Busting Making Money Online Myths

by vanessa | May 4, 2022 | creativity, Entrepreneurs, motivation, personal development, Side-Hustles

Busting Making Money Online Myths

They are numerous making money online myths, the four below are the most common and popular.

Here I am again. Your personal myth buster. Haven’t done a segment like this in a while. So, I thought I would dust my favorite yellow myth busting jacket. Take it out of the closet and tantalize your interest. So this year I wanted to bust making money online myths. Here’s the thing about making money. It isn’t easy and there is so much noise out there. No white noise. No, this is the kind of noise that gives you a migraine because of misinformation or just too much information.

The internet has been around since the 90’s. That’s a long time. Making money online started as early as the late 90’s. Strange right, but if you were old enough back, then you must remember subscriptions and even paying for email newsletters. Back then, though, it was in its infancy. Too young to make a dent or splash in the papers. Not enough people were interested.

Making money online became popular after 2008. When the world was hit with a tsunami of bad news. You remember the year? People lost their jobs. Inflation was at an all-time high. Well before the pandemic. College grads were now wondering what they’d do with their life. High school seniors weren’t optimistic about their future. It just wasn’t the best year. But that is when entrepreneurship became popular and more people were trying to find out how to make money online. So, this isn’t a new wave. Every year, this industry grows. And because of that, so do the tails start wagging even more. They are a lot of myths out there. So, I thought I would take the time to bust making money online myths.

Myth 1# People don’t make money online

I have an aunt who I love dearly. When she visited my family seven years ago before, I really made headway in making money online. She told me a story about how a friend of hers’ lost money online. She then told me, ” people don’t make money online.” Now, I had done my research and knew that they are dozens of ways to make money online. I couldn’t blame her. They are many people who think that.

So here’s the first making money online myth that I want to bust. People make money online. You know that adage; they are many ways to skin a cat. What they don’t tell you is that they are right and wrong ways to do it. They are people who never make money online. That’s because they aren’t doing it the right way. Be smart when you want to make money online. That requires foresight and something many of us are terrible at. You got it. Patience. Be patient. You know squirrels spend a lot of their time finding the right nuts to bury. They will forage until they find the right nuts. Many of us aren’t patient. We give up way too early and because of that, we cannot achieve what we want.

If you want to make money, then you need to practice patience. Not the easiest thing to do, but it is the most rewarding thing you can do. Think of what you want to achieve and then focus on that. Let that be the reason behind your purpose.

Myth 2# You need lots of money to make money online

They are dozens of ways to make money online. Some require more money than others. Others you don’t need as much. There’s a twofold way to bust making money online myth two. The first fold is that you can start simple and progress from there. What skills do you have? Maybe you are great at writing or even good at being on camera.

Starting a blog or YouTube channel requires the least amount of money. In 2018, when I started my blog. I didn’t have any money. There was zero dollars in my bank account. My big brother sent me some money. I put it in a bank account. It was only one hundred dollars, and I started my blog with that. I paid for a month using Hostgator and I went from there. Sometimes you don’t need the full picture. Often you just need a smaller one. Use what you have instead of focusing on what you don’t. Even if you have no money, you can borrow or you can make money. I will share that with you later.

You can even start with a YouTube channel. Just use your phone and a lavalier mic that you can get for $20. That’s all you need. So myth two has been busted. If you still have doubts, think about how massive the internet is. It is literally it’s own country. A global opportunity that awaits you to take a chance and decide that you can do it.

Myth 3# You need to be a genius

Maybe you aren’t an intellectual. Few people are. You might not create the next big thing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make money online. I was once told to find what people want and give them that. That is the secret to making money online. So, it isn’t novel. So what? Give people what they want. That’s how people make money. Follow the trends and figure out what is missing. See what people are doing and do that. You don’t need to be brainy to make money online.

That is one of the biggest making money online myths out there. Change your perspective. Realize that you can be an average Jane or Joe and still make money. In fact, the more relatable you are, the better. Those are the people we connect with. Not the top gurus. Sure they make money. Being famous has its advantages. Those of us who were slow to jump on the ride need relatability to connect with people. They are people who once were relatable who no longer are because they forgot what made people connect with them.

The best way to make money is by looking at your skill set. We all have skills. No single person on the planet doesn’t have that one thing they excel at. And I’m sure they are people who would pay good money to learn that. Unless your skill is so niche and out there that people wouldn’t be interested in. That’s rare though. People these days can make money from literally anything. So, you are in good company. Myth three has been busted. Now onto the last one.

Also Related: Why Entrepreneurship is The New Normal?

Myth 4# Making money online is a scam

For every con artist, there is a legit salesperson. Did you ever read Confessions of a Door to Door sales agent? It was a brilliant read. It tells the story of a struggling salesperson. He struggled to sell his products for several reasons. Many thought he was a scammer. The second reason is he was selling things no one wanted. Perhaps he was selling to the wrong demographic. And he didn’t know how to market his products.

There will always be people who question everything online. “Did so and so really make money from doing that?” I remember reading how webnovel platforms were scammers because of how they’d approach authors instead of the other way around. Now, self-publishing is still better because you make more money but webnovelists do make money.

A webnovel is simply when an author serializes his content or novel and publishes it on a platform. Think Charles Dickens. Now, don’t get me wrong, they are online scams. You just have to be picky with what you spend your time on. The way I look at is like this. The marketplace was niche. So con artists back in the day would con those that were in a particular city or district. Now, the marketplace is global. They are more options out there to scam people. But not everything is a scam. Therefore, you need to take your time understanding how to make money online.

The number one reason people get scammed is that they aren’t knowledgeable. That’s why I created this blog post series. By the end you will know how to bust making money online myths. You will also know how to make money online without losing sleep and losing hair.

What is your one takeaway from this post? What making money online myths did you think were true? Comment below.

KEEP PUSHING

VANESSA

An Open Letter Aspiring Entrepreneurs? Never Give Up

by vanessa | Feb 2, 2022 | Blog, blogging, creativity, Entrepreneurs

An open letter to aspiring entrepreneurs: never give up

This is an open letter to aspiring entrepreneurs that will surely motivate you.

When I was younger, I didn’t want to be an entrepreneur. I saw it as a fruitless and thankless profession. To me, it seemed boring. That was before my eyes were open to what entrepreneurship is really about. So, this is an open letter to aspiring entrepreneurs. I wish when I was starting out I found something like this. A blog post that would give me the much needed reality check I needed. That’s why I’m here. To give you a reality check. One that will help you understand a few things.

This is what you should know. Since this is an open letter to aspiring entrepreneurs, I want to be honest. Entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone. When I started I was like everyone should to do this. No. Not everyone should be an entrepreneur. They are a lot of reasons. First is that it isn’t the easiest thing to do. Many days, you will be broke before you make money. They will be a time when you want to chop your hair off or throw your computer at the wall. See. That’s how frustrating it can be. How nerve wrecking it is? This open letter to aspiring entrepreneurs: I need you to see the bad before I encourage you. Because for those who stick around and truly want to be an entrepreneur, I want to help you not to give up.

Another bad thing about entrepreneurship is the early mornings. If you like sleeping in bed, then yeah, entrepreneurship isn’t for you. Now, some people are natural morning or evening people. They wake up early or sleep until late. You are an owl or a lark. As they say. Entrepreneurship takes it one step ahead. I am a lark. So I sleep early around 8 pm and wake up earlier, around 3:30 am. Now, imagine doing this daily. Whether you want to. Maybe you can do this here and there. I have to push myself to wake up even when I don’t want to.

These are a few tidbits I have. They are more. But now for those who want to stick with it. This open letter to aspiring entrepreneurs will help you to never give. Because that’s what we need, the motivation to keep pushing and not throw in the towel. Entrepreneurship is a lonely road. One full of potholes and obstacles, but it’s worth it.

The journey is worth it

The journey is never ending. There’s always gonna be growth, improvement, adversity; you just gotta take it all in and do what’s right, continue to grow, continue to live in the moment – Antonio Brown

Way back in 2018, I started a blog. That was the start of something wondrous. It’s been said that life comprises moments. Moments that teach us so much about ourselves. That is what entrepreneurship is. This is an open letter to aspiring entrepreneurs who have felt that they are missing a mark. I need you to realize that the journey doesn’t stop. It’s never ending. You will always have growth and improvement. I had to go through massive adversity to come to where I was. It wasn’t easy. Not by far. But I have learned so much about myself because of that.

I chose not to give up, and I was rewarded with improvement. Often we are stuck on the financial rewards and don’t realize that they are other rewards as well. I will not tell you the journey was easy. If I did that, would the journey be worth it? I always say that if you could wish to be anything, would it be worth it? Often, the answer to that is no. It would cease to be worth it.

Why? Because you didn’t earn it, so you don’t deserve it. Nothing worthwhile comes easy. That’s just a fact of life. Something that often we forget to acknowledge. This open letter to aspiring entrepreneurs will make you realize the journey will lead you to destinations you never imagined.

Your Why and How?

We all have dreams. Things that we imagine. I have had many dreams as a child. One point I wanted to be an actress than a psychologist and the list goes on. I never stuck with one thing until I found entrepreneurship. It was because entrepreneurship was bigger than I could imagine. This is an open letter to aspiring entrepreneurs, who are also dreamers. We are the future. Entrepreneurship, that is. It’s the future of the world. Why? Because entrepreneurs have grand dreams. They want to make the world a better place. To inspire and encourage.

So, it all comes to your why. If your why and how aren’t strong enough. Let me elaborate. You need a bold why. One that showcases why you are doing this. Why do you want to make the world a better place? Why do you want to be an entrepreneur? For me, I wanted to inspire millennials who don’t fit into the typical profession bracket that there was another way. I also wanted to encourage those who hated the 9-5 that they can in fact start a business and make money. My how was through stories on my blog and using media to encourage, inspire and inform. Your why will differ from mine and that’s a great thing.

Your why should be personal to you. That way, it will have room to grow and improve. Your why should also have a target audience. That helps you to narrow it down. We all know the saying that if you try to help everyone than you help no one. The same applies here. You got to have a target audience. You want to dedicate your why to.

Also Related: Do You Know Your Why?

Freedom of choice and time

As hard as entrepreneurship gets, the one thing that keeps pushing me is the freedom that it offers. I can do anything I want. If I decided I wanted to learn to pilot a plane, I could learn how to do that. I dedicate this open letter to aspiring entrepreneurs who want more choice. Here it is. The opportunity to have more freedom.

That there is a gift because most people don’t have freedom. They certainly don’t have options. Entrepreneurship is one of the few careers out there that offers freedom with time and choice. If I wanted to take a three-week break thrice a year, I could. Whereas with a job, unless I worked there for years, I couldn’t and you would always have to seek permission from someone else.

I’ve always been the person who hated that. Seeking permission to take a break. I also hated constraints, so I know entrepreneurship is the right fit for me. It gels well with my personality. I like the freedom. I also want to become financially free and entrepreneurship is the only career that can provide that. When entrepreneurship becomes harder, thinking about the destination helps to push me. Sometimes the destination can seem lofty, so I stick with things that I know would help to get me out of bed.

We all want freedom. Not all of us will get it. So, to all the aspiring entrepreneurs who feel trapped, entrepreneurship will give you time and choice. That’s not a bad thing. Even before you hit your destination, you can still have freedom of choice. Not time, but choice. The choice to make your decisions. To listen to your gut without being reprimanded if you get it wrong. That’s what I look forward to. Entrepreneurship has opened a world of wonders that used to be closed. It has given me insight that I never knew I needed.

As I’m ending this open letter to aspiring entrepreneurs, I know it will be hard. Entrepreneurship isn’t easy, but it is worthwhile. So whenever you want to give up, just remember why you started this. That should help motivate you.

What is your main takeaway. Comment below.

Keep Pushing

Vanessa

Why Entrepreneurship is The New Normal

by vanessa | Jan 19, 2022 | creativity, Entrepreneurs, motivation

Why entrepreneurship is the new normal

Here are a few reasons why entrepreneurship is the new normal

When I was ten years old, the teachers gathered all the ten-year-old kids in one classroom. They wanted to find out who we wanted to be. Many of the answers the kids gave were similar. They wanted to be doctors, firefighters, police officers, athletes or entertainers. That was what was normal in the 2000s. A good job. Now, the new normal is entrepreneurship. How times have changed?

You know, the saying that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Entrepreneurship is the new normal twenty-plus years later because of many factors. Before we entered the 2020s, there was a shift. More and more people were quitting their jobs. They wanted something that offered something else than working for the MAN. I’m not against the 9-5 job, many people love their jobs and it offers them the right benefits. Though, they are people who have never been satisfied with that and the worst advice would be to follow what one else does, even if it makes you miserable.

I believe some people are born entrepreneurs. They were born into an entrepreneurship family. So, from an early age, they saw what entrepreneurship was really about. I was born into an entrepreneurial family, but I didn’t want to be an entrepreneur until I was much older. I didn’t want to do things that were expected of me. I used to fight against the status quo. Then they are people who are made into entrepreneurs. These people usually find entrepreneurship along the way and find their footing. Then they are those who are thrust into entrepreneurship. The last camp are people who have no choice but to turn into entrepreneurship because of circumstances they couldn’t prevent.

Below are the reasons entrepreneurship is the new normal.

There’s no satisfaction in the job market

As a kid I always used to hear, paper will open so many doors for you. Even though my parents were entrepreneurs, they also were extremely educated. Now, I have nothing against university. I learned a lot of great things from university. It taught me so much about myself and what I was capable of. It opened doors. Back then, colleges and universities had more credibility than they do now.

The new normal is entrepreneurship. Here’s why? Look at the job market. They seem to be far more unemployed people than they are jobs. Even if those people get jobs, they make less than a lot of entrepreneurs. I’m talking about the successful. Maybe not the top tier entrepreneurs, but they are few lower tier entrepreneurs who make $5000 per month. Think about that. That might not seem like a lot, but that income will grow faster than it does with a normal job. A lot of top tier entrepreneurs earn anything from $50,000 to $1 million per month. That seems impossible, but it isn’t. It takes time and dedication, but it can be achieved.

Entrepreneurship is the new normal because it offers room for you to grow. Unfortunately, jobs aren’t like that. You can spend 10 years working at a company and only earn a little more than you did when you started. Yes, they are people who get promoted, but that’s a small fraction. Most people won’t get that opportunity to get promoted. The job market is stagnant unless you are working in the new industries or in the science industries. Most of us go down the normal route and often those jobs don’t offer a lot of room to spread your wings.

Also Related: 19 Reasons to Start Your Own Business

Passion is the new currency

Life is precious and short. Darn it. No, it’s valuable. Passion is the new currency, and therefore entrepreneurship is the new normal. As children, many of us watched movies about the struggling passionate artist. It made us believe that your passion won’t put food on the table. Things are different now, though. I’m sure people told Elon Musk that Tesla wouldn’t work. I’m sure they told him it was impossible. He still went out and did it. Yes, Elon Musk is a genius. So using him as an example might not convince you.

Let’s look at other people who followed their passions. Look at any influencer you follow. Whether in the beauty, fitness or success industry. Many of them don’t have their own products. Yet, they are making lots of money. What about the authors you read? We often like to say some people are lucky. But that isn’t the case. Often, it is refusing to let go or settle down. Passion is the new currency because it’s harder to quit when you are passionate.

When you are passionate, you will push yourself regardless of what people say. You will push yourself past the surrounding barriers. Passion is valuable because it offers you the motivation to get up, even when you don’t want to. Entrepreneurship is the new normal because passion fuels it. The founders of Airbnb had a simple dream and now their company is worth billions of dollars. Your passion can lead you to places you never imagined.

Your why

Entrepreneurship is the new normal because the world is changing. More and more people are looking into their why. Their purpose or calling. The people who change the world aren’t vast companies. No. The ones who change the game and the world are entrepreneurs. An entrepreneur who wanted to offer kids the opportunity to learn and write started pencils of Promise. He changed the world. The people who inspire are the entrepreneurs. They are the ones who motivate the shift in the dynamic. Entrepreneurs always have a big why and an even bigger who.

They know what their purpose is and who they want to help. They understand that to truly change the world; they have to disregard their selfish desires. This is how they change the world and make it better. We all have a purpose. We all have a why. Sometimes it might not seem as great as you hoped. Maybe, the design doesn’t seem all that great. But that’s how it starts. A caterpillar never thinks they’ll turn into a butterfly. Why would they? The ugliest thing has the potential to turn into the most beautiful insect. We all have potential.

Your idea might not seem great now, but then it can change. It takes belief to push what you want to make the world better. We all have the potential to beautify the world. I believe God gives us inspiration and ideas to change the new norm. Entrepreneurship is one of the few fields that can actually do that. Therefore, it’s the new normal. It can turn something as simple as an idea and shift the dynamic. Canva was just an idea. So were the shopping malls and the fast-food restaurants. All of them just started out as ideas. Often that’s all you need.

Also Related: Why You Should Find Your Purpose

Scale and grow

What is your superpower? We all have it. Something that makes us different from everyone else. Entrepreneurship is the new normal because it helps you lean into that and helps you use it. Not every industry does that. Plus, you grow and change because of entrepreneurship. Before entrepreneurship, I had no direction. It was hard for me to solve my problems. Now, it’s easier. Entrepreneurship has given me the opportunity to scale and grow.

It has given me a chance to see opportunities I never did before. Now, I accept things I would never have accepted before. Sounds simple. Too easy. But even my clients tell me how entrepreneurship has helped them find opportunities. One of the great things about entrepreneurship is that it shows you countless ideas of how to make money online. It isn’t as hard as many people make it sound. Not saying it’s easy, like taking your dog for a walk. Nothing worthwhile is easy. Still, it will open your eyes to so many ways you can make money.

You might not have imagined these ways. Often, all it takes is a simple leap. Then you can make money from your ideas. You can change course. This is how you scale and grow. Entrepreneurship is the new normal because you can have several modes of making money. The more you scale, the more ways you can make money. There’s also something satisfying about being financially secure and free. You won’t have to worry about money. Money will work for you rather than you work for money. You can spend a few hours working on your business and still make more money than your 9-5 job. I’m not saying any of this is easy. Nothing worthwhile comes easy. You got to work at it. You won’t make it with a push of a button or pushing products you don’t believe.

If you do it the right way. Follow the right path and look at the map. Then you will succeed. If you don’t give up, then you will succeed. It takes time, but I guarantee that it’s worth the ride.

What is your one takeaway from this post? Comment below.

KEEP PUSHING

VANESSA

Why You Should Ditch Your Perfect Vision For Your Calling?

by vanessa | Dec 29, 2021 | creativity, motivation, personal development

Why you Should ditch your perfect vision for your calling

This is why you should ditch your perfect vision to find your calling

We are a few days away from 2022. To think that the year is almost over is insane. But just now we will celebrate a new year. One thing I have been thinking a lot about is ditching my perfect vision. What? It does sound weird when you write it down. Here are the facts. We all have a perfect vision of what we expect our life to be. We all these dreams or visions of success. And it’s perfect because often it isn’t based on reality. When you were little, who did you want to be? When I was a little kid every year, I had a new dream. It never was the same because in my mind anything was possible. So Imagined traveling around the world. Never knew how it would happen, I just expected it to happen.

Our visions are perfect. That is the problem. It’s alright to have big dreams. That’s what keeps the world churning and moving. Dreaming big is what will get you to where you want to be. Still. Perfect visions don’t create perfect worlds. Instead, they push you past the norm and you rely on something that might never happen. Reality is based on what your calling is. That’s hard to find if you spend way too much time relying on your perfect vision. So, if you want to be successful in 2022. Then you need to ditch your perfect vision. Here’s how you can do that.

Acceptance

Acceptance isn’t a simple thing to do. If it was, we would all accept our flaws. It would be that simple. But the best things in life are never easy. One thing 2021 has taught me is that it’s okay to accept our weaknesses and rejoice in our strengths. It’s what makes life so much better. It is also how you ditch your vision. Maybe you have questions. Maybe you don’t. Either way, here’s why acceptance helps you to find your calling.

When I was a kid, I was diagnosed with ADHD. Not a big shocker. It became harder to cope when I was older. I realized it took me longer to understand certain things. Like most people, I fought this diagnosis. Tried to be someone I wasn’t. I attempted it time and time. Thinking this is when I prove that I’m not this. I failed at it. Why? Because they are things we can’t change about ourselves whether we want to admit that. They are things that are out of our control. Let’s say you want to change countries because you believe they are better things in another country. This isn’t a bad dream. But you got to accept that it might take time. Do what you can wherever you are.

Acceptance is how you ditch your perfect vision because you realize that the world isn’t perfect. So, your calling shouldn’t be. Your life can’t be perfect. Dealing with life’s hurdles is how you will succeed in 2022. Now, on to the next way, you can ditch your perfect vision.

Learn to deal with life’s hurdles

We all go through hurdles. That’s what makes life more enjoyable. Imagine if you had no obstacles. Who would you be? Where would you be? Many obstacles made me who I am today. I learned to be patient through life’s hurdles. This is how you ditch your perfect vision to find your calling. If you are like most people, you know you want a better life, but do not know how to get there. You want to be more financially secure but are unsure how you can establish that.

Well, that’s why learning how to deal with life’s hurdles is important. It will teach you how to find your calling. How? What problems did you solve? How did you do something in a short matter of time? As much as life can be a bummer, it can provide us with insight into things we never considered. It can show us a better way. Your calling is right there. Behind the stack of bills and solutions to your problems. You just have to reach and grab it. Sounds easy. But it should be that easy. We stick with this unrealistic expectation that our callings should be what everyone expects it to be. That isn’t the case. Your calling is often a problem you solved. Often because it is fuelled by passion. You want to help people who were in your situation.

The greatest start-ups and most successful entrepreneurs didn’t find their callings in their favorite cereal box. They found it fixing a problem or finding a solution. So, that’s what you need to do to find your calling. So ditch your perfect vision. This will help you find your calling.

Stop trying to please people

Many of us have lost our ways. We have spent far too much time trying to please people that we have forgotten our callings. I’m a culprit of this. As kids, we weren’t like this. We went with the flow. Did our own things. Listened to ourselves more than we do now. Maybe becoming an adult has prevented us from being childlike in wonder. We have taken that off the chessboards and seen it as stupid. There’s this notion that dreaming and holding onto our callings makes us childish. No, it doesn’t. It makes us brave.

Our perfect vision is now a replica of the ideal adult’s dream. The corner office. The prestige and status or even the huge paycheck. We all think that’s what success looks like. Of course, they some that don’t. Those who don’t have listened to their hearts. They have listened to their voices. Many of us, though, have gotten lost as we wander this world looking for an outlet or a chance to try out our perfect vision. We have convinced ourselves we would be happier, so we push ourselves so hard. We hope we’ll get promoted. Even though right now we’re not happy with where we are at. We aren’t happy working for our boss or doing our jobs. The passion has been stripped from us.

Stop holding onto a perfect vision that doesn’t exist. Not everyone is suited for the corporate life. Not everyone will be happy with the corner office. When you ditch this idea, you will ditch your perfect vision. Why? Because of that vision you created to make everyone around you happy. You didn’t mean to. It happened on instinct. Something you were taught. If you want to find your calling, stop thinking about what everyone would want you to do. This includes your parents, friends, or spouse. Whoever thinks that X or Y is a better choice doesn’t know you. Do what you feel you want to do. What will energize and rejuvenate you? Do that to find your calling.

Also Related: 13 Ways to Stop Being a People Pleaser

Keep going

This won’t be easy. Even if you ditch your perfect vision, they will be times you will doubt yourself. They will be times when you think and believe you are on the wrong track. You must keep going. You need to learn to be present even through the silence (when nothing seems to be happening) and despite the noise (when people tell you aren’t doing anything with your life.) Most people won’t get it. If they did well, then it will be easier. Often, people give up because of a lack of support. I know a couple of people who went through this.

They didn’t have support, so they gave up. And as hard as it is, you can’t give up. Keep moving regardless of what is going on in your world. Keep going even when the stacks are against you. It’s here that you will discover what you are made of. You had to ditch your perfect vision to find your calling. You did the right thing. Sometimes it won’t feel like that. Often you will question whether or not you have lost your mind. Your loved ones won’t understand you. They will even say that you aren’t serious about life. Don’t listen to them. Listen to your heart.

If you want to be successful in 2022 and beyond, you need to learn to listen to yourself more. Don’t listen to the negative voices in your head masquerading as your voice. That isn’t your voice. Just something to dissuade you from moving forward. Listen to the positive voice. That’s your authentic voice. The voice that will help you see how far you can go.

How will you ditch your perfect vision to find your calling? Let me known in the comments section.

KEEP P USHING

VANESSA

5 Easy Ways To Boost Creativity

by vanessa | Jul 1, 2020 | creativity, Entrepreneurs

5 easy ways to boost creativity

Find out how you can boost your creativity with 5 easy methods.

Years ago, many of us saw creativity as this trait that only the exceptional had and needed. We believed that it was impossible to boost our creativity. We marveled at authors, at their ability to create worlds that they never visited with politics that made sense. Our minds were blown away at how structured their worlds were and the laws. When the novels were adapted, we ran to the theaters knowing we were in for a treat.

We viewed actors, singers, and painters the same way. Many of us have had this block when it comes to creativity. In recent years, scientists and psychologists have come out to claim that everyone is creative. This is good news for us because that means we can boost it. You might be wondering why is it that important. If you want to be an entrepreneur then you need to be creative. This will help you when it comes to making videos, writing books, or blog posts. It is extremely important to boost creativity because once you learn how to do it then you will be amazed at what you will achieve.

Let’s look at a few of the greatest entrepreneurs. Sir. Richard Branson required creativity to help him come with ideas for his first projects. Without it, he wouldn’t have achieved the success he has. Another great example is Tony Robbins. He has written dozens of books, but he needed to boost his creativity for him to write those books. Boosting creativity might seem difficult, but it requires you to take a step forward. Understanding there’s more to becoming successful than your belief system, it also involves your traits. One of those traits is creativity.

If you were to do a study on what makes people successful. A few traits would stand out. One of them would be resilience, knowledge and the other would be creativity. This isn’t an exhaustive list of the traits of successful people. But I hope you understand that you need creativity to help you solve problems and to create ideas. But you also need it to see the world from a different perspective. Below are a few ways you can boost creativity.

Keep a journal

There is a reason why every successful person has a journal. Writers, actors, entrepreneurs, and musicians keep journals. The way they journal is different, of course, but the process is the same. This is one way you can boost creativity. When you journal, write down your thoughts or visions. Whatever you are experiencing at the moment, just grab a journal and write it down.

What this does is help you solve the problem. It is scientifically proven that writing down things helps you to see something in a different light. If you have a problem that you are struggling to solve, grab a journal, and write it down. This will force you to find a solution to your problem. It has proven that the greatest minds like Einstein and Da Vinci kept journals with exhaustive notes. Einstein managed to solve his problems by writing things down in a journal and Da Vinci found solutions to world problems that were prevalent in those times. Even though he didn’t build the inventions, years later someone came and used his equations to do just that.

Choose a creative activity

One of the easiest ways to boost creativity is by doing something creative. For example, many people choose to pick up drawing and painting. You might not consider yourself an artist, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it. Something happens when you start drawing. Your neurons start firing and you get an extra dose of dopamine. This will help you to boost your creativity. Maybe, the idea of drawing scares the crap out of you.

Drawing can be scary. There are dozens of options out there. The point in boosting your creativity is also not limiting yourself to what everyone else is doing. So, why not pick up an instrument. Learning to play an instrument is also a great way to boost creativity. A few other things you can do are pottery, sculpturing, photography, quilting, origami, writing, wood carving, or woodwork. They are far more examples out there. The objective here is to create something with your hands.

Creative hobbies push you out of your comfort zone and force you to concentrate and be disciplined. Constant action creates momentum and helps you with your problem-solving skills, idea generation, patience, and creativity. The more you practice, you step out of the boxes that confine you and you start exploring other ways of doing something. For example, you start exploring all the different ways you can take one photo or you come up with an idea for a song.

Listen to music

This is one of the easiest ways to boost creativity. Music has a way of changing the mood in a room. With the right music, you can believe anything and the right song will boost creativity. Music also fires up our neurons, helping our body to relax and feel more comfortable.

Numerous scientists speak highly about using music as a motivational booster. Ambient music helps you process situations better and this promotes abstract processing. This leads to higher creativity. Music can aid you in figuring out creative solutions to solve your problems. Though, the music you listen to has to be at a moderate level. So, loud rock or rap music will make you overwhelmed and stressed out. The type of music you listen to will affect you more than you know.

We underestimate the power of learning to play a musical instrument and listening to music. It can change the way we operate and perceive the world, but it must be the right genre. Loud music does the exact opposite of soft music.

Learn something

Do you want to boost your creativity? Then learn something. Many of us believed that once we graduated from high school or college then the learning period was over unless it was associated with our profession. That is far from the truth. Learning never stops. The most successful people are always picking up new skills. Whether it is learning a new instrument, understanding marketing, how to write a book, or anything else they focus on learning.

Successful entrepreneurs tend to read more than twenty books a year. There’s a reason for that. The simple answer to that is learning builds new neurons which also helps you to solve problems better. Are you terrible at solving problems? Then learn something new. Keep doing this until it becomes second nature. The more you learn new things, you can use this as a start in your business. You never know how something you learned four years ago can change your life now.

But this knowledge can help you in your day-to-day. You will go from a person struggling to solve their problems to one who doesn’t. When you learn something, your mindset also changes. You stop thinking that you can’t become creative. This shift will change your life in so many ways and it will boost your creativity because you will start working on it. Creativity is a muscle like self-discipline. You need to work on it for you to get better at it.

Also Related: How to Solve Problems Like A Entrepreneur

Map out your plans/goals

Instead of doing to-do lists why not map it out in a colorful way. Brain dumps are one of the best ways to boost creativity and anyone can do it without a problem. This is a way new neurons can also be built. But it also helps to get all the things in your head out on paper. When you dump or map out all your ideas even the crazy ones that you were terrified to say you starting seeing connections.

That is important. Ever since we were children we were trained to see connections, but we had to write them down to understand them. That is why even as adults, writing down our thoughts helps us understand them better and complete the tasks. We have been trained that is the way to do it. This is why you need to write it down because once you do then you can start working through your connections.

What most people don’t understand about creativity is that it is needed for problem-solving. Many of us believe only those who pursue creative professions require it. That isn’t true, if you want to achieve anything then you need creativity to help you do that. It is also required to come up with ideas. When you boost your creative muscle you will start to notice what needs improvement and how you can work on ideas in their infancy.

KEEP PUSHING

VANESSA

What is your takeaway from the blog and what methods are you going to implement first. Comment below

The Reality Of Finding Your Calling

by vanessa | Feb 19, 2020 | creativity, motivation

THE REALITY ABOUT FINDING YOUR CALLING AND HOW TO FIND IT

Best way to find your calling

Finding your calling is not as easy as it seems. That is why people have written books on the subject so that people can find their calling. If it was easy, we all

would be living out our purpose. Nope, if you are like most people you did the normal thing. Graduated from high school, went to college and decided not to

dropout to pursue your own thing.

You graduated from college, your parents were proud, but there was this hollowness in you. You couldn’t explain, four years working on your degree and it

all came to this. Your moment, yet there’s something missing. All your friends told you their brilliant plans about what they were going to do after graduation,

the jobs lined up and then there’s you. Still confused on what you are going to do just like what you experienced when you first came to college.

If you didn’t experience this, that’s alright, but if you did then you aren’t alone on this journey called life. I experienced this. I was happy about graduating, but

there was something missing. I didn’t know what it was. I didn’t feel as excited to graduate compared to my friends who were filled with all these

ideas of what they wanted to do.

I had no clue. Years later, I realized I chased someone’s calling. We all have a calling, but the shape differs for everyone. Chase Jarvis, author behind

Creative Calling. Understands that chasing your dream matters. You might think it doesn’t. From experience, I have seen that the way you look at yourself

and the world differs when you chase after your calling. First you need to find your calling. If you want to understand more about your calling, keeping

reading.

You will be happier

In 2015, I graduated from college. It was supposed to be the best day of my life and yet it wasn’t. The next day, I had no clue what I wanted to do. I had no

prospects or job interviews lined up. One day on a sunning afternoon, I was walking to my mother’s office and I stared at the sky.

I asked myself a question I hadn’t asked myself in a while. Was this supposed to be my life? Waiting for the phone to ring for a job interview and hoping that

someone would fix my life. Then I realized I had to fix what was wrong with me. I didn’t want to work for anyone. The thought of doing that made me sick to

my stomach and I was at crossroads.

My family wanted me to find a job, my siblings wanted me to work any job that I could get and I had no clue what I wanted. I was so used to people telling me

what I should do with my life. I was miserable. A few years later, when I started following my dreams I became happier. Chirpier even and that happened

because I found my calling. When you find your calling your life changes for the better and it shapes the way you look at life.

You will become self-disciplined

One thing that I discovered is that when it comes to finding your calling the one thing that works is to discover what area you are disciplined in. When I was

wasn’t following my calling, self-discipline was one of those things I struggled with. I only ever did what I was required to do when it was too late then I found

my calling and everything changed.

I struggled with waking up early before, but it became easier to do that. When I was doing something that made me happy then my outlook changed because

I wanted more than anything to build up my calling. If you are like most people, you are probably skeptical. Can finding your calling change you that much?

I can tell you that it does because I went through it myself. Things that I struggled with before, I started working on them because I had a reason for why I

was doing it. The reason why most people struggle with self-discipline is because they don’t have a strong enough reason for why they are doing it. If you

want to wake up because you want to be ready for work that’s not a strong enough reason to do it. However, if you want to wake up because you want

to start working on your business. That’s a strong enough reason.

The reason why is because you understand that to start working on your business that requires more time. If there’s a big enough reason behind why you

are doing something you will find that self-discipline won’t be as hard as it was.

Also Related: 10 Ways to Master Self-Discipline

Your big reason

When I was a kid had a lot of dreams that never stood the test of time. The older I got, I lost interest in them like most kids do. The truth is most of them had

no big reason behind them. It was easier to give up on them then to continue pursuing things that didn’t fuel me. We all go through this. Growing pains as

you call it.

Many of us have these lavish dreams that we wish we could follow through with. Finding your calling is hard, but what is hard is finding a calling that has a big

reason because often at times your calling could be a fluke. For example, I believed my calling was to become a singer. Then I had to face the harsh reality

that I wasn’t keen to go through all the hurdles that comes with pursuing singing.

I was more attracted to the glitter more than anything else and when that dream disappeared, I had to find another calling. Your calling must have a big

reason, if you can’t come up with at least five reasons why you want to do it then it is a fluke. And if you can then you have found your calling.

The Burden

Finding your calling and going after it will be met with some resistance. Not just from you, but from a lot of people in your life. Heck you will be met with

scrutiny as well. People will think that you think that you are better than everyone else. As strange as it seems, many of us are too terrified to go for our

dreams and we are also terrified if someone goes after their dreams.

It could be that makes us feel small or as if we are not living up to our full potential. The burdens you will face will be plenty. That is why most people don’t

find their callings. Too concerned about forces that they can’t control. You can’t control whether people will support you or the challenges you will face.

Though, you can control what you feel.

That is another thing about finding your calling. You will feel as though you are a fraud, your confidence will slip from your reach and you will start comparing

yourself more than you did before. For some people, it isn’t worth it. But from what I have realized there’s far more benefit from finding your calling then not

doing it.

What you need to realize is that anything worthwhile will take more effort. Think of the relationships that have made you who you are, they are worth it

because you care what happens to them. Once you do put more effort then you can enjoy the benefits of it.

Also Related: 7 Life Skills to Skyrocket Success

What risks are you willing to take to chase after your dreams? Loved to know. Comment below.

Keep Pushing

Vanessa