For creative freelancers and entrepreneurs, inspiration is the life-blood of our business. It’s what cultivates new ideas, pushes us to take leaps of faith, and motivates us to take action.
What creative, business or cultural icons inspire you?
I have a looong list of people who inspire me to do better every day, and Prince was definitely one of those people.
Prince was a musical genius, yes. But what’s really inspiring is he saw his gift as a vehicle through which he could create positive transformation in the lives of others.
He used his musical gift to build awareness, empower the disempowered, and create extreme wealth so that he might share it with those who needed it most.
You may hesitate to put yourself in the same category as Prince, but we are ALL born with a unique gift that allows us to positively impact the lives of others. Maybe your talent is creating brand videos that give entrepreneurs presence and a voice. Or maybe you love to create compelling brand identities and campaigns for socially driven organizations. Whatever your gift; it’s your duty to share it with the world and make a difference.
If this resonates, but the idea of little old you making a HUGE impact in the world feels out of reach, I’m going to share an exercise that will help you identify YOUR unique gift.
You can either complete this exercise by yourself, or have a colleague or friend ask you the questions. Ideally it’s someone who knows you personally and professionally who will push you a little to dig deep where you might get stuck. Have them take notes because they often hear what you don’t)
At this stage, try not to limit yourself with ‘yes, but….’ thoughts. Suspend disbelief for now and think about what you love to do, what people come to you for and what you would do all day for free.
- What elements of your work do you enjoy the most?
- What do people come to you for?
- What problems do you solve?
We tend to describe our business in terms of what we do and what our process is. Try articulating what you do in terms of what problems you solve instead. - Of all the people in your field, what do you do that others do not?
You might initially blank on this, but I promise that there’s something different about the way you approach a creative problem. Stick with it and write down anything that comes to mind. - Why would someone work with you instead of someone else?
Answering these questions will get you one step closer to identifying and articulating what makes you unique.
If you would like to take a deeper dive into what makes you stand out in the marketplace and how to shape into a marketable message and strategy, I invite you to join me for a FREE on-line training next week. I’ll be sharing the 6 steps you need to take to transform your creative business and start thriving.
Click here to save your spot and I’ll see you there!
