CREATIVE SUCCESS NEWSLETTER

Creative Success Newsletter, Number 49--November 2004
Strategies for Creative Souls Series

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**Announcements

Out on a Limb Creativity Club Teleclasses

There are only a few spaces left in our new Clubs, beginning in
both December and January, as I have limited classes to only 8
participants. People are dynamiting their way through creative
blocks in just three months. Do you have a creative risk you are
putting off or feeling stuck with? Join a small group of other
women on the phone who are daring to change their lives. You will
learn to honor your personal style, as well as to clarify and
achieve your goals. Give yourself the gift of group coaching and
support.

Comments from other classes:

"Gail is a great facilitator who helped me get to the core of my
resistance and redirect my energy in the right direction."

"I am now doing what I promise myself I will do everyday, and
feel wonderful."

To sign up for one of our new classes and forward the action for
your intentions, click here:
http://www.creativesuccess.com/specialprograms.html

***Strategy for Creative Souls #24: Invest Fully in Your Work

Like it or not, your career is a business. Whether you are
working for someone other than yourself (for the moment) or have
your own business, you are the CEO of your professional
development. Realizing your creative ambitions and funding your
retirement accounts are your domain. Delegating your career path
to corporate mentors or enlightened superiors is simply a
dangerous fantasy. Although I have had my own business since
1982, the learning and reinventing yourself never ends—which is
part of the fun. I spent last weekend at a marketing workshop,
brainstorming with four other savvy business owners. It was a
rich experience. I came away more focused in my own work and full
of creative ideas for my clients, too.

Committing to your personal and professional growth is a
cornerstone of creative success. There are perils to not
investing fully in change and positive risk-taking in your
career.

I had a client last week who is writing a book that he has put
off for years. I asked him about his budget for this project. He
had never thought of the book as an investment requiring start-up
cash. If he does not invest money, as well as time in this
project, he will likely fail. I also had a call this week from a
female CEO who hates her job and is in the wrong field, but plans
to stay in the same situation. Her request was for me to help her
to learn how to be "tough and immune to the stress". This is
another recipe for failure. She needs to find work she loves that
will support her health and well-being, and give her a strong
chance for happiness in life.

As we approach the end of 2004, take this Career/Business Check-
up Quiz:

1. Am I investing in a positive future that reflects my talents
and interests (or am I hiding out and settling for less in my
life)?

2. Do I have a long term plan for my career or business, given
that I may work into my 70's or 80's by choice or necessity?

3. Am I actively investing time and resources into my business
and creative projects?

If you answered "No" to one or more these questions, it's time to
invest in your future. Do yourself a favor and either sign-up for
one of my Out on a Limb Creativity Club Teleclasses, or contact
me at mailto:gail@creativesuccess.com and tell me your life
visions, and see if you qualify to become one of my 5 new clients
for my customized private six month coaching program. I only work
with a select group of clients who are motivated to transform
their lives.

****Creative Acts and Resources

Alice Aspen March, who was featured in my first book "The 12
Secrets of Highly Creative Women", known for her new paradigm for
living: The Attention Factor®, is one of 41 contributors to the
newly released book "Inspiration to Realization: Real Women
Reveal Proven Strategies for Business, Personal, Spiritual, and
Financial Fulfillment", edited by Christine Kloser, founder of
the Network for Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in California.
This diverse group of women entrepreneurs share their stories to
model the pursuit of vibrant, well-rounded lives for women.
They've discovered that overemphasizing their career and business
lives while shortchanging personal, family matters or spiritual
lives carries a profound unseen cost; conversely, if an
individual focuses more on her spiritual life and neglects long
term financial considerations, true freedom can become fleeting.
They want it all! Alice's chapter is entitled "There are Miracles
Everywhere" and the book can be ordered from her website:
http://www.theattentionfactor.com/.

To help you assess to your own financial situation and plan
accordingly, check out the Financial Briefs on
http://www.joangagnon.com/. Joan is excellent at translating
complex financial lingo into common sense information and helping
you to design a plan for the future that reflects your personal
priorities.

Nancy Cantor, who runs the Dream Fact-ory Program for women
entrepreneurs in Greater Boston, has a workshop on December 8th
called "Fulfilling Life: Finding Purpose, Finding Passion" in
Southboro, MA for those of you who are looking to redirect your
worklife. Nancy's website is
http://www.cantorconsulting.com/programs.asp.

*****Overcoming Creative Obstacles CD

Only 6 CD's left in our first run! If you missed the Overcoming
Creative Obstacles Teleclass, you can purchase a CD to listen to
at your leisure. Mary, a graphic designer says: "This CD is
almost worn out already because whenever I encounter an obstacle
and need to brainstorm solutions, I listen again, and it always
guides me to the answers I need". To hear a 5 minute clip from
this one hour CD, go to:
http://www.creativesuccess.com/products/overcomecreativeob.html .
Learn to blast those obstacles out of your path!

Creatively yours,
Gail McMeekin
Career, Creativity, and Life Choices Coaching, Consulting, and
Writing