Is this a fear to ignore or invest?

Creators have a unique category of challenges to contend with.

And if we want to flourish in our work, then we need to change our relationship with these problems. Let’s examine four common ones, along with one personal creativity management tool for each.

First, are you afraid of an empty calendar?

Of course you are. That’s a visual reminder of inactivity and, often times, an indication of financial instability.

One tool to help you substantially in this regard is called sunlighting, aka, using the forcing function of public accountability to bring a creative work into existence.

Say you’re a touring artist and income depends on public performances. Consider building a calendar feature into your website. The simple awareness of knowing that calendar is public facing paints you into an accountable corner. The sunlight will create ambient pressure and a dangling sword of obligation, which will motivate you to stir the pot and keep getting more bookings.

Are you weary of a blocked brain?

Completely normal. Compositional paralysis has ended more creative careers than rotator cuff surgery.

You might try a tool called the artist allotment, which is your personal policy for managing creative blocks. Instead of beating yourself up for not being as prolific as you’d like, set an output quota.

Decide that you will execute the minimum amount of work today, and once you hit it, go celebrate. Mark it down in your victory log. Feel that sense of accomplishment, and use that to motivate you to do the same tomorrow.

Are you worried about career burn out?

You’re not alone. Entrepreneurial ambition often whisks people into an abyss of chaos and exhaustion.

This sounds like a job for creative boundaries, meaning, locating your own sense of healthy creative rhythm to avoid becoming a victim of your own passion.

Maybe that means clocking out at six every day, no matter what. Maybe that means no email on the weekends. Maybe that means not brining your phone into the bedroom. Maybe that means practicing a digital sabbath once a month. Each of these boundary examples are elevated expression of love for yourself. They’ll prevent you from over executing to the detriment of your physical, mental, emotional and social health.

Are you terrified of irrelevancy?

Almost certainly. Bearing your soul, only to have the marketplace yawn at our efforts, that can kill a man.

My favorite tool to overcome this pain is called smoking, which is consuming your own work to give you solid faith in your creative capabilities.

If you’re afraid you’ve peaked as a creator, go back and smoke your own shit. Read your own writing, listen to your own music, gaze at your own paintings, watch your own movies. Demonstrate the firepower of your artistic arsenal to yourself, and you’ll reinvigorate yourself to keep the blast going.

Remember, fear isn’t meant to be ignored, but invested. Honor your feelings of being scared, and use them as jumping off points to make things.

Prolificacy shall flourish once again!

What problems do you need to change your relationship with?