There's a spark inside of you and it wasn't given to you to be dimmed by fear or limiting beliefs of not being ready or not being enough. Following my dreams led me to make over $1,000,000.00 in only 5 years from my last creative business venture, and has led me to support dozens of clients in leading more creative, joyful lives too.
Starting a new business can be a life-changing decision. Before jumping into a massive endeavour that requires much of your time, here are four questions to ask yourself.
1) Get clear on your 'why'.
Why is this important to you? This is such an important question to ask yourself when it comes to creating and launching your creative business. Why is THIS specific business the one that you are standing strongly beside and willing to commit your time and energy to for the next 5-10+ years?
This 'why' will be the foundation of your business and the reason you get out of bed every day to grow and develop your business (even when you're tired and unmotivated). I'd also like to remind you of something....You don't have to do anything. No one is waiting for you to create this business. So create from a space of freedom and alignment to your truest gifts and self. That's the only way that you'll truly succeed anyways. The world doesn't need you creating something that isn't a 100% fuck yes in your mind, body, and spirit. The world needs you bringing forth your unique energy and expression.
2) What else would I do?
Sometimes asking yourself this question is all that it takes to really tune into the fact that what you are creating is all that you've ever wanted to do, and all that truly makes sense for your path.
When I hit blocks in my previous business venture, Horror Escape, I would fantasize about doing something else, ANYTHING ELSE! There were some really difficult moments where continuing forward just didn't feel like an option. However, when I really tuned in and asked myself, "what else would I do?", it was clear that I was just looking for an easy way out, an escape, and that I was doing exactly what I was meant to be doing. Once I had the clarity that what I was working on was what I truly wanted to do, I had more drive and determination to make it work and I could let go of the fantasy of quitting and running away from the challenges.
If you have multiple ideas of what direction you could go in your life, I get it! As a creative being you probably have many passions and hobbies and it can be overwhelming to know which one is your true purpose.
Being clear on your top 5 values in life can help to eliminate some of your options. Working with a mentor or even dipping your toes into some of your different passions can help you narrow in on which of your passions you are most committed to building into an abundant and sustainable business for yourself. Think long term, what will the day to day look like and how will you feel doing those day to day tasks?
I have had difficulty narrowing down my passions and knowing where to pour my energy at various points along my journey. One example of that is, I've always loved interior design and at times I've been confused if I should pursue it professionally or not. As I researched job postings, the required schooling, degrees, and what a real day of work as a designer looks like, I realized that design was more of a personal hobby and passion than it was a business or career choice for me. My 'WHY' just wasn't strong enough and I wasn't willing to commit so much of my time and energy to becoming an interior designer.
One thing I love to do when I need clarity around choices, is to write a very simple "pros + cons" list of all my choices. What do you see being the benefits of each path, and what do you see as potential challenges, and then cross reference this list with your top 5 values to get more clear on which would be most in alignment for you moving forward.
3) When is the right time to launch? It can be easy to get lost in your grand vision, the learning, and all the planning, especially as a creative! At some point you need to take actionable steps that will lead to an official launch, grand opening, and paying clients. Opening up your creative vision to be seen and judged by others can be scary but that's why you're here right? Are you committed to making a living doing what brings you joy and allows you to share your gifts, talents, and services with your community?
Soooooo, when is your official launch? What are the steps and milestones you need to hit before that date can become a reality? Without concrete goals and dates to hold yourself accountable to, you could get lost in your creative process, the stories of not being enough, or not being ready for an eternity. Set clear goals with actionable steps and dates for each of the steps you need to take. This is a big process and a journey that will continue far beyond the planning and launch stages, and well into the life of your business venture.
4) Can I do this on my own?
Connecting with others that have had success in this field can be of tremendous support, not only emotionally, but it can save you so much time and unnecessary challenges. If you can learn from other peoples failures and lessons, you might be able to skip over that lily pad on your journey and keep your progress moving along more smoothly than if you were to try and take it all on yourself. So reach out to someone who has walked that path before, even if it costs you, it'll likely be well worth the investment. I hope this helps you get clear on your vision and why it's important to you. Take the risk and follow your heart, live out your dreams, and say NO to the ordinary and mundane.
Journal Prompts:
Why is this important to me?
Why is THIS the business for me to focus on?
What support do I need to progress and thrive? When?
You get to choose what you create with your time on planet earth. What will it be?