It was 2006, and I had been fortunate enough to have worked in the Creative Industry since leaving art college 14 years prior. I had manged to achieve a highly respected reputation in many creative circles, through my relentless grit and determination (okay you got me….working like a dog!!). However, I found my-self stuck in a toxic environment which was slowly killing me (literally!)
I could see my dreams of living a life, which was supposed to be fulfilled and full of creativity, being gradually eroded away.
I was surrounded by people that took everything and gave nothing in return and were masters of manipulation. They made me feel that I was not experienced enough, not talented enough and had too much to lose if I went it alone to pursue my own passion.
Believe me! I was just about to give it all up and settle for the limiting life I was living and accept where I was, in a job that I hated, because even though I was miserable and most days didn’t even have the desire to get out of bed in the morning to go and deal with another soul destroying day, this was familiar and a less risky option than becoming my own boss and doing things in a better way.
Now, I’m going to make an assumption, YOU have been here too … and like me all you ever wanted to do when you were younger was to have a job where you could use your creativity?
My passion was always drawing and painting (and ironically after 25 years, I have finally picked up a paintbrush and started painting again this year and I’m loving it)
I was surrounded by well-meaning friends and family who were not creative and ‘didn’t get it’ and would say… “why go and do arty stuff there’s no future in it … that is not a career it’s a hobby, why don’t you go and learn a ‘proper’ trade or profession… you should become an electrician or plumber or doctor or accountant or lawyer!”
Am I right? And have you been told this before? and how frustrating is that? … It certainly was when I first started my career in the creative industry.
My creativity was eroding, my passion and health was deteriorating too. I was living with envy and jealousy, depressed and I was lost. I was probably like you sitting on the side lines watching other guys having all the success doing the things what I wanted to do, and thinking, ‘I can do that, but they must have some kind of lucky break or know a secret success strategy that I don’t know’, that inevitably left me beating myself up and feeling worthless.
Then, one day something special happened that would change my life forever.
I bumped into an old friend of mine, who was training as a mentor and business coach and he saw how low and lost I was, and was really concerned to see what was happening to me (my spark had faded)
He came up with the most profound metaphor for my life …he said, “Rich you fight for your hobbies” (I’m a martial artist so was training a lot then) “and your fighting for survival in your job and your personal life .. this will only end in one of two ways, you either win or you lose, so why take the risk of killing yourself and your happiness by losing …avoid the fight and do what you were taught as a martial artist and be the bigger man and walk away and …..believe in yourself and find another way” …. and that was my epiphany moment, when the ‘light bulb’ switched on! …. I realised that I had to make that leap of faith right then …. I found something inside me that was asleep, and in that moment, I knew I had the ability to wake it up and summon the courage to take a step into the unknown and finally take control of my future and put an end to undeserving people and my negative thoughts controlling it for me … I had so much more to give than what I was actually doing … and this was where my ‘Creative Warrior Mindset’ was born.
Now, fast forward 13 years, I am fortunate enough to own and operate multiple successful creative businesses. I wake up with energy and passion, I love what I have the opportunity of doing every day and I have created a brand that many high profile clients now queue up to work with.
I don’t say this for boasting rights… I say this because, if I can do it then so can you! This is meant as a message of hope and a deep and personal message from me to you, a fellow ‘creative in mind’, as someone who has been where you are now, and has made that transition from a place of fear and doubt, to a place of opportunity and success, a place where my teams and I can continue to grow and impact and change the visual landscapes around us.
I am so passionate about this industry, and the people who work in it, and from my heart I want to share everything I have learnt so you can become the master of your own future too, earn a next level income, and create the thing you love the most … its time for me to pay it forward to the next generation of amazing creatively minded people who are being held back from where they deserve to be!