Motivation For Creative People

“This is a How To manual at the highest level from a man who has lived the life and has watched and worked intimately with hundreds of others who’ve done the same. Indispensable reading for anyone in a creative field who is seeking to achieve not just a flash of brilliance but a lifelong career.” Steven Pressfield, bestselling author of The War of Art “I love my work so much I would do it for free.” Many creative people have uttered these words in a moment of enthusiasm—they express the joy of creative work. But they also hint at some of the pitfalls that lie in wait for creatives . . . In one sense, creative people have no problem with motivation. We fall in love with our creative work and pursue a career that allows us to do what we love every day. Psychological research confirms what we know in our hearts: we are at our most creative when we are driven by intrinsic motivation—working for the sheer joy of it, regardless of rewards. Focusing on extrinsic motivation—such as money, fame, or other rewards—can kill your creativity. If you don’t feel excited by the task in front of you, it’s impossible to do your best work, no matter what rewards it might bring. You may be determined not to sell out, but selling yourself short can be just as damaging. And when it comes to public recognition, comparisonitis and professional jealousy can consume far too much of your creative energy. Working for love is all well and good, but if you’re a creative professional you can’t ignore the rewards: you need money to enjoy your life and to fund your projects. You may not need to be famous, but you do need a good reputation within your professional network. And if you’re in a fame-driven industry you need a powerful public profile, whether or not you enjoy the limelight. There’s a precious balance at play—get it wrong, and you could seriously damage your creativity and even your career. For the past twenty years creative coach Mark McGuinness has helped hundreds of creatives like you to overcome these challenges. In his latest book, Motivation for Creative People, Mark helps you rise to these challenges and create a fulfilling and rewarding creative career. All the solutions he shares have been tested with real people in real situations, including ways to: * stay creative and in love with your work—even under pressure * overcome Resistance to tackling your creative challenges * reclaim your creative soul if you wander off your true path * stop selling yourself short—and start reaping the rewards of your creativity * attract the right kind of audience for your work * cultivate an outstanding artistic reputation * avoid destroying your creativity through attachment to money, fame, reputation, and other rewards * surround yourself with people who support your creative ambitions * avoid getting stuck in unhealthy comparisonitis or professional jealousy * balance your inspiration, ambition, desires, and influences in the big picture of your creative career Motivation for Creative People is the perfect guide to figuring out your different motivations and how they affect your creativity and career. The book is packed with practical advice and inspiring stories from Mark’s own experience, his transformative work with coaching clients, and famous creators and creations—including Stanley Kubrick, Dante, The Smiths, Shakespeare, kabuki drama, and Breaking Bad. If you are serious about succeeding in your creative career—while staying true to your inspiration—read Motivation for Creative People

Have better ideas, faster, without the stress and burnout. It isn't enough to just do your job anymore. In order to thrive in today's marketplace, all of us-even the accountants-have to be ready to generate brilliant ideas on demand. Business creativity expert Todd Henry explains how to establish effective practices that unleash your creative potential. Born out of his consultancy and his popular podcast, Henry has created a practical method for discovering your personal creative rhythm. He focuses on five key elements: •Focus: Begin with your end goal in mind. •Relationships: Build stimulating relationships and ideas will follow. •Energy: Manage it as your most valuable resource. • Stimuli: Structure the right "inputs" to maximize creative output. •Hours: Focus on effectiveness, not efficiency. This is a guide for staying inspired and experiencing greater creative productivity than you ever imagined possible.

A clash between the ideology of growth and the growth of ideas, between control and creativity, between measurement and the immeasurable, between predictability and the fickle muses of inspiration in engulfing our boardrooms. In this scathing swipe at the institutionalised idiocy that is stifling creativity just at the time the world needs it most Gordon Torr draws from the leading lights of creativity research to demolish the myths that surround the generation of ideas in the modern organisation. The curse of the brainstorm, the commoditisation of creative talent, the deskilling of the imagination, the startling inadequacies of management theory – these and the many other horrors of idea-assassination that run rampant in creative sector companies are dissected and disembowelled in this hilarious expose of the drama that unfolds every time a new idea slides across the boardroom table. This book sets out to address the black hole that surrounds the management of creative people, debunking many myths of creativity, and outlining a revolutionary approach to the pressing issue of creative productivity in the contemporary creative sector company. A handbook of tools, techniques, methods and practical ideas whose USP is a framework for thinking about efficient creative management – how to extract value from creative time. Gordon Torr presents a logical argument that puts in place the building blocks of the author’s knowledge and experience towards the final architecture. “We need them as never before. And we know that they’re somehow different. Yet the productive management of creative people is an almost totally neglected science. I doubt if there’s a single industry that wouldn’t gain immediate advantage from Gordon Torr’s scrupulous and enlightening detective work.” - Jeremy Bullmore

Creativity is a highly valued skill set that drives a significant portion of the global economy. It does not depend on a random stroke of genius, but instead on inspired hard work that creatives dive into, fueled by a sense of purpose and meaning with the potential for well-being and happiness--and a job that pays. This book lays out a three-part Creative Success Now Methodology consisting of the mindset, authenticity set, and skill sets that can empower you to pursue the creative life--both for your personal journey toward success and because the world needs your ideas. Ultimately, this book will help you to solve the many problems you encounter as a creative person so that you can live as a successful creative in the twenty-first century.

Dr. Ronda Ormont has written a comprehensive guide to finding a career that can both feed your wallet and fuel your personal creative endeavors. Included are real-life profiles, sample forms and worksheets, and essential steps to: * Learn what fields of work compliment your personality * Allocate time and energy for your own artistic pursuits * Overcome fears of change * Write resumes and interview for potential jobs * Explore self-employment options * Restructure your current career position to suit your creative needs

"If you come to terms with The Creative’s Curse. What is The Creative’s Curse? It's a voice inside you. It's a low whispering... It's an undeniable fire to CREATE. Many people think The Creative's Curse is a thing to be beaten. They try and snuff the fire out. But what if you stopped denying your true nature? What if you let it burn? The Creative's Curse is not something you will ever outgrow. That voice in your head will never be silent. Don't feel like you have to listen when society says your work isn't worth doing. Inside this book you'll learn: how creative people lose their magic... and how to get it back; when to access your "creativity triggers" to increase motivation; [and] how to make money with art (if that is something you want.)" -- From Amazon.com.

Insights to help you thrive as a creator amid the demands, distractions, and opportunities of the 21st century. Mark McGuinness has spent 21 years coaching creative professionals to achieve their artistic and career ambitions. In this book he shares 21 of the most powerful insights that have emerged from coaching conversations with hundreds of creatives - as well as from his own practice as an award-winning poet. Whether you are a fine artist, a performer or entertainer, a commercial creative, or a creative entrepreneur, many of your biggest challenges are the ones that are familiar to all creative professionals: * Finding—and staying true to—your deepest sources of inspiration * Carving out time to produce great work amid the demands and distractions of 21st century life * Balancing creativity, money, and your professional ambitions * Giving yourself a break from the relentless perfectionism of your Inner Critic * Creating your own security in an uncertain world * Believing in your vision when people around you just don’t get it * Deciding whether to approach publishers, record companies or other middlemen, or to “go direct” to your audience * Attracting an audience from scratch, or breaking into a tightly networked industry as an outsider * Dealing with rejection, criticism, and plain unvarnished failure * Dealing with fear and anxiety—about your work, about your audience, about the critics, about failure, and even about success Perhaps the biggest challenge faced by a 21st century creator is the one it’s easiest to overlook when you’re preoccupied with the demands of the day: How can you chart your course and make meaningful progress when you set out on an original path, where there is no conventional career ladder, no job security, and the usual rules don’t apply? This book tackles these challenges head on, and it provides answers you won’t find in books of traditional career advice: 1. Everything is powered by love 2. Reach for the stars 3. Something old, something new 4. Your creativity is your security 5. Forget the career ladder—start creating assets 6. Personal development is professional development (and vice versa) 7. Your struggle is a clue to your superpower 8. There are four types of work (and one matters more than the others) 9. Desire beats discipline 10. Your motivations are always mixed 11. Play the game you want to play 12. Pick two out of money, fame and artistic reputation 13. Find your medium, choose your media 14. Stay small, go global 15. Learn from the best in the world 16. Don’t let the crappy part put you off 17. Be thankful for your Inner Critic 18. Hustling is part of your job 19. Stop trying to earn money—start creating value 20. You can have all the excuses you want 21. Courage may be the missing ingredient Mark has deliberately kept this book short, so that you can burn through it in one sitting for a burst of inspiration. Or keep it handy on your phone and consult it in the quiet moments of your day, or on those days when you need to dig deep for motivation.