In a world of digital currency, digital information, and digital relationships... does creating still matter?
More than ever.
A quick glance through my in-box shows an appalling lack of variety. All the marketers are promoting all the products the exact same way. Nothing’s unique. It’s all cookie-cutter, as if some grand Marketing God determined that on January 3, 2018, we all send emails promoting this program using this language.
It’s the marketing equivalent of “Mean Girls” coordinating their clothing... “On Wednesdays, we wear pink.”
Apparently, people are too scared to try something different, for fear of being different... and maybe being ostracized.
But when everyone is doing the same thing, it’s hard to get noticed. And as a business owner, blending in is a death knell. There’s a high cost to conformity, and it’s usually being ignored. You’ll blend in to the background and, just like those emails in my inbox, you risk being deleted.
So if you’re an entrepreneur, how can you train yourself to take risks and color outside the lines?
Take up a creative hobby.
No, really. The best thing I ever did for my business was to push myself outside my comfort zone, not at work, but in a craft. I’ve knit, I’ve scrapbooked, I’ve art journaled, I’ve painted and written poetry. And all of it has made me a better entrepreneur.
Here are five ways a creative hobby will feed your business:
1. It will teach you to be a beginner again. With virtually every industry sector facing disruption from globalization, technological advances, and other forces, one of the worst things a businessperson can do is think they know it all. Close-mindedness leads to ignorance of factors that could threaten your business. And forcing yourself into learning mode can make you more open-minded, say experts. “science says those who think they are experts are more likely to be closed-minded,” writes Rhett Power in Inc. “With a Beginner's Mind, you will be more open to possibilities and more creative.”
2. It will teach you to fail. Failure — meaning, an end result other than what you had planned on — is part and parcel of entrepreneurship. But the higher you progress in your career, the harder it can be to accept failure... unless you’re used to experimenting and becoming unattached to the outcome. And that’s exactly what you do every time you pick up a paintbrush or a crochet hook.
3. It will teach you to enjoy the process. Success in life — including business and hobbies — is not the destination, but the journey. And when I truly enjoy the process of cooking a meal or designing a scrapbook page or , the end result matters less. Crafting has taught me to love the doing, not just the “done.”
4. It will give you balance. As much as I love my work, I need more arrows in my quiver. It’s important to have something besides my business to fill me up and give me a sense of satisfaction, particularly with the up and down roller coaster ride of entrepreneurship. Knowing that at the end of a tough day I can turn to my latest painting or knitting project is comforting. Crafting has also been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, says CNN: “Crafting can help those who suffer from anxiety, depression or chronic pain, experts say. It may also ease stress, increase happiness and protect the brain from damage caused by aging.”
5. It will show you that you are unique. Back in college, I took a beginning painting class. I clearly remember the feeling of disappointment in myself when I compared my painting with its bold colors and broad, texturized brush strokes to the delicate work on the easel of the woman sitting next to me. My instructor read my angst and came over to me. “What’s wrong?” she asked. “I want my painting to look like that,” I said, pointing. “But that’s not how YOU paint,” she said, matter-of-factly.
In that moment, my perspective shifted. She was right — I didn’t paint like that. And that was okay.
Seeing my approach to painting and craft has helped me see that my approach to business, and to life in general, is unique. And that’s more than okay — it’s perfect. And it’s something I would never have known, if I hadn’t picked up that paintbrush.
If you’re an entrepreneur in a creative industry, consider attending Creativation, the number-one trade show and educational event for creative professionals. Creativation will be held Jan. 18-22 at the Phoenix Convention Center.