Creative types are an interesting bunch. Personality, work ethic, character, expertise, mentality- we run the gamut. But of all of the artists I’ve met (and I’ve met many), the ones that end up the happiest and most successful are the ones that didn’t take themselves too seriously.
Taking yourself too seriously can make even the most skilled and amazingly successful person look like a complete buffoon. It puts you in a position where you are no longer willing to learn or to grow because you feel that you’re already above the rest of your peers. Egos inflate, quality of work sinks, and respectability plummets. People who take themselves too seriously become targets of spite, and become, themselves, spiteful. Others tend not to want to work with or for someone who takes him or herself too seriously.
Keep it light, and fun, and forward-moving. Smile and help people solve their problems. Really listen and don’t spend the conversation just waiting to talk. Understand that you don’t know it all and that you can learn from people with even a tenth of your experience. Be secure enough to laugh at yourself, and don’t discourage others from doing the same. Earn respect by not making promises, but by delivering on your promises. Take breaks from time to time and chill out.
We’re all serious about what we do. As creative people, we’re very passionate about where we want to go in life. We spend most of our waking time completely devoted to our craft– and I’m not saying that this is a bad thing. It’s exactly why we’re good at what we do, and we should never forget that. But really, are we perfect at our craft? Are we infallible masters of creation that should be showered with praise from the tops of our laureled heads to the soles of our rose-kissed feet and bathed in milk and jasmine in solid gold claw bathtubs?
Yeah. We totally aarrrrrrre.
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