[CEATIVE CAREERS UNLEASHED] BUSTING BARRIERS http://ezezine.com In this issue, find out if you're an Artist and discover how to overcome the biggest barriers Artists face. CREATIVE CAREERS UNLEASHED! from Turning Point Strategies and Lyle T. Lachmuth Sent biweekly to multitalented, creative, independent professionals on 3 continents. Please do forward to interested colleagues in your network. ======================================================================= HOT LINKS Here are the links to web sites mentioned in this newsletter My Blog TurningPoints - "Please Feed Our Artists" http://lyletlachmuth.typepad.com/turningpoints/2004/06/please_feed_our.html Take the Strong Interest Inventory(R) -- This is the Gold standard in career tests focused on showing how knowledge your interests can help create a career you love. Find out if you are an Artistic type: http://kerwinandassociates.com/strong.htm If you take it tell Patrick I sent you! Http://www.calgaryrwa.com/programs.html The announcement of my presentation to the Calgary Chapter of the Romance Writers of America, "From Your Heart To Your Art: 5 Surefire Strategies To Dodge, Deflect, or Destroy Problems Preventing You From Living Your Dreams!" Http://lyletlachmuth.typepad.com/turningpoints/ Real time career advice for Artists and other creative, multitalented professionals ======================================================================= BUSTING BARRIERS Did you notice? I changed my mind. I was going to write about "The Path of the Heart". However, lately, in my coaching life, the focus of my work has been on Barriers to following the Path of the Heart. Wouldn't it be great if we could just waltz our way to our dreams? Doesn't seem to happen for creative, multitalented professionals. It sure didn't for me... I've been pursuing my career dream(s) since I can't remember when. However, one year in my professional story stands out. I still remember that fateful day in 1980 when I woke up one morning and 'knew' that my dream had changed. I spent the first 10 years of my professional career believing and striving for the pinnacle of achievement: Senior Advisor Systems. I loved programming and systems analysis. I loved the challenge of solving client problems, of writing tight code, of interviewing end users, and more. Then one fateful day, two young women walked into the Systems department to help us with Employment Equity. I watched and learned. I was intrigued with what they did. This looked like fun. And, one day I woke up and knew I didn't want to be a Systems Analyst I wanted to work with people not computers. At the time, I didn't know you could do both. Little did I know that my career journey from information systems land would lead out of the safe confines of corporate Canada to the challenging savannas of self-employment. The journey has been easy sometimes, exciting others, ecstatic on occasion, distressing at others, and filled with challenge and barriers -- some of them real! In this and subsequent issues I'm going to focus on strategies for dealing with the barriers that lie between you and your dreams. ======================================================================= QUOTES "The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." -- Bertrand Russel "Every artist knows that there is no such thing as "freedom" in art. The first thing an artist does when he begins a new work is to lay down the barriers and limitations; he decides upon a certain composition, a certain key, a certain relation of creatures or objects to each other. He is never free, and the more splendid his imagination, the more intense his feeling, the farther he goes from general truth and general emotion." -- Willa Cather (1873–1947), US novelist. ======================================================================= BUSTING BARRIERS- continued What stops creative professionals from succeeding? What are the major barriers? In my work I've found that creative, unconventional, bright, irreverent, independent, (you see the trend), professionals belong to a Career Style I call "The Artist" or "The Dreamer". Check out my Blog post, "Please Feed Our Artists" to understand what I mean by Artists: http://lyletlachmuth.typepad.com/turningpoints/2004/06/please_feed_our.html Of the six types of careers defined by John Holland, the Artistic career is the most varied -- and the most confusing to define and live! BARRIER #1 BEING UNCONVENTIONAL Are you attracted to the unconventional? The eccentric? Anything and everything that isn't traditional? Most professionals who are attracted to Artistic careers embrace the label Unconventional. That's great. The downside? Conventional careers are mapped, defined, and have these spiffy things called career paths. For example, when I moved from my employer's Research department I leapt the chasm from the Technical ladder to the Professional ladder. Note the wording ladder. Images of rungs, climbing, and a goal at the TOP. I knew the rungs to climb. I knew the rules. Not so for unconventional careers. Artists don't have straight paths or ladders to climb. They have to find their own way, carve their own path, make their own journey. That's not easy. And, it's pretty damn scary. So, what can you do if you're an Artist? Hang out with other Artists and learn from them. That's why I joined a writers group. And, its why I'm presenting to another writers group Read about other Artists. Even as a teenager I was reading historical novels and the biographies of artists like Michealangelo, Van Gogh, and others. Hire a coach who understands and specializes in working with artists. What are other BIG Barriers faced by Artists. ======================================================================= WHAT ARE YOUR CAREER BARRIERS? What's getting in the way of your dreams? I'd like to know! Why? I'm writing a career handbook for creative, multitalented, independent professionals AKA Artists. And, I want to be sure that I focus on and provide advice on the real challenges facing folks like you. I would like to hear from you. Here's an incentive to get you to write and tell me about your challenges. Every person who responds (with an answer) to my question will receive a wee gift. And, I will give the person who sends me the most responses or the best response (In My Humble Opinion :-) a copy of Daniel Goleman's "Working With Emotional Intelligence." Here's your question: What are the 1 or 2 biggest barriers to your living the life of your dreams? CLICK HERE mailto:LyleTLachmuth@gmail.com?subject=BarrersToMyDreams ======================================================================= BUSTING BARRIERS - continued Most of the barriers faced by Artists boil down to these: BARRIER #2: FEAR The Artist is like the Voyageur of old. Blazing new paths. Fording undiscovered rivers. Going where no man has gone before (Hmm! Where have I heard that?) That's scary. The two greatest fears? The evil twins: Fear of Failure and Fear of Success In order for the Artist to succeed he or she must do and be something unique. What if I fail at being me? That's pretty humiliating. What if I build it and no one comes? What if I write my novel and no one want to read it? Or, what if I succeed? Ironically, many Artists are paralyzed by the idea succeeding. What will happen to me? Will my art go commercial (yuck)? Will my friends abandon me? Most barriers rest on the foundation of FEAR. So, what can you do? READ my Blog http://lyletlachmuth.typepad.com/turningpoints/ over the course of the next 2 weeks for answers. Here's See you May 1st for Busting Barriers - Part 2, Cheers, Lyle Lachmuth -- Turning Point Strategies The Unsticking Coach (TM) Helping Creative Professionals Live Their Dreams Turning Point Strategies Box 72140 RPO Glenmore Landing Calgary, AB CANADA T: 403-390-4768 E: :LyleTLachmuth [at] Gmail dot com =================================================================== ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER PRIVACY POLICY: I abide by the guidelines for privacy set down in the Province of Alberta's Personal Information Protection Act. Specifically, I DO NOT rent, loan, sell, or trade any sub-scribers e-mail address or other personal information. We collect your name and contact information solely to allow us to send you this newsletter and other information on a periodic basis. CAVEAT: CREATIVE CAREERS UNLEASHED and its publisher, are not engaged in providing therapy. This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. CREATIVE CAREERS UNLEASHED may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety only, including copyright, legal, and contact information. Copyright 2005 Turning Point Strategies and Lyle T. Lachmuth