things that everyone else is doing. Pick the strategies that work for your business and your clients. And do them well!
Comparison doesn’t birth creativity — it kills it.
That got me thinking, what kinds of things birth, or inspire, creativity?
Creativity is part of our lives . . . AND our professions, whether we think of it that way or not. From the barista’s latte art to the non-profit’s fundraising plan and all of the marketing in between.
(☕ I’ll have a Cafe Mocha, please.)
I mentioned a couple of things that kill creativity — comparison and shiny object syndrome.
But creativity, even if it’s inspired by others, comes from a place inside of us.
If comparison kills it, what are some things that birth creativity?
Lots of authors devoted entire books to the subject of creativity. It must be important, right?
Here are two books that have very different approaches to creativity:
Doldrums and the Divine Breath by Carl Johnson
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Have you read either of these? They’ve got way more to inspire you.
But when you’re feeling blah or stuck — we all have those days — see if any of these resonate to help get you going again:
🔅 Anything music.
🔅 Taking the scenic route.
🔅 Exercising or going for a walk.
🔅 Going to a concert or a museum.
🔅 Freewriting or journaling whatever comes to mind.
🔅 Reading fiction, poetry, and prose. (pages, not wifi)
🔅 Organizing. A clean space is a palette for creativity.
🔅 Creating something just for fun — not for money or approval.
🔅 Taking a class just for fun and learning something like painting or archery.
🔅 Taking photos from a different angle than you’d normally see something.
🔅 Go for a hike in a local park. Yes, in the winter too.
🔅 Getting out of the house. If you work from home, you know what I mean.
🔅 Getting dressed. (See above.)
Now that I’ve started, I feel like this list could go on and on.
But I want to know, what inspires you?
What do you do to get unstuck?