creative maverick

My aim is to play all day and get paid. That means to do whatever creative, fun stuff I love doing, to have oodles of variety and freedom, and to make good money doing it.

I’ve found that the more I play (the more I focus on what I love and dare to experiment and explore) the more successful I am. And I want more of it.

If you share this mission, how do you make it happen?

You could set a goal to describe your dream life but we’ve already established the problem with goals.

So what do you do to get from where you are now to playing all day?

You turn your focus from some far off goal to the present day. You set about creating some of the experience of your dream life in the here and now. And you do that by picking a project that will give you more of what you want - and starting it now.

Stop waiting for permission, and start doing what you really want to do. Start small and start today.

Pick a project

So, what would playing all day and getting paid for it look like to you? What is so much fun for you it feels like play?

Now ask what small project could you start straight away that will give you some of the experience of this?

Remember the point is to be engaged in the thing you enjoy, and worry a little less about whether it will work or where it might lead you - just get into play.

If you want to a write a book for example, you could start writing your ideas out as a blog and assemble them later into a book. I started writing this blog in December to experiment with my ideas about play. Now I have a book deal for something that will explore and expand on these ideas.

If you want to start a business, you could start by exploring the idea or the brand on the web - blog about it, assemble images in a tumblelog, twitter your findings 140 characters at a time. You’ll be able play out your idea, get feedback, and at the same time you’ll be building followers who later could become customers or clients. Or you could sketch out the proposition then go find a test customer and win your first playcheque.

If you already have your own business but want to nudge it towards something that feels more playful to you, choose a project will explore a new, more enjoyable, income stream for you. Look for that sweet-spot of doing something you really enjoy which fulfils a need your customers already have. You’ll know when you’re on track as you’ll find you attract interest quickly.

What will your play project be? Leave a comment.