A creative mess. Help!

[Stik]

I've been fortunate enough to hold many creative talents. Unfortunately, it's quite overwhelming and has generated a complete mess. So messy that it's hard to get in that creative mood. To list the most important I sew, quilt, crochet, knit, paint, draw, graphic, embroider and general crafts. I'm only listing the most important as I know so much more. I'm not trying to brag, if I could I would hand off many of my talents off to other people. My problem is focus. I can't help but to have many projects going on at the same time but I wish I could put all my creative energy into one project at a time. I've tried storing other crafts to try and gain focus but I end up forgetting I have things that are stored and buy new ... I also have a shopping problem. I'm starting to think it might be best to just forget about certain talents but have no idea of how to go about that and I'm scared I'll miss out on something. More than anything I want to be successful with one or two of these talents and that's not happening without the focus. I've been somewhat successful with crochet so I would like to keep that. I need ideas, help, a cure, lol. I've even tried doing a schedule, but it just end up doing whatever I want.

 

[King_Oni]

Can't think up a project that involves more of these skills at the same time?

That tends to be a nice motivation and shifts the focus around pretty evenly I found

 

[rollerskate]

I've been fortunate enough to hold many creative talents. Unfortunately, it's quite overwhelming and has generated a complete mess. So messy that it's hard to get in that creative mood. To list the most important I sew, quilt, crochet, knit, paint, draw, graphic, embroider and general crafts. I'm only listing the most important as I know so much more. I'm not trying to brag, if I could I would hand off many of my talents off to other people. My problem is focus. I can't help but to have many projects going on at the same time but I wish I could put all my creative energy into one project at a time. I've tried storing other crafts to try and gain focus but I end up forgetting I have things that are stored and buy new ... I also have a shopping problem. I'm starting to think it might be best to just forget about certain talents but have no idea of how to go about that and I'm scared I'll miss out on something. More than anything I want to be successful with one or two of these talents and that's not happening without the focus. I've been somewhat successful with crochet so I would like to keep that. I need ideas, help, a cure, lol. I've even tried doing a schedule, but it just end up doing whatever I want.

I have the same. Exact. Problem. Not just with creative endeavors but overall.

With the lack of focus, I've found the key for me is finding a more specific area of interest and then satisfying my urge to explore by getting more in to depth with various aspects of that specific area. Like, I narrowed my computer related interests down to focus on a degree in networking, then kept myself from getting bored by exploring the different aspects of the networking field in depth, from security to design to documentation. Another trick that works is taking my multiple interests and trying to find something that links them all together into something bigger. Expect this to take a while, but eventually you should start to get an idea for something that takes a little from everything. It doesn't even have to be something that exists now, it can be completely new. This last one led me into a new career pioneering a yet undiscovered market.

As for buying what you already have...

Inventory will put an end to that. You can keep a ongoing list of what you have, or what I do is when I run out of something I keep the remainders as a reminder until I write it down and then throw them away. Out of toothpaste? I keep the empty tube where I can easily see it before adding it to my shopping list, THEN I toss it. This keeps me from constantly thinking I'm out of stuff I'm not. If I didn't write it down, it's here somewhere.

 

[tlc]

Good ideas, yes I have the same problem. Both with too many unfinished projects going at once, and not being able to find some things due to lack of organization. But most things I know where they are, and I buy 2 instead of 1, just because I hate running out and the nearest store is a 20 mile round trip.

I don't understand all the people I know who say they're so bored all the time. Geez I have more I want to do than I have time for.

 

[rollerskate]

Good ideas, yes I have the same problem. Both with too many unfinished projects going at once, and not being able to find some things due to lack of organization. But most things I know where they are, and I buy 2 instead of 1, just because I hate running out and the nearest store is a 20 mile round trip.

I don't understand all the people I know who say they're so bored all the time. Geez I have more I want to do than I have time for.

Haha, I never have understood it either, and it's actually sparked arguments before in relationships. He says I'm bored, I start suggesting things, he keeps blowing off my suggestions, I eventually get frustrated and am like well jeez, no wonder you're bored, you don't want to do anything, so why are you complaining about it?

Yeah... That never went off too well... Eventually I learned to just ignore such statements and move on...

Then the complaint may turn into I'm being inconsiderate.

Grrr. You can't have your cake and eat it too...

The only time I'm bored is when I can't think of anything to do, literally. Then I'm wide open to suggestions.