{"id":8140,"date":"2020-01-02T14:13:29","date_gmt":"2020-01-02T14:13:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/about.35.197.208.187.nip.io\/?p=8140"},"modified":"2025-07-14T10:54:39","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T10:54:39","slug":"11-lessons-creatives-live","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zealous.co\/about\/insights\/11-lessons-creatives-live\/","title":{"rendered":"11 Life Lessons If You’re A Creative"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Value yourself<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Too\u00a0many creatives are quick to devalue their work by working for free or undercutting prices to get recognition (or \u201cexposure\u201d). The sooner you snap out of it, the better. Make sure you put a price tag on your time. Sure, there\u00a0are<\/em>\u00a0some exceptions to this rule, but as a default? No sir.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Invoice, invoice, invoice!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Whether you\u2019re working for a big player or helping out your cousin\u2019s start-up for free (one of those exceptions we mentioned above, because y\u2019know, nice to help out family), always invoice them for the work done. If you offer free services,\u00a0strike them\u00a0through (like so<\/del>).\u00a0Clients (yes, even your cousin) should always be aware of the value of what you are giving them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find a rhythm<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We know what working from home is like. Get up, check Twitter, check Instagram, coffee, shower, check Twitter, check Instagram, start work, snooze, check Twitter, PokemonGo for a bit\u2026 procrastination is tempting. Carve out day-to-day rhythms and\u00a0give yourself time to do your admin and research. Stick to your own plan, and you won\u2019t go far wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get out there!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Look, we all love the Internet, but it\u2019s not enough. Go to events, meet people \u2013 that artist you keep having the same \u201cLet\u2019s Collaborate\u201d back-and-forth with online? Ask them to coffee! If you want to meet more creative directors or corporates, have a think about which meetups they would attend\u00a0and\u00a0join them<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

…and collaborate<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s easy to feel isolated as a creative \u2013 lots of time spent on your own, with your own thoughts. Sometimes you need to shake it up and get inspired afresh. Work on a project with someone else, start a collective, help out on a friend\u2019s project. At the very least, you\u2019ll learn something about your own practices \u2014 but\u00a0it could also be the beginning of a really exciting creative partnership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All feedback (from the right people), is good feedback<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Positive<\/em>\u00a0makes you feel good and\u00a0negative<\/em>\u00a0pushes\u00a0you to improve your work or rethink your targets. Consult the people you trust\u00a0and who you can trust to be honest. But ultimately, if you want the brutal truth, ask perfect strangers\u00a0from your target audience. (You may have to do this eventually anyhow, and there\u2019s no time like the present!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reflect on your achievements<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you\u00a0produce a piece of work, be proud of it. That\u2019s the best thing about being an artist \u2013 you make all this cool stuff and you throw it into the world and let it do its own thing! Take the time to remember why you do what you do, and don\u2019t be\u00a0too<\/em>\u00a0humble.\u00a0Let the world know\u00a0what you\u2019ve made!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Set realistic targets<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The whole \u201cWhere do you want to be in 5 years\u2019 time\u201d question needn\u2019t fill you with such overwhelming existential dread \u2013 be excited about it, and work to get there! Set targets that will inform your decisions on\u00a0the way\u00a0to that goal. Don\u2019t go too much in detail, lest you\u00a0miss out on opportunities along the way. It\u2019s more like putting an X on the map and being flexible on the path to get there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategise<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Time is your most valuable asset: the more efficient you are with it, the more you\u2019ll have to achieve your goals. Think about what do you need most, when do you need it by, how you are going to get it done, and what your\u00a0biggest challenges will be. Then give yourself deadlines (be realistic, stick to them and be sure to follow Step 3!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Track contacts, and conversations<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

No one likes administrative work (well, some do, but for the purposes of this article let\u2019s ignore them), but it\u2019s a necessary evil. If you\u2019re going to get out and meet people, you need a way to\u00a0store their details, where you met them, what they liked (if it was a piece of work, what you had in common, your shoes) and make sure to email them all once in a while. It\u2019s all about building your network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don’t forget to take a break<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote\u00a0Hamilton\u2014<\/em>the Pulitzer-prize multiple-Tony-award winning genre-hopping smash-hit musical\u2014while on holiday from his previous show. Translation: rest is good and you will do better work as a result. Don\u2019t work yourself into the ground. Turn your alarm off. Start a new book. Try that recipe for peanut butter cookies you\u2019ve had pinned to your fridge for months and watch this amazing video about creative process by John Cleese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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