Ep #136: The Sure Fire Way to Squash Creativity

Speak Up. Show Up.

My client had flown in for a VIP day to get her Rooftop Message Talk crafted all in one day. I love these days together because the creative energy is off the hook! Even though it's called a VIP day, we actually start our work together a week or two prior, with questionnaires and exploring branding, messaging and offerings. All kinds of details so that on our VIP day we can dive deep fast.

We spent the entire day exploring her stories, playing with messaging and refining her offerings. The walls were covered with large post it papers.

She left our time together absolutely GIDDY with the possibilities not just for her speaking but for her business and thought leadership overall.

I sent her a refined version of her talk outline a few days later, with a few questions in the comments and requests for some stories to flesh out the talk.

I didn’t hear from her for a week… then she’d check in and let me know she was still thinking and would get back to it soon… then two weeks, a month passed…

By the time she came back to our conversation she was second guessing every idea she had in our treasure chest of talk content, stories and messaging!

When I asked her why she made so many changes, she said, “I just didn’t feel like it was right. I wasn’t sure that would work.”

So we ventured down her path of new ideas, each iteration feeling more stifled and tight.

This is when I realized we were doing the very thing that is likely to create the LEAST creative content and ideas…

We were trying really hard to get it right!

In this episode, I share:

• Why trying to get it right is the least helpful thing to do when creating great presentations & talks, podcasts, books, articles… anything creative!
• The early signs that your analytical mind is getting too involved
• What to do to get back to your most creative energy
• What happens with this client story in the end!

Trying really hard to get it right is pretty much always a sign that you need to stop and do something else. YOu’ve moved out of your creative energy and into critical, analytical energy. Not a lot of good stuff happens there at this stage.

I promise your greatest ideas, content, expression is fully alive in your creative energy. Enjoy this part of the process - it can be so gloriously fun and exploratory!

And remember, my book Beyond Applause: Make… has all kinds of support for you sharing your voice, especially if you want to get on awesome stages! Get your free copy at Michellebarryfranco.com/freebook.

Related Link:

Whose Mind Is It Anyway? By Lisa Esile & Franco Esile