What is ROI? Return On Investment. In the broadest sense, for bankers, angel investors and financiers, ROI is the measure of profitability of an investment, and the definition of profitability can vary depending on the goals of the investor.
Add Creative to the front of that and you have CROI, creative return on investment.
Why is this important to you? Because too often, creatives get so caught up in the vision, that they fail to look at the investment necessary to make that vision a reality, and what the return on that investment will be.
There are actually three types of investments we need to make if we want to be creatively successful, however we choose to define that: time, energy and money.
Let’s consider first the one thing we all have an equal amount to invest—Time.
One of the critical challenges of our technological era is that we expect everything to happen quickly. We want what we want NOW, whether what we want is critical acclaim, a published book, or our first 6-figure sale.
It’s kind of like forcing bulbs to bloom before their time. You get the blooms when you want but you can deplete the energy reserves making it difficult to transplant them and have them bloom naturally later.
Creativity, like much of life, is a process that requires sunsets and moon rises. And creative success often comes only after we’ve made a sufficient investment of time.
So first, we have to be patient and persistent, and then, we have to be choosy about how we invest our time.
If, for example, watching the latest “American Idol” teaches you something about performance, then perhaps the ROI is worthwhile. But would you get a better ROI if you spent that hour practicing your creativity or working with a coach or mentor?
If we really want to speed up the arrival of success, then perhaps what is necessary is to invest more of our time in our creative work.
Yes, we want to spend time with our families. Yes, we have to go to work to pay the bills. Yes, we need to eat and sleep.
But what about the rest of your time? How are you investing it today? Ask yourself, “Will this investment of time help move me closer to my goal OR is what I am doing just a distraction, a way to put off doing the work?”
What is the Creative ROI of your time?
8 Responses
Love this article about cycles to everything including our harvest in our businesses. You must put in the time. I agree that a mentor helps to bring speed. Thanks so much.
Kiyla Fenell
Thank you, Kiyla. So often the challenge is to move with the cycles instead of fighting against them.
Very important topic. What is it that we spend our time on?
It’s funny that we both have been writing about ROI lately. SOOOOO critical!
Yes, it is critical. Something that most creatives don’t take a look at until it becomes a problem…Thanks for stopping by, Sue.
Paula,
Love this. I am investing much more time in my creativity, and it is quite funny watching my mind thinking I should be working (defined as something else). I have to keep reminding myself that this IS what it looks like for me to be working!
Terry
Terry, I LOVE your awareness about how we define work. I fall into that trap all the time, especially when I want to be writing or reading related to my work. And yes, the “work” of creativity takes many forms and shapes. I once heard Terry Brooks mention how he would spend time sitting out on his patio sipping a drink, resting with his eyes closed. Sometimes he would be formulating story ideas. His wife would ask, “Working, dear?” Of course, his answer was always, “Yes!” Sometimes the best investment we can make in our creative work, though, is to rest. We forget that.
Hey Paula,
Love your post! I find that I am much more productive and happy when I’m working within my creativity. I get much more ROI!
Thanks
Gail