I was going to call this post "Defining Success" because to answer the question, "How can I be successful while being creative and doing what I love?" we need to define what success looks like. But as I thought about it, I realized I generally dislike the word "success." For me, with my background in Human Resources, it carries corporate-ladder-climbing, creativity-restricting connotations. Really, what I want is a word more like "fulfillment" or "realization." For creatives, what we are constantly reaching for is that elusive feeling of completion.
By the way, if you missed my first posts in this Surviving Creativity series, take a minute to read through the introduction post, the one on setting priorities, and the latest one about time management. They will give you a little more context for this one.
See, the problem with creative work is it's very difficult to know when your work is done. When I was a payroll clerk, I'd know when I was done with a project, because all the numbers would line up. When I was a cashier, I'd know I had done a good job when my drawer came out even at the end of the day. When I was a student, I'd get a grade that would tell me if I'd done the assignment right. But in my new job of "being creative" I never know. A painting may never feel done because it's not perfect. Ever. I could always add a little to that blog post, or tweak that project that I'm working on for the home.
So how do I know when I'm done? And in the big picture, how do I know when I've achieved success?
In pondering all this, I came to understand that my definition of success has left me feeling like a failure most of the time, so I'm redefining what success, or fulfillment, means for me.
Finding Fulfillment
So now that we've sworn off the word success, how do we define what fulfillment looks like for us? Conventional wisdom says that we should set "smart" goals so that we can achieve measurable results. What are "smart" goals? Glad you asked. I'm about to lay some HR training on you. (Put some of that corporate ladder climbing to good use here!)
S.M.A.R.T. is an acronym for:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Relevant
- Time-bound
Ick. I'll be the first to admit that this model is a great way to get stuff done. If you have a project that is overwhelming and you can't figure out how to get it done, I really do recommend working through each of these concepts to break down the project and give yourself a realistic timeline. However, most creative goals can't be so easily summed up.
The problem with the "smart" model for creatives is that creativity cannot always be measured, or tied to a timeline. And who's to decide whether it's relevant?
Here's the answer. You are.
You get to say whether what you're working on is relevant. If artists measured their relevancy by their sales or critical acclaim, most would never feel successful or fulfilled in their lifetime. So unless you plan on enjoying your success long after you're dead, I suggest we find a better way to define ourselves.
Answering the Call
Here's what I suggest instead. Let's recognize that what we are doing is actually a calling. We did not choose to become creative entrepreneurs, parents, teachers, artists, musicians, writers, or photographers. We were created to be creative. All we need is an outlet, or two or three or fifteen. When we see ourselves as a creative person, we become free to explore that creativity in any variety of expressions.
The other implication of a calling is that it cannot be easily revoked or denied. You know when you have to go for long periods of time without a creative outlet, you feel a little (or a lot!) restless. This just means your creativity lives inside you, waiting to be let out.
Creativity is not something we put on, although it can be enhanced and encouraged. Creativity is something we answer to. We must create in some way or we feel a little bit lost. The more we answer that creative calling in our lives, the more we are given. The more ideas flood our brain. The more songs come to mind. The more solutions bubble to the top.
Because of this calling, it is neither indulgent nor selfish to spend time on creative endeavors. It is the fulfillment of who we were meant to be, and those endeavors will bear fruit, the more we practice our art. So keep practicing! Keep working. Keep giving yourself permission to be creative and you will start to see how what you create can impact someone's life for good.
Instead of using smart goals to define what we do, I'd like us to describe ourselves using this acronym:
C.R.E.A.T.I.V.E. means you are:
- Called to
- Re-imagine,
- Express,
- Assist,
- Teach,
- Inspire,
- Visualize,
- Encourage.
Sharing your Gift
Finally, for a creative person, we need to feel like our art is somehow impacting people. The end goal is not merely in creating something beautiful. That creation must go on to have an effect on someone. That is its completion. That painting doesn't have to be perfect in order to brighten someone's day or make them think in a new way. And it doesn't even need to be sold in order to have that effect.
It just needs to be seen.
The act of sharing your art, no matter how it is received, is an act of generosity, of vulnerability, of relationship.
[bctt tweet="The act of sharing your art is an act of generosity, vulnerability and relationship."]
Chances are, the people who are being impacted by your creativity are those closest to you, not the elusive "audience" that you are seeking to reach. How are your family, friends, co-workers, students, clients, and neighbors being affected by your work?
Your neighbors and friends might feel the benefit for your welcoming decorating style every time they visit your home and feel comfortable. Your children are definitely learning something from you every day. Your spouse may not mention it often, but he or she is literally consuming the results of your creativity in the kitchen. Continue to share your art, even when you feel like you're just going through the daily motions of your routine, and take a moment to think about how your creativity is helping someone close to you.
I believe that when you can identify who you're impacting with your art, you will find the creative fulfillment that you are looking for.
For your homework this week, think about how your particular creative gifts may fit into one or more of these categories (re-imagine, express, assist, teach, inspire, visualize, encourage), and who could benefit from the creative things you do. Then try to answer this statement for yourself, as specifically as possible:
I feel most fulfilled when I: _______________________________.
Please leave me a comment and share with me what you've learned about yourself so far. And stay tuned for one more post in this Surviving Creativity series!
Bre says
What a wonderful and thoughtful post, Meredith! You raise such great points that really strike a chord! I am going to share this post with some of my blogger friends because I know they will greatly appreciate it!
Meredith says
Thank you Bre, and thanks for sharing! I hope it's helpful...
Jacqueline Gum says
I LOVE this Meredith. Like you, I came from a business background where goals were easily measurable, although there can be intangibles there as well... like leadership. Your new acronym is really inspiring for anyone involved in a creative endeavor when so often it's harder to know if you've made an impact.
Meredith says
Thanks Jacquie! You're right about leadership being more intangible, or immeasurable. Maybe that makes it a creative endeavor too!
Paulette says
This: Because of this calling, it is neither indulgent nor selfish to spend time on creative endeavors. It is the fulfillment of who we were meant to be, and those endeavors will bear fruit, the more we practice our art. So keep practicing! Keep working. Keep giving yourself permission to be creative and you will start to see how what you create can impact someone’s life for good.
This may be the most important thing you've said in this series! Giving yourself permission to BE is critical to what follows. And initially it may need to be done on a daily (hourly/minute by minute) basis. Keep doing what you do! It is purposeful!
Meredith says
Thank you Paulette, I really needed to hear that! 🙂 (You're absolutely right about needing to do it on a minute by minute basis sometimes!)
Jeri Walker (@JeriWB) says
The permission to BE is such a struggle. I've found that after years of teaching and scholarly pursuits, it's been hard to get back into feverish creative writer mode. I tend to make everything I do feel like "work" which shuts down the necessary sense of "play" that makes the creative process so irresistible.
Meredith says
You're so right Jeri! What is it that drives us to make our passion into work? Well, I guess maybe needing to make a living can do that. But it's worth trying to hold on to that sense of play, and of just enjoying the process.
Catarina Alexon says
When you are passionate about what you do creativity just flows. You are never done it just keeps on flowing and you create, change and produce a lot. Even things you didn't plan because the idea just flows into you. That's the way I have worked most of my life and I love it. Doesn't matter if I write, design or put together a business deal it works the same way for me provided that I love what I do. Don't forget that negotiating a deal is creativity. If you are not creative the result will be poor. If i do some routine work there is an end to it like you mention and you know when you have put in a day's work. But when you love what you do it's with you 24/7 and you are happy about that.
Meredith says
I agree Catarina! Any endeavor becomes a creative one when you are passionate and excited about solving problems and finding new ways of doing things.
Ken Dowell says
Maybe the word done doesn't apply to being creative any more than the word success. Isn't it about the process of being creative as much as the product?
Meredith says
I love that idea Ken! I think you're absolutely right.
Susan cooper says
The answer to your question...i feel most fulfilled when I’ve completed a goal I set for myself that was a large challenge. 🙂 such a great feeling and sense of accomplishment.
Meredith says
There's nothing like being able to put a big, satisfying check mark next to something you've had on your list for a long time!
Donna Janke says
This post really struck a chord with me in many ways. I've often thought the word success needed redefining - it's not the same for everyone. It is hard to know when a piece of writing is done - how many times do I re-edit? Creativity is something we answer to. I like your advice to think about how our creativity is impacting the people closest to us. A nice reminder that we do not need to be in major art galleries or on best seller's list to make an impact. And the timing was perfect. Thanks.
Meredith says
I'm so glad Donna! These are things in still trying to learn/remember myself, so I'm glad it helped you too.
William Rusho says
A great post. We need reminders to keep us creative. I like the "Re-imagine" word. We have to constantly re-evaluate and reinvent what we do. The world is changing around us, and we have to change with it, or be left behind by it.
Thanks for sharing this with us.
Meredith says
I like the idea of reinventing ourselves William. That's a good one!
A.K.Andrew @artyyah says
Wonderful post Meredith & totally up my street as it were. It's SO hard to quantify what we do as creatives, and as to being done - well I had to laugh. I guess the angst is all part of the process, but we do need to give ourselves permission to both "succeed" and "fail" in equal parts because the point is to pursue what we love and feel passionate about, and not worry about success. Fulfillment is so much more important. And your acronym is perfect. Thanks so much for this:-)
Meredith says
Thank you A.K! I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one feeling this way!
Phoenicia says
Firstly, I must say that you write so eloquently.
Up until the last few years I did not perceive myself as being remotely creative. I could not draw for toffee, I enjoyed singing and drama but was not confident enough to pursue these interests.
My love of writing means I am creative. I have a passion for it.
I agree that it is difficult to measure success in creativity. A painting can portray a different meaning to a group of individuals. Can a painting even be "good" or "bad"?
Meredith says
Thank you Phoenicia! You raise some really interesting points about confidence and passion and subjectivity. We could go on with this series for ages!
heraldmarty says
I really resonate with this post in particular Meredith - your thoughts on SMART goals, the term success and how we know when we're done with something. As a writer I never really feel done with something I've written. Every year I go back and update each of my books and I do the same thing with archived articles on my blog. In fact I'm doing that now with articles from 2014 and it's a great project. Some articles I just tweak a bit here and there or add a fresh image, others I completely rewrite and republish. Seeing the new comments and inspiring my readers by providing a fresh perspective on topics previously shared is so much fun it doesn't feel like work!
Meredith says
Marty you're such an inspiration to me! How do you find time to go back and tweak your old stuff while still creating new stuff?
Erica says
I love the idea of chasing fulfillment over success. It is so easy to feel that what you are producing is never enough. I've been a creative my entire life and I've gotten overwhelmed at times by how others model success. I love this approach.
Meredith says
Thanks Erica! I'm sure everyone defines success differently but I struggle to find my own definition, especially when compared to others'.
SafariOnTheBlog says
i feel most fulfilled when i have completed a task. That sense of 'well done' and well accomplished feeling.
The feeling is great and positive and makes you want to do more and push forward.
A great post Meredith! We need reminders to keep us creative and i really enjoyed reading the post.
Thanks for sharing x
Meredith says
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! I think we all need those reminders from time to time, when life feels a little too "results oriented."
Beth Niebuhr says
I love your question because it made me realize that it makes me so happy not just to help women become entrepreneurs but also to help them discover their own creativity! Thanks!
Meredith says
Thanks Beth, it's seems you've found a career that perfectly matches your creative calling!
Andy says
For many years before I began blogging - dating back to my 9th-grade English class - I kept a traditional, personal journal. That journal was organic and freewheeling and contained plenty of stuff I would never want to air in public. In contrast, my blogs today are exercises in fastidiousness run amok. Was I somehow less creative back in the day when no one could see my writing output? To ask the question is to answer it, and that answer is "No". (Indeed, I would say I'm probably less creative now because I find I become more self-conscious about what I write as time marches on.)
I agree that being a creative type is a calling of sorts and I like your C.R.E.A.T.I.V.E. acronym, but we will have to agree to disagree about the "we need to feel like our art is somehow impacting people" business. In my book, the impetus to create lies wholly within and is moreover continuous, never reaching completion.
Meredith says
I love this argument! We could go on forever but I do completely agree that putting our creative efforts out there in front of people causes us to self-edit. Sometimes that can be good and sometimes not. I guess the question is what are you creating with your blogs that makes you publish them and not just keep your thoughts to yourself?
Sherry says
What an inspiring post! Thanks for sharing with us at Merry Monday.
Meredith says
Thank you Sherry! I love visiting Merry Monday.