My first job out of college in 1988 was as a paralegal for a big New York law firm. Not a fun job (read: mind-numbing busy work). One of my big tasks was comparing changes to a document by hand and marking those changes. The attorney would then mark his changes to those changes, have his secretary type them and send the new document overnight to the other side. Each round of revisions took about two days. Compare that to using Google Docs (or some similar program) where attorneys literally edit the document together anywhere in the world. No down time at all.
As amazing as today’s technology is, the ethos (pathos?) behind ultra-connectivity has a price. In the rush to get to the next place, we often forget to breathe. There is so much to be said for taking time to just think (or not), be still and allow ideas to come in their own time. You can no more force creativity as you can make a baby grow faster. When noise overwhelms intuition and our interior voice we know we have to cut out the noise. Without room for inspiration, we are left only with reaching for the next milestone. Our greatest achievements are what we never see coming. That said, this post is not about everyone’s need to stop, breathe and be present. It is about having your creative business do so.
So many of us are in such a hurry to sign the client that we do not let the relationship develop. We sell when we should be listening, sharing, connecting. The rush to get to the next step makes us ignore the value of being where we are – seeing, feeling, experiencing the human being across from us. It is then impossible to see the gift each of us give the other – from your client: the stage to perform; from you: the translation of a vision, a desire into reality.
We are so afraid of being left behind that we make everything a race. Is it any wonder the stress we all feel to perform? To create magic instantly? I am not saying we should go back, only that real time still requires time. When you build your business on speed of delivery and ultra-responsiveness you ignore the natural flow of creation.
There is theater to creative business. What you sell is as much about artistry as it is about your art. How your client experiences your artistry is what matters. If what you do requires three acts, there is no sense forcing it into one. You rob your creative business of the arcs all great stories are built on. To say that you are not given enough time by your client might be true, but all too often it is self-inflicted. Make no mistake, you, your art and your creative business are storytellers. Selling the Cliff Notes version only gets you clients that have no appreciation for the nuance and necessity of time.
Take a breath. Have your creative business take a breath. Enjoy the hard conversation with your client. You cannot make it happen yesterday, but tomorrow will be more than worth the wait.
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I don’t know how in the world you know exactly what to teach at just the right time, but I’m so glad that you do.
Thank you for this wake up call.
Thank you, for such a valuable reminder.
These last few days have felt just like this and I truly needed this to slap me in the face! Well said. Bravo!
Well said. The short and sweet and “cheaper” version doesn’t do anyone any good. Creativity can happen in a flash, but only after careful study and consideration.
Wonderful post. Very insightful as always.
A great reminder…thank you for the wonderful post!
Seems like clients are engaging differently lately too…it’s a multi-pronged process for them as well. My favorite clients of late have really taken their time and had many stages of dialogue with me…instead of the usual–yep, where do we sign? But it has been worth it to wade through it all with them–because in the end, we both are more excited to work together. Thanks Sean!