The other day, I was talking with a client who was debating with herself, asking, “Am I in flow, or am I not?” It was so clear to me that she was actually interrupting her own flow by overthinking it. She’d get caught up in the idea that she needed to “work” in the traditional sense.
You know that setup, right? The nine-to-five job, a title, a business card, paid vacation, and a steady paycheck?
For her, that’s exactly what defined “real work”—a list of criteria she felt she had to meet to feel legitimate. And because she wasn’t doing any of that, she felt like a failure. And really, who feels motivated when they think they’re failing?
Creativity Flows When You Let Go of Expectations
Here’s the thing: she’s a creative. Her work is in writing, in being present, in letting natural energy guide her. That’s her sweet spot. Every time she started thinking she needed to fit into a conventional mold of work, she’d lose her flow.
Once she saw how her mind was constantly pulling her back to this rigid idea of what she “should” be, she started to let go. And as she let go, she wrote better. She laughed more, smiled easily, and, funny enough, people started asking if she’d changed her hair.
I genuinely believe this: when you do what makes your heart sing, focusing on that pure, joyful energy, what you’re putting into the world will come back to you. And yes, that includes money. So often, we ask, “What can I do to get money?” and then we start making up roles and tasks to reach it. But here’s the catch—we made all of that up! When the pandemic hit, I thought my business might disappear. But instead, it grew. I could never have planned that. My original model no longer worked, so I had to create something different.
What we create—these structures, roles, plans—they’re just tools to get what we truly want. Don’t let those mental creations become barriers to your natural flow. When you’re in your head, planning all these steps to reach something external, you lose the magic that happens when you’re fully present, doing what you love.
So here’s a challenge: the next time you catch yourself asking, “Is this work enough?” or “Am I doing this the right way?” just pause. Who says it’s “right” or “enough”? Notice if you’re doing what truly matters to you, or if you’re following an outdated rulebook or trying to meet someone else’s criteria for what work should look like. When you focus on what stirs you up inside, the rest—the success, the money, the fulfilment—will follow naturally.
P.S. If you liked this article, I think you’ll appreciate Anna’s take on happiness. In her piece, “Is there a Road to Happiness?”, explores the layers of thought and how they shape our experience of joy, love, and even self-compassion.
