Episode 31: Creating for Self vs Others & the Creative Flow

Creative Work Hour

Creative Work Hour Podcast

Release Date: December 8, 2024

Episode Summary:

Welcome to the inaugural episode of the Creative Work Hour Podcast! After a month of daily short episodes for National Podcast Post Month, we're excited to start our regular weekly series. This episode dives into the intriguing questions:

• How does creating something for yourself differ from creating something for someone else, and how does that difference affect your creative process?
• How does your relationship with time change when you enter a creative flow state?

Highlights:

• Alessandra shares her struggle with perfectionism when money is involved and the pressure to deliver flawless work for others, compared to a more relaxed approach when creating for herself.
  
• Gray reflects on the sense of worthiness and guilt associated with creating for yourself versus others, recounting a personal story where a spontaneously created art piece for himself ended up being his first professional sale.
  
• Jennifer N talks about her belief in building in public and experimenting for herself. She emphasizes the importance of dedicating time to personal projects, despite often prioritizing client work.
  
• Devin humorously discusses how expectations to be creative for others can lead to procrastination in personal projects due to perfectionism and self-editing.
  
• Bobby B describes how he maintains consistent creative boundaries whether working for himself or clients, emphasizing time management and open communication with clients.
  
• Ken and Shadows Pub discuss their rare experiences with commissioned work, emphasizing clear communication and understanding when taking on such projects.
  
• Gretchen and Ella share the joy of creating primarily for themselves, highlighting the pressure of commissioned work and the freedom of personal exploration.
  
• Hillary and Dr. Tamika delve into the importance of purpose and flow in creative work, stressing the value of time management and container expansion during creative flow states.
  
• Artemis likens her creative flow to a superhero experience, where time slows down externally as her productivity accelerates internally.

• Greg shares his struggles with valuing his creative work due to ADHD and imposter syndrome, while encouraging listeners not to undervalue their efforts.

Additional Insights:

• The group discusses methods for achieving flow states, such as the Pomodoro technique, and the challenges faced by creatives with ADHD, particularly time blindness.
  
• The conversation touches on the importance of not undervaluing creative efforts, whether for oneself or others.
  

Closing Thoughts:

Thank you for joining us on this journey of exploring creativity. We encourage you to reflect on your own relationship with time and creativity. Share your thoughts with us!

Join us next week as we continue to explore thought-provoking questions with our creative crew. Feel free to reach out with your thoughts or questions. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review!