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Tag: work

Give yourself permission

Artists and creators have a real knack for distraction. Seems there’s always another task competing for our attention, or the minute we sit down to work the phone rings.

What if we looked to set ourselves up for success with containers that support our creative process? Do you need to schedule time to create? Set an alarm? Go for a walk?

Anticipate the demands on your attention and energy. What do you need to feel freer to create?

Are you a writer?

There are books, blogs, and courses on how to write. Social media accounts are dedicated to encouraging “non-writers” to commit to daily writing practices, and coaches build followings with promises of completed writing projects. And yes, while there is skill behind knowing how to write well (grammar rules, structure, rhythm) what if all this mystery and magic built up around writing is stopping us from writing in the first place?

What if, instead of waiting for inspiration or the perfect moment, you simply began?

Drop lofty goals and expectations; simply aim to write a line or two of clunky words. Then, type for ten minutes; the day after that commit to writing for fifteen. Next Saturday, you may find yourself writing for one hour. You may have something solid to chip away at and refine one month later.

Sure, set goals that will keep you on track, but don’t let your questions — What should I write about? Where should I write? When should I write? Which writing program should I use? How do I begin? What if it isn’t any good? — get in your way.

There is a writer in you. And there’s a story that no one else can tell in a way that no one else can tell it. Instead of looking outwards, look inwards. That’s where you will find your process.

Tips for better creative briefs

If you want solid results, you have to start working on solid ground. The creative brief provides just that — a foundation for creativity to grow in a meaningful, targeted way. Without an effective creative brief, ideas lack focus.

Creative briefs are the necessary siphons for results. Here’s how to begin:

  1. Think carefully about your intended goals and the audience you hope to reach. Your creative brief is the container for your project.
  2. Consider your brand. Include market elements that are relevant. Brand category, history, and competition are valuable reference points.
  3. Provide details about your intended customers. Demographics, motivations, current trends, and buying history can serve as creative direction.
  4. Imagine creatives reading your brief. What must they know in order to begin working? Are any terms unfamiliar or unclear?
  5. Re-read your brief and check for clarity. Can your writing be distilled into a coherent idea? Ensure your thoughts and motives are easy to understand.

Satisfying creative projects stem from clear and thoughtful explanations. Tell me what you include in your writing @redheadlefthand.

Be you (it’s the best gift you can give the world)

“Say who you are, really say it in your life and in your work. Tell someone out there who is lost, someone not yet born, someone who won’t be born for 500 years. Your writing will be a record of your time. It can’t help but be that. But more importantly, if you’re honest about who you are, you’ll help that person be less lonely in their world because that person will recognize him or herself in you and that will give them hope.”

-Charlie Kaufman

Watch this inspirational speech from one of cinema’s most celebrated writers.

If you can communicate your ideas, you can get anything done

Are your communication skills holding you back? Make it a priority and set goals to improve.

Register for this free online course on Public Speaking (class starts July 2), or check out Leading With Effective Communication.

For more free online learning opportunities, browse content from Udemy, Coursera, Toastmasters International, and the Public Speaking Project here.

Remember: If you can communicate effectively, you can get anything done.

Greatest hits

442 posts published since 2012. Here are the top 12 most visited:

  1. 12 questions to turn small talk into real talk
  2. 5 rules of hustling
  3. What brings people together?
  4. A coffee riddle
  5. The quiet room
  6. 19 things you can do instead of grad school
  7. 10 questions to ask at a dinner party (instead of “What do you do?”)
  8. The people in your life will make or break you
  9. 7 perks of growing up
  10. Stop trying to find your purpose
  11. 7 sins of crowdfunding
  12. No one has it figured out

Thank you for reading, for asking questions, for exploring, and for committing to make the world a kinder, more generous place.