Do you ever feel like your mindset is holding you back from achieving your creative dreams?
Maybe you think things like:
I’m not good enough.
I’ll never make it.
This is too hard.
I can’t do this.
If so, you’re not alone. Many creative entrepreneurs struggle with a fixed mindset: the belief that their talents and intelligence are fixed traits that they can’t change much.
A fixed mindset can sabotage your success as a creative maker.
It can make you avoid challenges, give up easily, ignore feedback, feel threatened by others’ success, and believe that effort is not worth it.
But what if I told you that you can change your mindset for the better?
That you can develop a growth mindset: the belief that your talents and intelligence can be developed through hard work, learning, and feedback.
A growth mindset, as opposed to the fixed mindset, can actually boost your success if you’re conscious of it and actively work on having this mindset on a regular basis.
It can make you embrace challenges, persist in the face of obstacles, seek feedback, celebrate others’ success, and believe that effort is the key to mastery.
And the best part is: changing your mindset is not hard or complicated.
It just takes some awareness and practice.
I’ve also been where you are. I used to have a fixed mindset about my skills and my market. I thought that I was not good enough to compete with other creatives who had more experience or more followers. I also thought that my market was too saturated and that no one would buy my products.
How on earth was I going to stand out?
But then I learned how to cultivate a growth mindset, and it changed everything for me. I increased my sales. I gained more confidence and creativity. I expanded my product range and my customer base. I became more resilient and optimistic.
The thing is: you can change your mindset for the better.
You can become a more successful and fulfilled creative and really make things work for yourself.
So let’s talk about some of the key elements and benefits of having a growth mindset as a creative.
#1: You see every challenge as an opportunity to learn and improve.
When you have a growth mindset, you don’t shy away from challenges. You welcome them. You see them as opportunities to learn new skills, gain new knowledge, and improve your performance. For example, let’s say you want to create a new product or service for your creative business. But you don’t know how to do it or where to start.
Instead of thinking: “This is too hard. I can’t do this.”
You think: “This is hard but not impossible. I can do this with some help and practice.”
You then seek inspiration and advice from other artists or crafters who have done something similar or who are more experienced or skilled than you.
You learn from their tips and tricks, ask for feedback, and apply what you learn to your own work.
You also troubleshoot any technical difficulties or creative blocks with patience and persistence.
You try different solutions until you find one that works for you.
You also learn from your mistakes or failures along the way.
You don’t let them discourage you or define you.
You analyze what went wrong, what you could have done differently, and what you can do better next time.
By doing this, you end up creating unique pieces that are valuable to your customers.
You also improve your skills and knowledge as a creative entrepreneur.
You also feel more confident and proud of your work.
That’s the power of having a growth mindset: you see every challenge as an opportunity to learn and improve.
#2: You respond to feedback with gratitude and curiosity.
When you have a growth mindset, you don’t ignore or reject feedback.
You embrace it.
You see it as a way to improve your work and your customer satisfaction.
For example, let’s say you get a negative comment or review from a customer or a critic.
Instead of thinking: “They don’t like me. They don’t appreciate my work. Oh @#$%! ”
You take it all on, take a deep breath and after the initial “aaargh!” you just think: “They have a different opinion or preference. They have something I can learn from and make use of for my business. They offer me a way to improve my work or my business, and it helps me improve.”
You then respond to the comment or review with gratitude and curiosity.
I know this may be a lot harder than I make it sound like right now, but there is something powerful in making a mindset shift like this.
So what do you do with this comment?
You thank them for their honesty, ask them for more details, and listen to their suggestions.
You don’t take it personally or defensively.
You take it as feedback to improve your work.
You then make adjustments to your work based on the feedback.
You don’t change everything or compromise your vision – nope. You just tweak what needs to be tweaked to make your work better for your customers and yourself.
By doing this, you end up creating work that is more appealing and satisfying to your customers and yourself.
You also improve your relationship and reputation with your customers and critics. You also feel more grateful and humble for your work.
That’s the power of having a growth mindset – responding to feedback with gratitude and curiosity.
#3: You celebrate others’ success with respect and admiration
When you have a growth mindset, you don’t feel threatened or jealous by others’ success.
You celebrate it.
You see it as a source of inspiration and motivation for your own success.
For example, let’s say you see another artist or crafter who is more successful than you in terms of sales, followers, recognition, or awards.
Instead of thinking: “They are better than me. They have more talent or luck than me. I better quit. They have taken my spot and I will never get customers like them.”
You think: “They are amazing. They have worked hard and learned a lot. They have something to inspire me or teach me.”
You then celebrate their success with respect and admiration.
You congratulate them, compliment them, and learn from them.
You don’t compare yourself to them or compete with them.
You appreciate their work, admire their achievements, and learn from their strengths.
You also focus on your own work, improve your weaknesses, and showcase your uniqueness.
Of course you don’t copy them or imitate them. You create your own style, voice, and message that resonate with your customers and yourself.
By doing this, you end up creating work that is more original and authentic to you.
You also improve your network and influence with other artists and crafters.
It could also lead to feeling more inspired and motivated for your work.
That’s the power of having the right kind of mindset – it can absolutely be a game changer and move the needle for your creative business.
I hope these examples inspire you to change your mindset for the better.
If you’re serious about changing your mindset and making big changes for your business, join us inside Creative Biz Workbook for a whole section dedicated to the creative maker’s mindset.
You’ll get access to a workbook full of exercises and journaling prompts that will help you apply these steps to your own creative business.
You’ll be able to:
• Overcome fear of failure and rejection
• Boost your confidence and creativity
• Increase your sales and customer satisfaction
• Achieve your goals as a creative entrepreneur
And much more!
Creative Biz Workbook is perfect for you if you are:
• An artist or crafter who wants to create a profitable and fulfilling business in the arts and crafts industry
• A beginner or experienced creative entrepreneur who wants to improve their skills and knowledge
• A fixed mindset person who wants to change their mindset for the better
If this sounds like you, then I invite you to join me and other ambitious creative makers in Creative Biz Workbook.
