The ICEBERG nature of creative work
OMG we can be hard on ourselves, us creative people!
The shame!
The sense of failure!
The I'm not good enough!
The - I'm not lucky enough!
The I'm not in the tent! (not benefiting from nepotism)
Our industries really are tough - they are so competitive, and there is so much perceived failure.
BUT
Is it failure? Or is it that the nature of the work means we need to do so many things for one to rise up?
Creative work is like an ICEBERG – we see everyone's success, BUT not what happened under the surface.
We don't see all the projects that did not succeed
The photographs taken, and left unseen
The paintings that didn't quite make the grade
The song written and only heard by me and my Mum
Instead, we only see our own scripts sitting in the drawer, never to become a movie.
We know about all the auditions we went on, and didn't get.
If you are anything like me, then you have so much more work that never saw the light of day; you have done so much more that did not work out, than did.
BUT - that is NOT failure. That is the nature of creative work.
We can feel shame for not achieving, for working so hard and not getting very far – and this can lead to shame.
Instead of acknowledging how hard it is, how unlikely success is - we blame ourselves.
We walk into the year with shame. We experience the year in shame.
And then we get to October and we look at all our goals and we go, why didn't I achieve that?
Oh, it must be because I suck.
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Or I’m unlucky
Or nobody supports me.
There is little to no value in spending time wallowing, complaining, bitching, moaning, griping.
Instead - focus on you, what you want, where you are, what you need, why it matters - and create your future by reflecting on your past – NOT obsessing, but strategically reflecting.
BECAUSE -- you have more influence on your own life than you might think
If you are brutally honest you will notice that the people who are consistency successful are strategic.
The people who are succeeding in the creative industries are not doing it just because of luck:
You can get lucky, sure. And you need luck for huge success, but waiting for luck it is not a long-term strategy.
Successful people have a vision, they set goals, and they critically evaluate their performances as they go.
They have a practice of reflection ... and I suggest that you do this to!
This is why I have designed a potent, but enjoyable 4 week group program, called CLARITY AND DIRECTION which I am running in collaboration with Compton School
We are doing this to help you take both your failures and successes and turn them into growth and progress.
We start on Nov 21st.
It runs every Tues evening from 7 pm for 75 minutes
It is totally cool to join in with a glass of wine! Please do!
This is NOT punishment
This IS NOT a beat-self-up / self flagellation session
This is a self care session
I expect it to be powerful, and enjoyable. Light, and communal.
If you are interested, fill the Expression of Interest form in the chat.
I would love to hang out with you, and witness your 2024 being better than you imagined possible.