The Low Down

By Melody J. Wilding '11SW of the Columbia Career Coaches Network

Originally published on melodywilding.com

Why does it seem like some people can effortlessly “follow their passions,” while others can’t? What’s the secret of successful entrepreneurs and creatives who live out their dreams of dedicating their careers to inspiring, meaningful work? Why do the rest of us feel stuck in an unfulfilling funk?

Not everyone can follow their passion and make money from it. Not everyone can work on a personal project or business that lights you up and makes every day feel like retirement. Or can you?

The exciting truth is that there are small changes you can make every day to dig yourself out of burnout and inch yourself closer to creating a life and career that invigorates you, instead of draining you. The key is attuning yourself to your capacity for creativity.

Unfortunately, the systems we find ourselves in—whether that be family, schools, or—condition out of us the courage to risk. Playing it safe suits the naysayers who are scared of the sacrifice and upheaval big ideas entail, but staying small is unfulfilling. This is why, if you truly want to be exceptional, you have to nurture this skill again. You have to nurture your creative genius. Luckily, you can do that through developing habits and deliberate practice working the creative “muscles” in your brain.

Creativity is part art, and part science. In the decades since the science of creativity began to be uncovered, there have been many books written on the topic, which will help you build those muscles and achieve that illusive creativity.

These are 5 of my favorite: