Career & Business Coaching Blog.
Inspiration and tips for multi-passionate creatives & entrepreneurs.
Why Creative Generalists & Multi-Passionate Entrepreneurs Keep Underselling Themselves (and How to Live Up to Your Worth)
If you're a creative generalist, an artist juggling multiple media or projects, or an entrepreneur with a constant flood of ideas, chances are you’ve experienced the unique frustration of continually underselling yourself. As an ambitious doer, you're passionate, capable, and striving for professional potential, yet you feel stuck, unable to translate your immense potential into the business success or artistic freedom you crave.
You feel like an impostor, as if you don't belong among the peers you admire, but feel less than around. The funny thing is, these skilled artists and entrepreneurs are the ones who seek you out, not the other way around.
This post is for the multi-passionate creative who feels inadequate or the skilled entrepreneur who wants to share their true potential with the world.
We examine the invisible walls - the mindset, limiting beliefs, and fears - that prevent you from living up to your worth, developing profitable services or products, and earning a living from them.
Part I: Why We Undersell Our Talent
Many high-achieving, creative individuals struggle with mental blocks and procrastination that stop them from achieving their goals.
We often unknowingly construct elaborate obstacles that prevent us from taking action and confidently claiming our value, all in the name of fear. Because of this, we believe we are not good enough, that we don't have what it takes, even if, unconsciously, we do feel capable and talented, deep down inside.
1. The Bully in Your Brain: The Inner Critic
From coaching creatives for over a decade, I know that underselling is often rooted in the pervasive voice of the inner critic, which specializes in making you question your capabilities and worth. This internal chatter is a burden for many creatives and entrepreneurs.
It declares negative assessments like: “You’re a loser,” “I’m crazy,” or “You’ll never be able to accomplish anything”.
It insists that what you want isn't real, or that you don't deserve success because you are simply "not good enough".
It tells you that you are a "mish-mash of random half-baked talents".
This can lead to impostor syndrome, the inability to internalize accomplishments. For some of us, this inner voice will simply tell us, "You can't do this".
My advice on this is clear: you must actively decide to take control of your life and stop bullying yourself with negative inner chatter.
There is no point in telling yourself anything that will limit you. What good does it do, really? Instead, adopt this simple but effective mantra that has helped me, and many of my clients, move out of procrastination and overwhelm and into consistent and sustainable action:
**DAILY MANTRA TO SILENCE YOUR INNER BULLY: **EVERY NEGATIVE THOUGHT IS WRONG. (Yes, it’s that simple)
2. The Perfectionism-Procrastination Loop
For many creatives, especially those who struggle with diagnoses like ADHD or those who have been conditioned since childhood, perfectionism becomes a primary tool for self-sabotage.
This mindset calculates "perfectionist risk," which is the fear of being criticized for not executing an idea perfectly.
You may obsessively overthink and worry about the right decision, causing anxiety and stress, and keeping you stuck for longer.
Procrastinating and breaking promises to yourself leaves you questioning if you are even capable of achieving your dreams.
Clients often start to think themselves out of a conversation they could have, worried they will be criticized for not executing perfectly. You might stall, feeling like you have only one shot to speak with someone important.
The truth is, even if our past experiences conditioned us to believe we couldn't do anything right, that belief is often not true and does not serve the grown-ass adults we’ve become.
3. The Generalist Paradox and Lack of Clarity
Creative generalists (or multi-passionate creatives) are prone to feeling overwhelmed, not because they lack ideas, but because they have too many.
Many ambitious creatives and entrepreneurs come into my coaching practice because they're "stuck". They need help finding clarity on what they should be focusing their energy on.
The desire for certainty is a flaw in thinking. We often ask for certainty in a world that is all but one thing: certain.
Attempting to overcome ambiguity by overthinking everything only leads to stress and anxiety. When faced with multiple life or career options, we experience inner conflict, which is painful and often results in looking at the options narrowly.
The ambiguity of choosing from many ideas rarely disappears just by thinking about options. You gain clarity only when you pick something and take action.
4. The Tyranny of Inherited Dreams
We often adopt a blueprint for success that isn't truly our own, shaped by societal or cultural expectations. This is what I have called the tyranny of inherited dreams, dreams that belong to your parents or caregivers, or your friends, but don't belong to you.
Many people fall into the trap of pursuing a career or lifestyle that they believe will bring them success and happiness, only to find out later on that it does not fulfill them. They may have followed in the footsteps of their parents' or friends' dreams without questioning if those were truly their own
You might pursue jobs that favor salary over passion or be influenced by the capitalistic world's definition of success (money, status, power).
You may unconsciously move and live based on expectations of others or expectations you imposed on yourself, such as needing a "mega career" or to be "rich".
Finding your way back to your authentic dreams means dismantling these inherited dreams, and the way to do that is what we look at below, in Part II.
Part II: How to Finally Live Up to Your Worth
To finally align your external success with your internal worth, you need to commit to self-leadership, mindset shifts, and purposeful action.
1. Take Control: Mindset and Self-Leadership
Practice Self-Leadership: Leadership is never given; you have to take it for yourself. This means influencing and guiding yourself. You must realize that nobody is coming to save you or make change happen for you - that is the myth of change (more on that in my book Get Unstuck!). It’s crucial to recognize that you are not your thoughts and that you can choose what you allow yourself to believe and act on.
Redefine Success and Self-Worth: Define success in terms of sustainability, meaning, purpose, and overall well-being, rather than solely in terms of a capitalist blueprint. For creative generalists, having many interests is often a superpower. Embrace your unique wiring that allows you to make connections others can't. Give yourself permission to find things difficult, even if they seem easy for others, and feel proud of your effort.
Believe in Possibilities: By changing what we do, we change who we are. Your fears are often just False Evidence Appearing Real (FEAR). You are the leading character in your life, not the victim of your circumstances. This is YOUR story - live it fully.
2. Commit to Action and Flow
Clarity Through Movement: Stop waiting until you feel absolutely sure of what to do next. You cannot think yourself into a new career or life. You gain clarity and learn whether an idea works only when you pick something and take action. You need a plan that is both exciting and aligned with you.
Build Grit with Kept Promises: You lose trust in yourself every time you break a promise you make to yourself. To build self-confidence and momentum, make promises to yourself scarce, but once you make one, keep it at all costs. This cultivates grit, which separates dreamers from doers.
Find Your "Glue" and Flow: A powerful technique is what I call finding your "glue," the unique common thread that brings all your interests and passions together. Your glue can guide you on what to focus on. Furthermore, aim to cultivate a state of flow, where you are deeply engaged, allowing you to move from overwhelm to creative energy.
Remember: there’s no perfect time to start. Every accomplishment begins with a choice to try. Trust in your potential. If you need to, fake it until you feel it.
The first step WILL feel weird, uncertain, scary, but it’s also the most empowering. Go for it - your future self will thank you.
Are You Ready to Stop Underselling Yourself?
Are you ready to reach your true creative potential and take the leap toward a brighter, more fulfilling future? Imagine what you could achieve with the right guidance and resources tailored to your unique goals. Don't hold back - this is your moment to act.
What if you had the clarity and guidance to silence the procrastination and create the fulfilling lifestyle you’ve always dreamed of? This is your chance to break free from the grind and finally craft a career that flows.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Overcoming self-doubt is crucial for creative career success because it directly impacts your confidence, decision-making, and ability to take advantage of opportunities. When you allow self-doubt to rule your days and work, it creates barriers that can limit your growth and hold you back from stepping into new challenges or responsibilities. Cultivating self-belief and believing in your worth enables you to recognize your own value, advocate for yourself, and showcase your capabilities to others. Professionals who overcome self-doubt tend to approach challenges with resilience and a solutions-focused mindset, which can set them apart in competitive environments. Confidence also translates into better networking, as you're more likely to build meaningful connections and present yourself authentically when you trust your skills. Confidence empowers you to take ownership of your career and life path, make strategic moves, and create opportunities for yourself that align with both your dreams and your potential.
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A creative generalist or multi-passionate entrepreneur is an individual who thrives on exploring many interests, pursuing varied skills, and excelling across multiple disciplines. Unlike specialists who focus on deep expertise in a single area, creative generalists draw strength from their ability to think broadly, connect ideas across fields, and approach challenges with versatility. They are often highly adaptable, possessing a unique ability to innovate by blending insights from different industries or disciplines. This multidimensional skill set makes them well-suited for roles that demand creative problem-solving and interdisciplinary collaboration. Creative generalists play a vital role in driving innovation, as they frequently offer fresh perspectives and think beyond conventional boundaries, making them invaluable assets in today’s dynamic and often high-tech professional landscape.
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Creative professionals often undersell their skills because measuring the value of creativity can be inherently subjective, making it hard to quantify or articulate in traditional business terms. Imposter syndrome tends to make this challenge worse, as many creatives question whether their contributions are truly impactful or compare themselves unfavorably to peers. Additionally, the tendency to focus more on perfecting their craft than on marketing themselves often leaves them at a disadvantage in highlighting their worth effectively. There’s also the issue of language - translating abstract or artistic ideas into business-driven clarity is not always intuitive. By not actively identifying or communicating the tangible benefits their work provides, creative professionals can unintentionally diminish the perception of their value. Overcoming these challenges often requires intentional efforts to develop confidence and worth, refine personal branding strategies, and connect their creative skills to measurable outcomes, such as improved customer engagement, brand development, or innovative problem-solving.
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To start showcasing your worth more confidently, begin by conducting a self-assessment to identify your unique skills, expertise, and accomplishments. Reflect on past projects or roles where you made a significant impact - whether it was leading a team to success, boosting a client’s satisfaction, or implementing innovative solutions that delivered measurable results.
Next, set clear, achievable goals aligned with your career dreams. Ask yourself, "What do I want to be known for in my industry?" or "What specific outcomes do I aim to achieve?" By focusing on your strengths and the value you bring, you can tailor your messaging to resonate with potential clients, partners, or employers.
Additionally, use platforms like LinkedIn to elevate your personal brand. Share insights, success stories, or thought leadership content that aligns with your goals and showcases your expertise. Engaging in conversations with industry leaders or joining groups within your field can further reinforce your presence and credibility.
Above all, consistency is key. Use every opportunity, from meetings to networking events, to articulate your value with confidence. Empower yourself with these strategies, and watch as recognition and opportunities grow naturally around what you bring to the table as the amazing creative that you are.
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To build value and recognition as a creative, artist, or entrepreneur, it’s essential to approach your career with intentionality and a focus on growth. Personal branding plays a pivotal role in this, as it allows you to establish a distinct identity that reflects your skills, values, and vision. Start by curating your online presence, making sure that your portfolio, social media, and professional profiles align with the message you want to convey. A consistent and authentic and confident narrative will help others relate to you and recognize the value you bring.
Seeking feedback from peers and mentors is another important step. Constructive input can help you identify areas for improvement and sharpen your craft while building stronger connections with those in your industry. Surround yourself with individuals who encourage your growth and provide honest insights.
Finally, demonstrating your expertise through tangible results is perhaps the most powerful way to build recognition. Consistently deliver high-quality work, don’t be afraid to share your success stories, and showcase how your efforts have made an impact.
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Anyone who feels stuck or undervalued in their professional life, especially creative generalists and multi-passionate entrepreneurs, can use these strategies to thrive.
By applying these strategies and living up to their worth, creatives can find new levels of opportunity and visibility in their careers. Creative generalists, for example, can position their vast skill sets as unique value propositions, while multi-passionate entrepreneurs can channel their versatility into innovative ventures that solve important problems. The key lies in believing in yourself and deciding to show up as your full, authentic, confident self!
How Perfectionism and Impostor Syndrome Keep You Stuck (and How to Break Free)
The Sh*tty Alliance: How Perfectionism and Impostor Syndrome Create Mountains
The feeling of being stuck is a unique kind of agony, a state of paralysis made worse by a constant, looping internal monologue that actively sabotages you. Even when the plan is clear, this voice can keep you stuck. For the ambitious entrepreneurs and creatives I work with, it’s a familiar battle that determines whether their mind becomes their greatest ally or their biggest enemy.
This internal standstill is often the product of two powerful forces working together: perfectionism and impostor syndrome. Understanding how they operate is the first step toward dismantling their power over you and reclaiming your freedom.
The Nature of Our Internal Roadblocks
When you’re wrestling with doubt, your own mind works against you. It creates imaginary barriers that feel impossibly high - mountains, as I like to call them, turning your own creative potential against you.
It's great that you have so many creative ideas and see so clearly what the picture-perfect version of them COULD be, but that is precisely what is stopping you from taking action. Because now that perfect picture is what your inner critic wants to go for, and it's quick to judge and let you know you'll never get there. Wrong!
Your Inner Critic is a Bully
My clients often describe their inner critic with scary clarity. It’s a "very loud and rude" voice, a "big ol’ bully" that relentlessly tears down every new idea. This critic loves to tell you that you're "not good enough" or that your vision isn't original because it has "already been done." One entrepreneur I worked with even felt a sense of vertigo when she imagined achieving the success she craved, as if her mind was physically restricting her from rising higher. This internal bully thrives on keeping you small and safe from your own ambitions.
It loves it when you create mountains, because it will do everything it can to make you believe you cannot climb them.
The Paralyzing Fear of Failure and Criticism
Many of us are taught to fear failure, believing that any attempt must result in absolute success. This black-and-white thinking is the heart of perfectionism. It isn’t just about having high standards; it’s a defense mechanism against judgment - and I believe, a result of trauma in many cases as well. Perfectionists don't just calculate business risk; they calculate "perfectionist risk," the odds that someone, somewhere, will criticize their work for being flawed. This fear makes every action feel impossibly high-stakes, leading to analysis paralysis and way-too-familiar procrastination.
The Self-Sabotage Cycle
When fear gets involved, the inner critic becomes a master of self-sabotage. It encourages you to "yes-but" every opportunity, killing your momentum just as things start to gain traction. It’s a strange paradox, but many people are more afraid of success than of failure. The unknown territory of achieving your goals and the new expectations that come with it can be more terrifying than staying in a familiar state of struggle. I've experienced this in my own life many times, and I've heard many clients speak of the same: this unconscious fear prevents you from ever finding out what you're truly capable of.
The Nagging Impostor Narrative
Over time, this relentless internal doubt becomes your story. You make a decision, but immediately start questioning it. Eventually, you regret it and believe you should have picked the other option. All in the name of what other people might think of you if you failed, or how your life is ruined now that you made this bad choice that you can never undo.
It’s the voice of impostor syndrome, making you question your own capabilities. One of my favorite creative clients, feeling financially and professionally stuck, confessed to me that he felt he had "failed his younger, ambitious self." Another client once wondered during a session if she was a "lost cause," questioning whether the potential she once saw in herself had simply evaporated. This narrative can become so powerful that it convinces you to abandon your dreams, prioritizing fake stability over the risk of chasing a greater goal.
Understanding these patterns is crucial, but liberation comes from actively challenging them with new ways of thinking and acting.
Strategies to Reclaim Your Power and Take Action
Overcoming perfectionism and impostor syndrome requires a conscious effort to push back on your negative thoughts and create new behaviors. It’s about learning to act despite the voice of doubt, not waiting for it to disappear.
Question the Fear Itself
It’s a well-known acronym for a reason: Fear is often False Evidence Appearing Real. Research suggests that a vast majority, as much as 85% (and, I'd argue perhaps even 90%-95%) of what we worry about never happens! When you feel trapped by anxiety about what could go wrong, you are operating from a script of negative potential. The first disruptive act is to question that script. Ask yourself: What if it works out? Intentionally shifting your focus from worst-case scenarios to positive possibilities is a powerful way to get unstuck.
Shift Your Perspective
The inner critic thrives in the narrow, self-absorbed world of "I." It's all about "me, me, me" for that inner voice. To break free, you must step outside of this egocentric view. One powerful coaching technique I use is to ask clients to re-describe their problem from a third-person perspective. When I asked one founder what advice she would give her best friend or her own child if they were facing the same career obstacle, her entire narrative changed. The excuses she had built for herself were instantly reframed as surmountable challenges, rather than mountains.
Act Before You Have the Courage
Perfectionism causes creative and entrepreneurial projects to never take flight. Or, when you do find the energy to start, that same perfectionism will stall your progress with negative thinking. The antidote is not more thinking; it's action.
Courage is not a prerequisite for taking a step forward; it is the result of taking that step.
As I remind clients often and write about in my book, you simply cannot think your way into a new life or a new business. You must choose to go out and do it, even when - especially when - you feel afraid.
Redefine Readiness as a Decision
Waiting to feel completely confident is a trap. It keeps you perpetually waiting for tomorrow, just like Godot.
Here's a truth that has transformed my clients' careers: Being ready is a decision, not a feeling. That sense of capability you’re searching for almost always shows up after you’ve taken the leap and realized the task wasn't as difficult as you imagined. To short-circuit the overthinking cycle, use a practical tool like the 5-Second Rule by Mel Robbins: if you have an instinct to act, you must physically move within five seconds, or your brain will kill the idea.
Micro-dose Fear with Experiments
For those paralyzed by the fear of rejection or failure, taking small, manageable risks is essential. I call this "micro-dosing fear." By incorporating small real-life experiments into your routine (something I enjoy doing with my coaching clients), you can reprogram your nervous system. Each small step, like sending that one email, making that one call, proves that you can experience fear and excitement without anything terrible happening. This practice gradually expands your comfort zone until it’s large enough to hold your biggest goals.
The journey out of the stuckness of perfectionism and self-doubt is a process of remembering your own power. It's about choosing to move forward based on what is true right now, rather than waiting for a guarantee of certainty that will never come.
Now go out and do the thing. I believe in you!
Are you ready to break free from perfectionism and impostor syndrome once and for all?
Imagine what’s possible when your inner roadblocks are cleared away and when self-doubt turns into creative power so that you can move forward with clarity and confidence.
If you’re longing to feel true momentum but don’t know where to start, let’s make it real together. Book a free coaching session with me and discover how personalized coaching can help you reclaim your power, define your next steps, and finally create the career or business you’ve been dreaming about.Frequently Asked Questions
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Perfectionism is the belief that everything must be flawless to succeed. While striving for excellence can be motivating, perfectionism often leads to self-doubt and procrastination, hindering career growth by creating unnecessary pressures and delays.
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Impostor syndrome makes individuals feel like they don't deserve their success, despite their qualifications. This mindset often leads to underperformance, missed opportunities, and reluctance to seek promotions or take on new challenges.
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Start by identifying the root causes of your self-doubt, such as perfectionism, impostor syndrome, or a fear of failure. Then, set realistic and actionable daily goals and celebrate small victories to build confidence over time.
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Personalized coaching provides tailored strategies to target your unique challenges, providing clarity, accountability, and actionable steps. This support empowers you to confidently achieve your career or business goals while overcoming self-imposed limitations.
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Without clear next steps, it's easy to feel stuck or overwhelmed. By defining actionable steps, you can break large goals into manageable tasks, creating momentum and sustaining long-term progress in your career or business.
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Consistently taking small steps enables incremental progress, reducing the risk of burnout. Over time, these actions compound to yield significant achievements, proving that progress doesn't require perfection - just persistence.
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Addressing self-doubt quickly allows you to reach your full potential, seize more opportunities, and build confidence. Tackling these challenges today creates a stronger foundation for future professional or business success.
Why do fast learners feel like imposters, and how to turn it into a superpower instead
Have you ever felt like that thing you know how to do isn’t special or unique because if you know how to do it, everybody else must know how to do it too? Does this cycle sound familiar?
Get excited about new thing.
Research new thing.
Fall into a rabbit hole about new thing.
Learn more.
Rabbit hole some more.
Fix the thing.
Excited to tell everyone about the new stuff you know.
Get bored (nobody seems to care).
Move on.
Maybe somewhere in there, you think you can offer this service to other people, get excited about doing so, and then start believing everyone else must already know how to do it and why would they want to learn from you anyways…right?
I can honestly say that I spent a lot of my life feeling the same way. Well, at least until I debunked this idea and started recognizing that this just isn’t true. Most people aren’t like that. Most people see a problem and maybe get excited to learn about it for a little while but then ultimately decide they can’t do it on their own. So they give up. Or they never get excited to begin with and let their lack of knowledge stop them from pushing forward until they find someone else to help them navigate the problem.
That is, there are people who see a problem and learn ten different ways to fix it, and there are people who call the problem solvers for help. And you know this because your phone or DMs are piping hot with calls and messages!? Even in corporate roles, you might be the one asked by someone in a completely different department to help them with something that isn’t even in your job description. Why? Because they know you know how to solve it. Duh!
And yet - we still think this skill isn’t worth something? The part of me that has been healing my inner child for 20+ years believes it probably came from my parents, but in reality, it could have come from anywhere. I think we are programmed to feel this way by our environment. You know that saying, “You are the sum of the five people you spend the most time with,” well, it’s true. If the five people closest to you are telling you that what you know how to do isn’t that special and no one will care - you’re going to believe it. You’re going to feel like an impostor.
Unfortunately, I’m sure it bears repeating, it’s not true. It’s not only about all the stuff you know, it’s deeper than that: it’s about your capacity to learn new things and your insatiable hunger for knowledge. If you’re anything like me, you believe that is common to all people too! So why would you be any more capable to understand complex things or learn yourself a new skill than the next person? Well… because you’re a creative, a generalist, an entrepreneur. You are special and unique for knowing how to do it, and people will want to use those [your] skills in their life and business. You are worthy.
This ability is how our brain is structured. It’s literally a superpower!
So, what sets creatives and entrepreneurs apart from other people? Why is it our default to learn and find solutions to things? I’ve narrowed it down to three things:
We’re self-starters. We have this intrinsic motivation and confidence to begin projects on our own. We also have the resilience to navigate challenges and find alternative routes to the information and skills we are trying to learn.
We have a hunger for knowledge. We literally want to learn the thing and until we learn it, nothing will get in our way. Think about all the times you were interested in something and the rest of the world started to fall away until you’d finished learning about it. That hunger to learn is what keeps our motivation moving.
We have an incredible capacity to learn new things. It is easier to become a self-starter and cultivate a hunger for knowledge - these are learned traits - but the capacity to learn new things is something we are born with.
Moreover, we have never met a problem we couldn’t solve. We know deep down that we can learn and do anything we set our minds to. This knowledge is so ingrained in us that it can be jarring to think that other people don’t possess these traits. Of course, they must have them; how could they not? Right? But they don’t. And that’s okay. This difference in brain structure is something completely unique to us and something that can greatly impact not only your life and work but the life and work of others.
Now that we understand this, how can we truly accept it? Because really, it’s one thing to understand, and it’s another thing to accept a new reality. Understanding is easy to argue with. Acceptance is deeply rooted and helps challenge our past perceptions so we can hold firm to what actually is.
To accept that we are uniquely capable of learning things and doing things when others are not - and that others will, and do, need our help with these things - we must:
Stop negating it. Stop correcting people when they praise you for knowing how to do something. Stop pretending that they could do it too. Stop telling them they can. Take the compliment, let it swell in your heart, and replace the old ideas that everyone is capable of this.
Let that initial praise grow into confidence, but keep cultivating confidence on your own. When you start to feel like an imposter, work through those feelings. Try and figure out where they come from and then treat them like an episode of Myth Busters - prove why you’re wrong. And if you can’t, check out my blog on how to overcome imposter syndrome.
Debunk your doubts. Instead of believing every negative thought that pops into your head or the voice of your third-grade teacher who told you you weren’t capable of something, start listening to that other voice in your mind that says you are capable. The one thing people don’t talk about is how when we hear a doubt pop up in our mind, we also hear another voice saying, “That’s not true.” The problem is that the other voice is so quiet, we tend to believe it less. But if you can find the strength to listen to that small voice, you’ll give it the courage to get louder. The more you listen, the more it will call to you over the roar of your doubts until one day, your doubts are the quiet voice, and the little voice is the big one.
You are innately capable of doing so many incredible things. You have to stop thinking that just because you can do something, everyone else must be able to do it, and therefore your work or thoughts on the matter are not worthwhile. Stop getting in your own way with these thoughts. I promise that not only are you special for being able to do that thing, but there’s also someone waiting for you to help them with that knowledge.
Want to learn how to debunk your doubts?
We all have them - doubts. But the really successful people don’t believe in them. They hear them and let them go.
This is a skill that can be learned and grown. It just takes time, attention, and some coaching. That’s where I come in. With my help, we can isolate your doubts and watch them crumble so you can finally go after the career or business that you want!