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The Ultimate Guide To Becoming a Successful Creativity Coach

Do you have a love for arts and a passion for helping others? Deep in your heart, do you long to become a professional creativity coach?

Is it the right choice? What if you fail? Is there enough money in this?

What Is A Creativity Coach?

A creativity coach is someone who helps you reconnect with your creative efforts and passions.

A creativity coach provides tools, techniques, and support to achieve your creative ambitions.

A coach helps to tap your unexplored creative hobby or potential and overcome various creativity blocks.

What Is Creativity?

Creativity is usually defined as a phenomenon of creating something new which is valuable.

Some call it the gateway of a dream turning into reality. It’s a fusion of imagination with reason, a blend of Art and science.

It’s a gift of nature given to itself. Just look around, isn’t everything an outcome of creativity. Whatever is and whatever will be.

Imagine how a sound became an alphabet, and how alphabets turned into poetry. Creating summers in Winters. Breathing like fishes. Flying like birds. Reaching the stars.

Who says there is no magic, it’s called creativity.

Getting too abstract? Let us talk about the facts!

The Science Behind Creativity

There is a common belief that the left hemisphere of the brain is for logical functions, while the right one helps is responsible for creativity.

Science has proven that this is not true. Creativity is not dedicated to a particular brain area. There are around 40 regions of the brain the taking part in creative self functions.

Creativity depends upon close cooperation of two brain networks.

Default Mode Network: that generates spontaneous thoughts.

Executive Control Network: that governs other vital cognitive functions.

Let us look at it biologically.

There is a neurotransmitter, Serotonin, which is responsible for making neuro-connections.The quantity of Serotonin in the brain influences the creativity level of an individual.

Is Creativity Hereditary?

Yes, but it is not a major influence.

Based on a research study, genes influence only 30% of creative ability.

Rest 70% depends upon the nurture.

Different factors determine your creativity, which includes Our experiences, characteristics, upbringing, etc.

We are all creative by default. It is natural to be creative and artistic. Some could be good at writing, others at painting while some at cooking. Creativity is not just about an art, it’s about a lifestyle.

So, What Blocks Our Creativity?

Scrap paper and crumpled paper
Image from unsplash.com

Creativity is mostly shaped by our upbringing and our experiences of life. Our immediate environment also has a strong influence on how freely we express ourselves.

But at the core, there are the psychological issues that hold us back from exploiting our full creative potential.

Let us discuss these in detail :

Self-doubt:

It’s the most common reason why some of us feel that we not creative. We ignore our artistic instincts and miss out on joy being creative.
Most have us waste away our talents by doubting if they ever existed.

Validation:

There are many who are conditioned to seek approval of others. In the struggle to gain acceptance, they are unable to develop their own authentic expression.

It is important for an artist to be in touch with one’s true nature. After all, creativity is all about showing your original expression.

Perfectionism:

Often we fight a battle with ourselves to be perfect. ‘Not being good enough’ is a belief that often leaves us paralyzed.

Creativity definitely isn’t about satisfying your ego. If you aren’t creating for the love of it, then why create at all.

Fear of change:

Many of us are not willing to accept the change. We are unwilling to let go of our comfort zone, therefore, end up not trying anything new.

One who is rigid cannot be creative. Creativity involves taking a risk and breaking away the old patterns. That is how it brings freshness into your life.

Lifestyle:

Modern day lifestyle is very consuming and leaves us exhausted. Most of us find it difficult to cope up with these pressures.

Creativity is a reflection of your inner self. You cannot feel inspired or creative under stress and anxiety. Creativity flows effortlessly when you at peace with yourself.

Real-Time Problems:

You could be facing a divorce or loss of a loved one. Being emotionally disturbed can weaken your creative abilities.

Key is to first solve the real-life issues and then focus on being creative.

Now let’s get back to business.

What Does A Creativity Coach Do?

Assessment:

At the very beginning coach has to do a detailed analysis of the client. A coach needs to understand the client’s creative ambitions, challenges faced and main personality traits.

This brings both the client and the coach on the same page. This assessment also helps a coach to refine his approach to suit the client’s expectations.

Goal Setting:

Either it’s finishing a book or making a song. A client usually comes with certain expectations in mind. A coach helps to define what needs to be done to achieve those creative ambitions.

A coach gives the client a certain tasks/ challenges that enables them to achieve their creative objectives. Each task has a deadline to ensure steady progress

Tips and Tricks:

A coach helps a client with tools and techniques to overcome various creative blocks. (Procrastination/ originality/ depth)

A coach teaches a client to build certain habits that improve their creative strengthens.

A coach also helps a client set up an atmosphere that enables him to be more creative.

Identifying Blind Spots:

The next important task for a coach is to identify a client’s limiting beliefs. Many times, clients are not aware of the mental blocks that could hinder their creative expression.

Being not good enough, lack of confidence or self-acceptance are beliefs that are usually present under the surface. A coach had to identify these unhealthy beliefs and help a client overcome them.

Monitoring:

It’s a step by step approach and a coach has to walk along with the client. A regular monitoring is essential for an effective outcome.

A coach needs to handhold a client to face a new challenge. Coach has to help them navigate through various creative blocks.

How To Improve Your Creativity?

Yes, you can train your brain to be more creative.

Mix and match:

You can make new connections only from what you already know. Therefore, its favorable that you gain a variety of knowledge beyond your field of specialization.

It’s not just helpful for improving creativity but also widens and fresh perspective.

Keep Moving:

Literally! Take a walk, drive, travel away. Diverting our attention is favorable for new ideas.

Did you know Mozart composed in the back of a carriage?
A Stanford study also proves that walking can improve your creative thinking!

Take A Break:

It’s important for you to unplug every once in a while. Do take a nap or tea break to unwind your self.

Sometimes doing nothing is best to exercise for a mind.

When you try to force creativity, you end up blocking it.

Go Freestyle:

You have to teach your brain how to make new connections. Take a journal and start scribbling your random thoughts. You can also try drawing or painting.

This will warm up your mind make your creative juices flow.

Creating Change:

Bringing a change to your surroundings, your routine and habits can improve your creative thinking.

You can change the work atmosphere, listen to new music, or even try a new recipe. All this will keep new ideas flowing and helps your mind stay fresh.

Do Something Creative:

You can pick up a musical instrument, bake a cake or play a game (chess or sudoku). This will help the mind relax and brings back your focus. Yes, Of course, it strengthens your creative abilities.

Take Help:

At times you can access your hidden potential by taking some professional help. There are a number of therapies available that can you overcome creative blocks.
Yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and Art- therapy are a few effective methods can boost your creativity.

Benefits Of A Creativity Coach

Man looking at sketches
Image taken from unsplash.com

The fundamental responsibility of a creativity coach is to ensure that the client achieves his set creative objectives. This determines the success or failure of a coaching.

Apart from this, creativity coaching benefits the client in plenty of ways. These are given below:

The Real You:

A creativity coaching does not transform you into someone else. Instead, it helps you connect with your true nature.

It helps you identify your authentic creative expression. It gives you and your work an originality that you always long for.

In short, it makes you what you are meant to be.

The Better You:

A creativity coach works to eliminate your unhealthy behavior patterns and reinforce positive ones.

A coach helps you helps you overcome inhibitions, accept change and develop fresh perspectives.

This not only improves your creativity but also helps a client evolve holistically. Creativity coaching makes a client experience a sense of fulfillment and overall well-being.

Improved Life Quality:

Creativity is not just used in writing books, painting or singing songs. It is used in everything.

Right from simple decision making to solving complex problems. From making progress in your career to managing your family relations.

Creativity coaching benefits almost every sphere of your life. Not just what you expected.

Long-term Changes:

A creativity coaching benefits are not short lived. Most changes and improvements you make during the coaching are rather long-lasting.

You learn about tool and strategies to get past your creative barriers without losing motivation. Over time you become independently capable of handling new challenges yourself.

Access Hidden Treasures:

A creativity coach will help you identify your undiscovered talents or rediscover old ones.

Through detailed assessment, a coach helps clients know their creative strengths and weaknesses.

A coach then guides you to reach your full creative potential. A coach pushing you beyond your limits and gets the best out of you.

What Is A Creative Coaching Session?

Creative coaches usually take an hourly session.

A coach usually gives in-person sessions. These sessions are more effective and cost a little higher.

Nowadays clients also prefer Skype or telephone-based sessions. These sessions are convenient for both the client and the coaches.

At times coaches may conduct group sessions. These are quite affordable for clients and helps them by cross learning.

How Long Does A Creativity Coaching Session Take?

Most coaches go for 2-3-month contracts. It takes at least 6-7 sessions to get fruitful results out of the coaching.

The client can pay on monthly basis, for 2 one-hour sessions a month (usually costs around $400/month).

Clients may extend their contracts at any time they wish.

In between the session, a coach provides an email-based support.

How Much Does A Creativity Coach Earn?

A creativity coach salary on an average is around over $85,000/ year. (Impressed, wait!)

Here, the top 10% players earn more than $130,000 a year.

Want to know the big secret? Click here and Join my webinar and discover it for yourself.

Setting Up A Creativity Coaching Practice

Now let us about the must-haves for building successful coaching practice.

These will enable you to make business successful while making your clients happy.

Training:

‘Are you qualified to be a coach? It is the first question that a client asks opting for a coach. Doing a certified course not only gives you credibility but makes equipped to help your clients.

Training is the best investment you can make as a creativity coach.

Specialization:

As most clients are from an artistic profession and prefer a coach from a similar background. You should have some relevant experience with creative people or creative field. Work as a writer, actor or a musician, the choice is yours.

To be a successful creativity coach you have to define your niche.

Additional skills: to be the best coach you need to provide the best services. Learning an extra skill or a therapy could be very helpful for you (and your clients).

You could learn Hypnosis, CBT or Art therapy alongside. This would improve your market value and get you, high-ticket clients.

Online Presence:

It’s the only way! you just cannot compromise over online marketing. Your market is around the globe and the money comes through the internet.

Get a user-friendly website and promote your services over social media. If you can’t manage this, then hire someone to do it (Yes, I would be happy to help).

Becoming A Creativity Coach

Like most life coaching programs, creativity coaching does not have a standard certification.

This being a non-regulated industry, each institute has provided a self-designed certification course.

Can do without it?

Yes, BUT doing a training program definitely adds great value to your profession.

There are a number of institutes that offer creativity coach training courses; these include:

Creative Coach Association

Kaizen-Muse Creative Coaching

Each course will give detailed knowledge and required skills to become an effective creativity coach.

You will be expected to learn the following topics:

Client need assessment

Tools to initiate cognitive change.

Ways to overcome different creative clocks.

Coach- Client relationship building.

Setting Up A Creativity Coaching Practice

Creative Coaching Association: Offers an online course which takes 12 -18 months for completion.

Cost of programs is around $2800.

The candidate has to complete a minimum 100 coaching hours to gain the certification.

Kaizen-Muse Creativity coach training offers an 18-week long training program which costs around $2700.

It is also beneficial for a coach to learn additional therapies that are useful for their clients. Few therapies that are proven helpful to overcome creative blocks are as follows:

1. Mindfulness

2. Cognitive behavioral therapy

3. Hypnosis.

4. Art therapy.

For most of these therapies, online coaching is available at a reasonable price.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is Creativity?

In the broadest sense, creativity is the process of generating novel insights, ideas and solutions to the challenge or problem at hand.

What is a Creativity coach?

Creativity coaches help professionals with education and career development. Creativity coach offers coaching to improve productivity and creativity, improve decision-making, develop and implement marketing and promotional plans, develop creativity and innovative skills, and provide motivation and encouragement to clients.

What does a creativity coach do?

Creativity coach helps students to bring their natural creativity in their studies and other aspects of life. A creativity coach is a great person who will help you to open your mind, discover your hidden talents, find ways to do your work more efficiently and merge your creativity with logical thinking.

Why is creativity important for a coach?

Creativity is important for a coach because creativity brings new ways of looking at things and open up possibilities that may have been missed. Creativity is valued in any profession but is especially important in coaching. Good coaches have a creative mindset and are able to think outside the box. This allows for the coaching to be more effective and the client to reach their full potential.

How to become a creativity coach?

Many people who enter a profession do so because of their interest in the profession, the others are motivated by money. If you are interested in creativity coaching, then you will enjoy it and be good at it. On the other hand, if you are motivated by money, you will quit as soon as you find something better. So my suggestion is, follow your heart and passion and if possible, find a way to make money at the same time!

How do I know if I need a creativity coach?

Creativity coach is someone who can help you to come up with creativity and get rid of the negative thoughts. She will help you to have a positive attitude towards life and environment.  The creativity coach will help you to solve the problems and eliminate the negativity. The creativity coach will always be there for you and will be your guide.

How Much Does A Creativity Coach Earn?

The average salary of a creativity coach is $77,000  per year. This amount is dependent on a coach’s experience and geographical location. For example, coaches in San Francisco, California earn an average of $98,000.

How To Improve Your Creativity?

One of the easiest ways to improve your creativity is to make the time to do it. Before you do anything else each day, spend time doing whatever you enjoy that is creative. This could be painting, drawing, singing, writing, playing an instrument, or dancing. Even just letting your mind wander can lead to some great new concepts. Put some effort into it, and it will make a difference.

 
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