Creativity Or Productivity - by Jeri Goldstein
Which comes first Creativity or Productivity?
As a musician and performing artist, I would venture a guess that the creator in you was the driving force that led you to become a performing artist.
OK, let’s back up a bit. First let me break open Webster’s Dictionary and define these two terms so we can be on the same page.
Creativity: noun, 1. The use of the imagination or original ideas, esp. in the production of an artistic work.
Productivity: noun, 1. A measure relating a quantity or quality of output to the inputs required to produce it.
Now with these definitions in mind, I’d like to make a few observations and then a few suggestions.
Observations
Observation #1: You do the work you do because you are a creator and are creative.
Observation #2: There are a lot of distractions within the performing arts business that keep you from your creativity.
Observation #3: When you focus on productivity rather than creativity, the art and the business suffer because your whole reason for doing the business, sharing your creativity, loses its momentum and drive—productivity factors such as, how many CDs you have sold, how many gigs are booked, how many Facebook fans you have, or even how many tweets you’ve sent can leave you feeling out of sorts and divorced from your artistic self.
Suggestions
Suggestion #1: Refocus on creativity. Let your creative side become a momentum-driver for your business. How do you do this? You start with creativity each day. Your art must come first. Set aside time in the morning for your art. Creating your art must take priority over selling your art. Once you have focused on creating, you’ll be more motivated to do the other tasks that allow you to sell and promote your art.
Suggestion #2: Allow the creative in you to drive your priorities and help set your goals.
Go for quality rather than quantity. Quality art demands quality venues, appreciative fans and respectable fees.
Suggestion #3: Set your creative bar high. The more attention you put to becoming the best creator of your art you can be, the more your art will be valued and in demand. There is a lot of competition out there and the cream will rise to the top, will sell more CDs and get better gigs for higher fees.
Conclusion
When you focus on creativity, as an artist, this reaffirms who you are and why you get up each day. When you put your art first, your enthusiasm to sell your art will flow more easily, even more creatively. If you are excited about your latest song or tune or piece of writing, you will be more motivated to get it in front of the right audience. When you wake up each day, hungry to create or learn to be a better creator, then your motivation to get better gigs to share your latest creation will drive your business forward.
Creativity or productivity, I’d say creativity comes well before productivity.
Let creativity be YOUR driving factor first. YOUR art deserves it.
Is your productivity getting in the way of your creativity? What have you done to put your creativity first? Has being more creative helped your productivity?
Leave me a comment below or on the Performingbiz Success Strategies Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/PerformingbizSuccessStrategies.
I can’t wait to hear about your success.
Thanks to Carol Ehrlich for this week’s Biz Booster graphic image, “Creativity or Productivity.”
Now, Thanks to the Band Curfew from the UK for providing the Biz Booster theme Music, Future Dance. Check them out at www.curfew.co.uk
And for more career boosting tips, articles, books, resources, tele-seminars and online courses, visit me at Performingbiz.com
