Inspiration & Motivation for Entertainers: The 8 Day Challenge

8 Day Inspiration Challenge

What do you need to be inspired to do?

Get more gigs, keep going through a dry patch, think creatively about your act, figure our where you want to go?

Whatever it is you’ve probably tried a few things, felt a bit lacking in energy and left it there. But if you’re going to realise your dream, and get to where you want to be, you need to give it a bit of a push…That’s why we’ve created this 8 day challenge.

We know that being an entertainer can be tough at times, it’s hard work and sometimes you might feel stuck in a rut creatively, or you may feel your career is stagnating. But if you decide today that you’ll do one of these things every day for the next 8 days, you’ll find yourself coming out the other side buzzing with ideas and full of energy.

Not only that but we’ve also created the 8 Day Inspiration Challenge Infographic for you to download. Just right click to save or read the full challenge below.

Entertainers INspiration Challenge

Day 1 – Start a Magpie Journal

Grab a Notebook or create a document on your phone. Write down things you’ve heard on the radio, or people talking about.  Write down your own ideas and thoughts and doodle or take photos. Pinterest is another great place for inspiration, so search away and collect those inspiring ideas.

Day 2 – Book an Ideas Swap

Get your diary out and arrange a time with your friends, band mates, fellow performers, or even family to sit and talk about what they’re doing, what they’ve seen that’s new, what they think about your act at the moment and what suggestions they have. People are the best inspiration of all, and even the most casual conversations can sow the seeds of big ideas.

‘’My band [Elbow] are a huge source of inspiration for me. They’re my peers, my family; when they come up with something impressive, it inspires me to come up with something equally impressive.’’ Guy Garvey, Musician

Day 3 – Be Bored

Find time to sit and do…well, nothing. No phone, no screens, no lists, just quiet. Long walks, soaking in the bath or just sitting thinking and dreaming. A still mind is the most fertile ground for growing new ideas.

‘’ The little images that I get from sitting alone in my apartment – the way the light is falling through the window; the man I just saw walk by on the other side of the street – find their way into snatches of lyrics.’’ Martha Wainwright, Singer-Songwriter

Day 4 – Brainstorm

Set aside an hour today to brainstorm – be like the professionals in marketing agencies who have to come up with ideas every day. You can create a Mind Map, or write all your ideas on post-it notes or even create a full mood board.

 ‘’Let go. The subconscious part of myself creates far more interesting things than the conscious part can ever dream of.’’ Akram Khan, dancer and choreographer

Day 5 – Remember to Laugh

If things have been tough lately, or you’ve been feeling really frustrated with it all, take a few minutes to really see the funny side of the whole situation and start to remember what it’s like not to take things so seriously. We are after all entertainers, creating fun and enjoyment, we’re not trying to save the world. Bringing back that lighter, sunny feeling can really open you up to being more creative.

Day 6 – Trust your Instincts

We very often know the answers to our own questions and we always have that new creative twist inside. We just sometimes get blocked by pressure, or over-complicating things. Take 10 minutes to really think about what your gut instinct may already be telling you. What have you been dreaming about? What things are you noticing most at the moment? What do you feel when you think about your act, or the direction you’re taking?

‘’ To be truly inspired, you must learn to trust your instinct, and your creative empathy.’’ Tamara Rojo

Day 7 – Think about what you’ve done wrong

We learn the most from our mistakes, so take a look at what hasn’t worked and why. You’ll be surprised at how much you’ve learned and may find some really good ideas come from thinking about what doesn’t work.

‘’Mistakes can be inspiring – allow yourself to take risks and do what scares you. People might remember the colour of your dress and what encore you sang, but no one will remember if you forgot a word or if your phrasing didn’t go to plan.’’ Kate Royal, opera singer

Day 8 – Try a different perspective

Spend half an hour looking at things from a different perspective. If it’s your life and direction you’re considering, you can do this by sitting for a few moments with your eyes closed and imagining floating up into the sky. Keep floating up until you’re far above the clouds. Look down to earth and see the line of your life stretching away into the past and ahead to the future. Look at the moments that have really stood out and think about what you want on that life line in the future.

You can also start changing perspective by asking yourself a series of questions and just accepting the first answer that comes to you. Ask – what if? What if I changed my style? What if I tried marketing differently? What if I tried calling 5 people today? Ask – who would I be? Who would I be if I tried this? If I said yes, if I believed I could do it?

Inspiration and energy are everything for Entertainers so we hope you’ve really enjoyed this challenge. We would love to hear how you get on, so please do send us your inspirational stories and videos.

And don’t forget, if you’re looking for more gigs and not already registered with us, sign up today.

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