“I love my work so much I would do it for free.”
Many creative people have uttered these words in a moment of enthusiasm — they express the joy of creative work. But they also hint at some of the pitfalls that lie in wait for creatives . . .Â
In one sense, creative people have no problem with motivation. We fall in love with our creative work and pursue a career that allows us to do what we love every day.Â
Psychological research confirms what we know in our hearts: we are at our most creative when we are driven by intrinsic motivation — working for the sheer joy of it, regardless of rewards. Focusing on extrinsic motivation — such as money, fame, or other rewards — can kill your creativity.Â
If you don’t feel excited by the task in front of you, it’s impossible to do your best work, no matter what rewards it might bring. You may be determined not to sell out, but selling yourself short can be just as damaging. And when it comes to public recognition, comparisonitis and professional jealousy can consume far too much of your creative energy.Â
Working for love is all well and good, but if you’re a creative professional you can’t ignore the rewards: you need money to enjoy your life and to fund your projects.You may not need to be famous, but you do need a good reputation within your professional network. And if you’re in a fame-driven industry you need a powerful public profile, whether or not you enjoy the limelight.There’s a precious balance at play–get it wrong, and you could seriously damage your creativity and even your career.
For the past twenty years creative coach Mark McGuinness has helped hundreds of creatives like you to overcome these challenges. A poet and creative entrepreneur, his previous book, Resilience: Facing Down Rejection and Criticism on the Road to Success, is an Amazon.com Creativity bestseller.
In his latest book, Motivation for Creative People, Mark helps you rise to these challenges and create a fulfilling and rewarding creative career. All the solutions he shares have been tested with real people in real situations, including ways to:
stay creative and in love with your work–even under pressureovercome Resistance to tackling your creative challengesreclaim your creative soul if you wander off your true pathstop selling yourself short–and start reaping the rewards of your creativityattract the right kind of audience for your workcultivate an outstanding artistic reputationavoid destroying your creativity through attachment to money, fame, reputation, and other rewardssurround yourself with people who support your creative ambitionsavoid getting stuck in unhealthy comparisonitis or professional jealousybalance your inspiration, ambition, desires, and influences in the big picture of your creative career
Motivation for Creative People is the perfect guide to figuring out your different motivations and how they affect your creativity and career. The book is packed with practical advice and inspiring stories from Mark’s own experience, his transformative work with coaching clients, and famous creators and creations — including Stanley Kubrick, Dante, The Smiths, Shakespeare, kabuki drama, and Breaking Bad.
If you are serious about succeeding in your creative career — while staying true to your inspiration — read Motivation for Creative People.