There is no activity which only done once will allow you to improve and achieve more. Creative individuals who are not seeing any improvement in the quality of their work must review their habits. It’s easy to believe everything that happens to us, happens because of external factors beyond us. Most of the time this is not true. While there are exceptions to this, our habits play a massive role. Analyse any individual you admire or would like to emulate. You soon realise that their habits have shaped their lifestyle and all that happens to them.
An Easy Approach
Creative professionals who want to improve can do this one thing right now. Make a list of all the habits you have which are limiting you from working at your full potential. Now make another list of habits you want to add to your life, which you believe will improve you. Realise that the easiest way to get rid of bad habits is to flush them out by adding great habits. Trying to remove a bad habit, will most likely fail unless a much more beneficial habit can take its place.
At first, you might not enjoy the new habit. But give it time and you won’t think twice about it. Most people don’t brush every morning because they enjoy doing it. It’s a lifelong habit that developed with constant repetition from a very young age. The same is true for any other habit. Only constant repetition over time will instil the habit in our minds.
Keep Track
You want to be quick at designing graphics, then set yourself up with a design routine that challenges you for time. You would like to read more books every year, then form a daily habit of reading. Any improvement is possible by developing appropriate habits and if given time. It is in our nature to do things we like to do, and so it’s much easier to develop limiting habits than beneficial ones. Take an honest look at what you tell yourself every day. The smallest thoughts you have daily affects your life significantly. It may seem very trivial, but this is also a habitual process which requires your attention.
The Compound Effect written by Darren Hardy is a great book if you would like to learn more. The book might even change your life, so definitely check it out if you have the time.