There are times when the tedium of your day job can feel suffocating. You may also feel quite stuck in your work, as if what you’re doing doesn’t contribute anything to your career growth.
If you’ve ever experienced this, then perhaps it’s time to reorient your way of thinking. Instead of seeing yourself as a worker, start seeing yourself as a creator. This can be quite a challenge, especially since many of us have been “programmed” to think this way. However, it is quite possible to do.
Below are just a few tips that can help to make the change, so you can feel more like a creator:
Ask for Advice
If you’ve been doing your job for long enough, you’ll definitely feel as if you already know everything about it. On some level, this can be true. Nevertheless, there are still certain aspects of the job where you might need some help to make a positive change. Everyone should feel free to ask for advice. You will see how much further you can take your career with just a little expert help.
Some of the people you might want to consult include career coaches, your bosses, and even colleagues whose work you admire. Holistic career coaches, in particular, can help you awaken your ambitions and hone your leadership skills to prepare you for something better.
Bring Value in Everything You Do
Becoming a creator involves adding value to every single thing that you do. It doesn’t matter if the task is big or small. You should put in all your effort, all the time. What’s more, you should always look for areas where you can add value. Again, the scope or magnitude of the job doesn’t matter. If you’re good at taking notes during meetings, creating easy-to-understand minutes, then do this without being asked. Become in the habit of giving 110% and creating more value in everything you do.
Don’t Just Do Your Job, Create Solutions
“I’m just doing my job” is not a phrase that businesses usually like to hear from their staff. At the very least, it can make managers feel like all you want to do is your job, nothing more. The truth is that you can do more than “just” your job, you can create solutions!
In order to transition from a worker to a creator mindset, it’s important that you treat what you do as something that contributes to the grander scheme of things. Have a vision and hold on to it. Think about the story of the stone mason who doesn’t say that his job is to lay stones but rather help build a beautiful cathedral. This way of thinking allows you to add more meaning and value to what you do.
Read, Read, Read
To be a creator, you constantly need new ideas. Books can certainly help in this regard. Make sure to read a wide variety of topics, not just those related to your current job. Doing this will not only help you grow your career, but also develop new skills or improve those that you already have. In turn, you can apply these learnings to your life both in and out of work.
It’s also a good idea to explore different genres. If you end up not liking a book, then at the very least, you’ve learned something new. Go to your local library to search for new titles. You can also ask your career coach or your boss if they can recommend books for you.
Learn How to Adapt
A common saying is “the only thing that is constant in life, is change”. This has never been truer today when technology has contributed to fast-paced lifestyles and advancements. Just think of the way the concept of working from home has become the new norm.
As a creator, you need to be able to adapt quickly. Workers can find it difficult to make the shift when confronted with change, but creators can do it more naturally. Strive for flexibility so that you can respond accordingly, no matter what the situation.
Strive to Always Learn
Of course, to be a creator means you have to always be learning. Whether it’s from books, practical experience, or one-on-one coaching.The goal is to learn, learn, learn. You’ll make mistakes along the way but it’s a part of the process. Learn from these mistakes and push forward.
Support Other People
Being a creator means being able to appreciate good work from others. Support good ideas from your colleagues instead of considering them as competition. In turn, don’t be afraid to share your ideas in a forum and ask for suggestions for improvement.
Collaboration is an important element in the process of creating excellent work. Not only do you contribute for the greater good, but you also learn new things. Continuously learning with others also injects more fun into your work. And when you have fun, you’ll find more meaning in what you create.
Not everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, or is suited to this career, and that’s perfectly fine. However, there are a lot of things you can do to add interest and value to your work, and to your life, beyond just doing what is necessary in your job. Hopefully, these tips can help you embrace that creator mindset to bring more meaning to your career.
If you would like to learn more about yourself as a creator, book a 15 Min chat with me.
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