Starting with asking why can change your whole creative career. This one powerful word –why– can really change how you see and run your creative business or career.
The word why can bring us answers to problems that we never knew our customers wanted us to solve. It can help us reach for goals that will actually bring us more work or raise our profile. It can even help you to stop procrastinating! I told you it was powerful.
How you can start with why
- Ask yourself why you are doing what you are doing right now.
- Think about why you wanted this creative career in the first place.
- Ask your clients and customers why they come to you rather than someone else.
- Ask why you are applying for an award or residency- and no, not just because it would be nice to have or do, really ask yourself why you are doing it.
- Ask yourself why you are spending money on certain things and not others. Are you patching things together to try to make something work? Is there a better way of doing it?
You can listen to other ways to ask why and strategies to transform your career, by listening to the podcast below.
Knowing what to do next when you have asked why, is where you can really make a difference to your career and business.
What to do when you have asked why
Take the answers from your clients and customers about why they come to you, and add it to your mission statement, or design services to help solve their needs and problems.
Look at why you are applying for things, and make plans about how you will use the event or residency to fulfil your goals.
Rather than heading to the event with a handful of business cards, really think about why you are doing it and what you want to get out of it, for the long term.
Ask if you still want to do what you do. Would a pivot help you to achieve your goals faster?
The other thing to think about is the goals that you have set.
Why have you chosen the goals you want to achieve this year? Is there pressure from parents, employers etc. that are making you feel like you need to achieve them now? If you ask yourself why you are doing it now, would the answer make you happy? If not, what can you do to change it?
Asking why will help you to focus, to understand your choices and to get results faster. The main one I want you to focus on, is why your customers come to you.
It might feel scary at first, but going out and asking them is one of the most powerful things that you can do for your business and career.
These other posts might help you to find answers as well.
How to pivot your idea and business
How to use storytelling to connect with clients & customers
And if you are really lost, mentoring can help you to find your way through the overwhelm. You can find out more here: mentoring
If you’ve enjoyed this free content and workbook, I’d love to raise my coffee cup to you.
