Dutiful Creative: Using Your Strengths to Maximize Your Potential
by Natasha Reilly-Moynihan
Growing up, I looked at comics and fictional characters found in novels with equal admiration because it was apparent that it wasn’t just superheroes who had superpowers, it was great characters in literature and beyond that, it was all of us. I am still fascinated by people’s superpowers, especially Creative Types because most of the time the very skills you take for granted are your superpowers.
It wasn’t just superheroes who had superpowers, it was all of us.
Look at you, the Dutiful Creative, for example. Living in a world where instant gratification and moving at the speed of light are more the norm than the exception, you have the ability to pace yourself and say “No” in order to stay calm and focused no matter what comes flying at you.
A Realistic Pace
Your natural ability to move at a pace that feels right while managing expectations and making room for life to happen make it possible for you to complete creative projects. When it comes to creativity, you assure that you have the right materials and are ready to create at a set time so that even if you only have a few minutes, you use those minutes to their full potential.
Saying “No”
Your second incredible superpower is saying “no”. Learning to say no is a tough skill for many. Despite what seems like an innate ability to say that word, “No” again and again when we are children, our society conditions us to stop paying it and instead say yes to everything that comes our way which can lead to overwhelm. When we say no, we take better care of ourselves and take time to create our lives.
Scheduling time and setting boundaries for the creativity in our lives is central to the success of the Dutiful Creative. Next month, we will learn how one small shift in your thinking can become your greatest asset and make you unstoppable.
Creative Consulting for Dutiful Creatives
Natasha Reilly-Moynihan is a writing specialist, cinematographer and creative consultant at JLP. She works with innovative thinkers looking to expand their ideas, for-profit and non-profit leaders looking to give projects a new jolt, and fun-loving souls who have become “too serious". Her superpowers include exceptional listening and the ability to cultivate levity and humor.