The way back to normal life?
Owning your own business is tough. It’s definitely not for everyone, and even the best business ideas sometimes don’t work out. In fact, this happens more often than not. While the numbers vary by study, it’s estimated that well more than half of all businesses fail - or at least fail to succeed. Additionally, other factors in an entrepreneur’s life can change and require them to go back to seek a day job, whether in the corporate world or even with another small business.
After being a freelancer for 4yo I thought it should be easy to buy into the dream of owning your own business and thinking that it will be better than working for someone else. After a few months into business ownership, I have had clients tell me that however many hours they might have to work in corporate, executing on someone else’s strategy would seem so much easier than having to come up with the strategy, do the marketing, sell the work and then deliver the work. Although being the CEO and the janitor isn’t for everyone, I truly enjoyed to realise my idea of how to deliver services in event management.
As time went by, things started to change a little. The more I integrated, the more I saw, understood and acknowledged. Oblivious as I was at the beginning, I soon realised that I was somehow treated differently than my fellow British colleagues. For a while, it didn't bother me, but after around 7.5yo in business in the UK I didn’t get the required traction back as suppose to.
Facing political instability (previous blog) was just one of some reasons why my decision had to be made. The cultural approach within the industries have also been more and more of a struggle. As soon you’re not falling into the exact criteria the big competitors dictate, you can be sure not being respected as one of them and you will face certain struggles. Europeans do have indeed a different attitude how business should be done and how competitors play a role within your network - or not. I have since then read a lot about Europeans leaving the UK for the exact same reasons I faced several times (see also this blog).
31st December 2019 ... probably a date I will never forget in my life. After 9yo of self-employment in the UK and 13yo being my own boss I have decided to close down my business and going back to employment, working for someone else. However, us entrepreneurs should get credit for having had the guts to try. Especially us who come from a different country. We can talk about what we’ve learned in the process. We can talk about how much harder it was than we expected. We can talk about becoming a great time-manager and learning to be self-directed. We can also talk about how great it was to start a new life and bring cultural background with you. Or we can talk about being an “intrapreneur” -- bringing our international entrepreneurial mindset into a corporate environment. We can actually be a big plus for some companies out there. But this requires understanding for our “different” thinking and operating style.
I have been delighted for having received a new job offer within the industry. Knowing it would be a big step for me to close down my business I have also been excited to get the chance for exploring a new venture. I knew the further I go outside of my comfort zone, the more I’ll learn.
The biggest roadblock for me as entrepreneur have been my inner game. There is often some shame or sadness associated with me having left my own business. I have also been afraid that I might lose the contacts I have developed with other entrepreneurs. After now 4 weeks in the new role I realise that the onboarding process is quite challenging.
The longer decision-making cycles and defined processes and procedures in corporate seem overly burdensome since I have been able to make quick decisions and change directions easily in my own business. I probably have to exercise more patience - with myself and and my colleagues. As strange as it seems but even sitting in another office is somehow quite distracting. I shall try to get myself some decent headphones to listen to some tunes or even an inspirational podcast about creative exercise.
Also, having to go into the office and work a fixed schedule seems to require some adjustment. I feel almost like having perpetual jet lag. I am extremely tired, experience headaches and I struggle to concentrate in daily routines. My plan was going back to a dietary change and eat well again, to exercise again and to finally get plenty of sleep - all of it haven’t been hugely successful yet.
Unlocking my inner creativity again
Creativity isn’t only important for “creative” jobs. In a study by IBM, about 60 percent of CEOs polled cited creativity as the most important leadership quality, compared with 52 percent for integrity and 35 percent for global thinking. Why? Because creativity enables people to solve problems, respond to challenges and come up with innovative ideas. Creativity isn’t something you’re just born with; with some practice and nurturing, you can train yourself to become a more creative person.
To bring out my creative side again, I needed to bring the thoughts from inside of my mind, out onto paper. I started writing down all of my ideas onto paper, no matter how silly or impossible they may seem. Just the exercise of writing down my ideas helps me to boost my creative thinking. Apparently the process of writing down your ideas trains your brain to keep coming up with new ideas. It’s been said that creativity is contagious. In fact, according to ScienceDaily, "leaders can imbue their subordinates with confidence and creativity just by setting an example themselves." So, I also need to surround yourself with creative people again. They say by hanging out with creative people on a regular basis, their thoughts and behaviors can rub off on you, which can inspire you and boost your own creativity.
My plan is also to recall myself to the following 9 ways to rewire your brain for creativity:
1. Mindful observation.
Our ability to create begins with observing the world around us. How we perceive our surroundings and our environment fuels our creativity. This begins with mindful observation, or noticing and appreciating the details of your surroundings.
By improving your observation skills, you’ll tap into your creative energy and discover nuances and details you hadn’t noticed before. This will open your mind to new possibilities and help you build a repertoire of experiences that can ignite innovation. Being observant means paying close attention to the world around you.
It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the staggering amount of visual information that surrounds us. Start by focusing on areas where you want to make improvements. The world is full of interesting patterns and connections. Try to spot the relationships between things. Look for how things form or “click” together, and how people and things affect one another. These connections can be fuel for ideas and spark your creative process.
2. Change your environment.
Your drab surroundings may be zapping your inspiration. One easy hack to rekindle your creativity is to try changing your environment. Sometimes a bustling atmosphere can do the trick, so try packing up your laptop and find a restaurant, café or even a park setting where you can work for a while.
In addition, set up your workspace in a way that is conducive to being creative. This will be highly personal based on your preferences, but make sure you have a dedicated space where you create, and only create, whether in a work office or in your home.
Make the space comfortable, ensuring your desk and chair are at the right height and you’re well supported. Consider what colors you use to decorate. Blue is often considered good for boosting creative thinking, but you know yourself best. And consider clutter -- some people believe that clutter encourages creativity by promoting unconventional thinking. Others feel they can focus better in a tidy space.
3. Take a creative stroll.
We all know a sedentary life is bad for your health, and it turns out exercise is also good for your creative thinking. Simply getting up and going for a walk will improve brain function and boost your creativity. One study found that walking benefited creative brainstorming and enhanced “divergent” or unconventional thinking.
You can also turn a walk into an opportunity to practice mindful observation. Watch people in a crowded area. Take mental note of things that catch your eye and make a quick sketch when you get home. Or take photos along the way and create a weekly collage of the things you see. Try taking a “soundwalk,” in which you focus on the sounds around you and where they’re coming from.
4. Recharge your curiosity.
Creativity thrives on curiosity. Our ability to wonder, to dig into something and search for answers, ignites our creativity and fuels our innovative thoughts. But our thirst for knowledge can dwindle over time. We stop asking and begin accepting. Try sparking your imagination and creativity by asking questions.
Start living a curiosity-driven life. What piques your interest? Delve into it; examine and research it. See where your line of thinking takes you. You may discover that you thrive on the process of discovery. The more you know, the more your mind is awakened, and the more you want to learn. This will open your mind to new possibilities others simply cannot see.
5. Blue sky thinking.
Blue sky thinking means to completely free your mind and brainstorm without limitations. It means moving beyond the standards, boundaries and thresholds that we have built for ourselves and generating ideas that aren’t bound by cost, effort, time, technology or resources. It means freeing yourself of constraints, assumptions and self-limiting beliefs. It’s a great way to ignite your creative engine and spur innovative thoughts.
Start with a clear question with a specific goal. Remember, there are no bad ideas, so don’t berate yourself for a thought you might think is dumb. This is giving yourself the ability to think out of the box and explore ideas without dismissing them too quickly.
The idea is to unburden yourself with constraints that bog down your thinking, so be creative and wacky. When you’re done, look through the ideas. You can weed out impractical ideas or those that aren’t focused on the goal, but there may be nuggets of thought that can help you find achievable, pertinent concepts you can build on.
6. Incorporate “design thinking” into your creative process.
Design thinking is an approach to practical and creative problem-solving. It starts with empathy -- understanding what the end user wants, their constraints and desires. Because design thinking focuses on humans and understanding people’s needs, and then coming up with effective solutions to meet those needs, it can be applied to nearly any field.
The design thinking process consists of 5 stages: empathize, define, ideate, prototype and test. It marries both creativity and critical-thinking skills. It requires designers to generate lots of ideas and prototype them, so they become comfortable with failure.
It forces you to keep your mind open, to try out many ideas early on, so you don’t get too invested in just one. The process harnesses creativity through inquiry. At its core, it’s a structured, systematic way of solving problems.
7. Practice creating.
Creativity is a skill, and it takes practice to fine-tune it. The act of creating something actually spurs your mind to be more creative. Even for the most creative and innovative people, about 10 percent of their work is natural talent and 90 percent is labor.
You can cultivate your creativity by challenging yourself to create every day, in whatever way speaks to you, whether that is writing, drawing, photography, painting, dancing, singing or creating music. Push past your first ideas. We often focus on concepts we already know.
Don’t self-edit, but give yourself freedom to go in different directions. Let your ideas flow, then look at them more critically. Creativity is a process that takes time and effort.
8. Take time to daydream.
Pay close attention to any ideas you come up with, and jot them down. A few ways to create a daydreaming mind include going for a walk, taking a shower or bath, going for a bicycle ride or lying awake at night or in the morning.
9. Build a creative portfolio that inspires you.
Reflect on what inspires you to be your best, creative self -- what helps you tap into your innovative thoughts and ideas? Are there certain blogs, books or videos that shake up your thinking and spur ideas? Are there activities that always seem to relax your mind and help you look at things in an unconventional way, such as journal writing, meditating or going for a run?
Build a portfolio of things that help you tap into your creative energy and original thinking. If you enjoy drawing, try keeping a sketch pad or doodle book. If you like to write, keep a notepad handy to jot down stray thoughts.
Make time to write every day. If you find inspiration in nature, try collecting small items from your time outside, or take pictures of scenes you come across and find stimulating or exhilarating. Arrange the items or pictures in a notebook or collage. Whatever it is you find interesting, motivating and inspiring, use it to help you rewire your brain and boost your creativity on a daily basis.
