Getting Work To Work

Comparison, jealousy, envy, impostor syndrome, fear of missing out, feeling like I don't measure up—nothing triggers these feelings more than learning. From online courses to in-person experiences, along with multiple mediums of engagement, there are unlimited opportunities to learn daily. It always seems like everyone else is learning all the things, and I'm learning hardly anything. But I realized that the more important reality is not how much you are learning but how you best learn and tailor your experiences accordingly. In simpler terms: quality, not quantity.

I love those moments when you hear something so straightforward that it reveals something hidden in your brain. I recently shared feedback with a friend, and her response was swift: "Yep, I know that about myself, it's a crutch." I couldn't get that phrase out of my head. I know what crutches are used for when we hurt our bodies, but what are they used for when it comes to our creativity? Are they good, bad, or even odd? These are the questions that I'm exploring, yes, in today's monologue, but honestly, in my life. Because once you start revealing crutches in your life and work, you won't stop seeing them. Then it becomes a question of, "What do you do with them?"

One of the constant forces of living a creative life is balancing the tension between creation and curation. Often, people explain those two acts of creativity as separate tasks: creators create and curators curate. Occasionally, they overlap, but they are usually separated. I don't deny these two worlds. I think as creators we are in a constant state of both functions. We consume and curate the inspirational work that fuels our work. We create in the hopes that others will curate what we have done. But what happens as we amass a body of work throughout our lifetimes? How do we unearth the gold from the past so that people can benefit from it today? The answer is through the power of curation.

What do you do when you feel lost on your creative journey? You do what today's guest does: continue exploring the great unknown. Alicja Colon is a paper illustrator, tactile artist, and entrepreneur. She is the first person who comes to mind when I think of an artist constantly reinventing who they are and sharing the struggles and successes along the way. In this conversation, Alicja uses her brave voice of transparency and authenticity to talk about the sustainability of art and business. She talks candidly about burnout and how the freelance life affects not just herself but those around her. We then soar into the silver clouds of exploration, talking about visual analogies, curiosity, passion, and the power of personal declarations.

The past few weeks, I've been feeling stuck, left out, on the bench, not playing the game at my usual level of proficiency. The feelings were so intense, complex, and thick that I didn't know where to start unpacking them. As I shared them with my business coach, she said a phrase that reverberated deep within me: "This sounds a lot like professional jealousy. I can so relate to this." In this episode, I will tell a few stories of how professional jealousy has shaped my career. I'm going to talk about comparing yourself to others and how comparison is the root of professional jealousy. I'll also share five ways to recognize and work through any jealousy you might be experiencing.

Who are the people in your life who have made a noticeable impact on you? Near the top of my list is today's guest on Getting Work To Work, Diane Gibbs, a designer, graphic design educator, Host of The Design Recharge Show, and visionary behind Creatives Ignite, an online summer camp for creative entrepreneurs. If that's not enough, she is also a dealer of hope. Her mission is to connect creatives, so no one ever feels alone. In this conversation, she shares her entrepreneurial journey from selling bookmarks at a young age to starting an online summer camp in 2020. We talk a lot about serving others, giving feedback as a way to show you care, the impact of accountability, and the value of being accessible. Oh, and she provides all the details about Creatives Ignite.

I was surprised when a theme popped up over the past few days. It's centered around this question: What do you want your creative life to look like on your next milestone birthday? For me, that's 50. It boggles my mind that I am closer to 50 than 30, let alone 20, but that's just life. On the difficulty scale of questions to ask, this one is off the charts. I live life drifting between the present and some moment in the past. While I want to blame this behavior on the Internet, algorithms, and a culture that worships the youth and everything new, I don't want to deal with reality. But I have to, just like we all do. And it starts with preparing for my creative future.

How do you use a public art installation during a pandemic to promote safe gatherings in a public space? To answer that question are two people behind Polka Dot Downtown, a performance art installation in and around Portland, Oregon, including Pioneer Courthouse Square. Bill Will is a conceptual sculptor and installation artist. Theresa Vetsch-Sandoval is the Director of Marketing for Pioneer Courthouse Square, Portland's Living Room. In this conversation, they share how this unique project came to life, what it takes to design art for massive spaces, and the impact Polka Dot Downtown has had on the community. Sprinkled throughout, Bill and Theresa talk a lot about public art and how artists can develop their reputations and share their creativity with others.

Lately, I've been asking myself and others this question, "When is an idea ready?" I'm curious about what it takes for others to act because ready is a commitment. It's a decision to go from an abstract thought that plays out only in your head to something becoming realized through planning, acting, creating, editing, refining, publishing, shipping, and sharing. For myself, I'm not entirely sure when an idea is ready to go. I think it's a mix of "can't stop thinking about it" and "if I don't do something now, I won't do anything at all." In other words, I amplify an internal sense of creative tension that I must resolve. For others, it's a deadline, a belief, a desire, an obligation, even a calling.

What were you born to do? A powerful question that can be overwhelming to consider, let alone answer. Dr. Rebekah Louisa Smith, the founder of The Film Festival Doctor, is here to discuss her soul purpose: to help filmmakers get their films seen in the right festivals and win awards. In this conversation, we also talk about her book, Born To Do It: Becoming the Leader of a Business Niche Using Powerful Spiritual Techniques and several concepts from the book, including branding and energy, positioning, identifying business opportunities, and networking. Throughout the conversation, Rebekah reflects the importance of being open to the unexpected and to others.