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Have a backup plan.
代替案を準備しておこう。

 

We should not rely on social media in the first place.

My wife’s Instagram account for her business was deleted yesterday. Since she neither deleted it herself nor violated Instagram’s terms and conditions, there are only two possibilities: the account was hacked, or Instagram deleted her account because someone falsely reported her account for abuse or spam. The latter might seem weird, but on the Internet there are people who love destroying someone’s social media account.

Luckily, she just created the account about 10 days ago, had less than 100 followers, and has had all backup of her content. It’s not so difficult to get back up.

It’s always a good idea to have a backup plan. If you are a creator and post your works on social media, it’s better to post the same content on your own website. Ask your followers to visit your website and ask them to leave their email address so that you can contact them even if your social media account is deleted.

Never forget that social media companies will not protect us. They just need the ‘crowd’ that looks attractive to advertisers.

 

 

Surprise yourself first.
まず自分自身を驚かせよう。

 

When you hit a plateau, one of the effective tactics to get out of it is to surprise yourself.

We all do something creative every day in a sense. But we tend to apply the same method to what we do, and we easily get bored. Other people might still like your work, but you are no longer interested in it. That’s a very dangerous situation, because it can wipe out your motivation to do or create something unique.

Whenever you have a chance, try a completely different way to do a certain thing. Use the method you’ve never used. Or create a thing that is completely different from what you originally intended.

You might be disappointed by the outcome. But disappointment is a different form of surprise, and much better than boredom.

 

 

Take a break.
ひと休みしよう。

 

I haven’t had a vacation for four years. It’s not unusual for self-employed people like me.

But I decided to take a day off today because I feel really tired. It might be creative exhaustion, but who knows. I’m not even sure if I am a creative person in the first place.

I just need to take a break. It may seem that taking a day off on weekdays is the luxury of being self-employed, but in reality, self-employed people are working almost every day, including weekends and holidays, and also responsible for recharging and revitalizing themselves.

 

 

Declutter your space.
片づけよう。

 

Decluttering is almost always a good start to recover our clear thinking.

If you don’t know where to start, declutter your computer desktop. Then move to your physical desk. Then drawers and cabinets.

And also declutter your mind space. Worry, fear, anxiety… Most of the time, these feelings are implanted by someone else so as to put you under control.

 

 

Observe the crowd.
群衆を観察しよう。

 

“The artist must stand alone to observe the crowd.”

I never watched Gossip Girl, but I like this quote.

The same applies to anyone who wants to create something new and make a difference in this world. For them, the most certain way to fail is always to follow the crowd. While they try to fully understand what others do, they never follow the path taken by the majority.

Don’t be afraid of being different. Or ignored. Or disliked. Unless you choose to follow the crowd for the rest of your life.