Modern Creativity Issue #1 - Finding Your North Star: From Burnout to Clarity
Hey Creative,
You deserve more than just survival in your creative life.
Most creatives are exhausted, not because we’re doing too much—but because we’re pulled in too many directions.
“70% of professionals in creative industries report experiencing burnout in the past year.” Source: Mentally-Healthy Survey 2024 via LBBOnline
And yet
“Many freelancers operate without a well-thought-out plan leading to missed opportunities and poor financial decisions”. Source: The Hidden Risks of Rushing Your Freelance Business Setup
When we don’t know where we’re headed, we confuse motion for progress.
We bounce from project to project. We chase new tools, new titles, new certifications—hoping this will be the thing that finally sticks.
It’s not that we’re scattered. It’s that we’ve never been taught to lead ourselves.
We get busy, but not better. We create beginnings, but not endings.
And slowly, the magic we felt in the spark of starting begins to fade.
You absolutely deserve and absolutely can have a life that feels like you are taking significant steps forwards.
This week, I want to help you reconnect with something deeper:
Why creatives resist vision (and how to reclaim it)
What it feels like to finally choose a direction
Gentle questions to help you find your North Star
Let’s dig in
The Deep Dive
You Need a North Star (And You’re Allowed to Choose One)
I talk to creatives every day who feel lost—not because they lack talent, but because they don’t know where they’re heading.
Creatives are incredible at beginnings.
We can summon ideas out of thin air, energize a room, bring something into existence that wasn’t there before.
But beginnings are only one half of the journey. Without a bigger picture, we burn out.
The rush fades. The spark dies down. And without a destination in mind, we’re left wondering: Was that it?
Like an intense romance that suddenly dissolved leaving us confused whether any of it was real.
We question ourselves.
And worst of all, we start to believe we’re the problem.
You're not.
You were never the problem.
The problem is you were never shown how to hold a long-term vision while still being a present, feeling, flowing creative.
Our culture infantilises creativity, we are taught that making things is childish. Because of this, it gets treated like a hobby more than a career. And when we meet ‘typical’ career advice, it never seems to fit.
But without a vision you are just reacting to what’s in front of you instead of responding to your truth.
Why We Resist Vision
Many of us have been punished for wanting too much.
We were told that to be a “real artist” meant surrendering to chaos. That vision and planning made us rigid. That goals would kill the muse.
So we learned to mistrust structure, plans and processes and relied almost entirely on motivation cycles—waiting for energy to strike.
And deep down, we started to believe that dreaming too clearly was dangerous—because what if we failed?
Or worse… what if we got everything we asked for, and it still didn’t feel like enough?
So we lowered the bar.
We settled for making do.
We stopped asking big questions because the silence felt safer than disappointment.
We resist vision because it asks us to hope again.
To risk naming what we really want.
And that kind of honesty can feel terrifying.
But here’s the truth creative, having a vision doesn’t make your art smaller - It gives it somewhere to go.
On the one hand, you want freedom and spontaneity.
On the other, you want to feel like you're moving forward—advancing in your field, making real progress. Sound familiar?
Having a vision isn’t about setting a rigid business plan.
It’s about aligning with your inner compass.
So you know where you’re headed.
So you can start choosing where to put your attention.
“If a man knows not to which port he sails, no wind is favorable.”
— Seneca, Epistle 71 to Lucilius
You need to dream.
By creating a compelling vision of your future and the life you want to live, you gain the power to choose.
You can decide when an “opportunity” for “exposure” is actually taking you closer to your vision—or just draining your energy to serve someone else’s.
If you don’t name and claim your vision, you’ll spend your energy building someone else’s.
Without clarity, every opportunity is a shiny distraction.
Every failure feels existential.
And we’re left mistaking momentum for progress.
Try This Instead
You don’t need a five-year business plan.
You need a fire in your belly.
You need a vision that pulls you forward—a future so aligned, so meaningful, so wildly yours that you can’t help but move toward it.
If you don’t choose your direction, someone else will.
This isn’t about spreadsheets or metrics. It’s about your personal power. It’s about finally leading yourself.
Ask yourself—honestly, boldly:
What kind of legacy do I want to leave behind with my work?
Who do I want to move, inspire, awaken?
What stories am I here to tell—no matter how scared I am to tell them?
What kind of life would feel electrifying to wake up to?
What would “enough” truly feel like—in money, in freedom, in joy?
If I could design my week from scratch, what would it look like?
What would I start today if I weren’t afraid?
If I already believed I was good enough, what would I go after next?
This is your invitation to dream bravely.
To get crystal clear on what matters. To stop drifting. To start building.
Vision isn’t a cage.
It’s a compass.
And once you choose your direction—everything else gets easier.
When You Have a North Star
When we get clear on a powerful vision for our creative future. Something shifts.
You stop being pulled in a hundred directions.
You no longer say yes to every project, every request, every detour disguised as an opportunity.
You begin to protect your energy.
You begin to honour your time.
You begin to create from clarity.
You’re not just making things anymore - You’re becoming someone.
Someone who knows where they’re going. Someone who is unapologetically building the creative life they once only dreamed of.
And here’s what starts to happen:
You have more energy, because you’re no longer leaking it into things that don’t matter.
You make better financial decisions, because you know what you’re working toward.
You create more space—in your calendar, in your brain, in your nervous system.
You start seeing aligned opportunities everywhere—and you finally know when to say no.
You stop questioning your worth every time you hit a dip, because you’re no longer relying on chaos to lead the way.
“To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you're going so that you better understand where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.”— Stephen R. Covey
Author Steven Covey in his book The 7 habits of highly successful people, emphasizes that all things are created twice: first in the mind, then in the physical world. By envisioning your desired outcome, you create a mental blueprint that guides your actions, ensuring they align with your core values and long-term goals.
Because when you’re guided by the end in mind—your end, your truth—you become unstoppable.
Your creativity doesn’t shrink.
It expands.
Direction doesn’t limit you - It gives your art something to stand on.
And when your work is grounded in purpose?
It grows wilder.
Deeper.
More alive than ever.
You do need a star to steer by.
And the moment you choose it?
That’s when the real magic begins.
Conclusion
That’s it, my friend.
Here’s what we uncovered today:
Most burnout isn’t caused by doing too much—it’s caused by doing too much without direction
You don’t need a rigid plan—you need a vision that excites and anchors you
When you begin with the end in mind, everything else starts falling into place
You are allowed to lead yourself.
You are allowed to name what you want.
And you are allowed to build a creative life that’s not only expressive—but intentional, energising, and sustainable.
Here’s your next step:
Block 30 minutes this week.
Put your phone away.
And answer those journaling questions from earlier.
Because when your direction is clear, even the smallest step forward becomes meaningful.
Let the answers guide your next move—not because you “should,” but because you can.
Your North Star doesn’t have to be perfect.
It just has to be yours.
P.S. If you're enjoying Modern Creativity, please consider referring this edition to a friend.
And if you’re craving deeper guidance, here are a few ways I can support you:
Download the 15 Books List – A handpicked reading list for creatives who want to build clarity, courage, and momentum
Book a 1:1 Session – Let’s map your creative vision together, with no pressure and no pretence
In the meantime, You’re doing better than you think.
Keep going.
