Prototypes, Identity & Vision

They say entrepreneurship is a practice in self development and I’m here to confirm this. Over the past two months, I not only gave birth to new ideas, like Interlude’s first Supper Club, but in doing so I had to retire some old ones in the process.

When you’re going through reinvention, a lot of what it requires is the embodiment of a new identity. This can be hard when you’re still clinging on to old ones that no longer serve you. My issue in all of this was a concept of success that really wasn’t mine to begin with. My mentors would say that I needed to find a new gold star. Letting go of an identity you’ve subconsciously associated with for so long isn’t an easy thing to do. It’s like untangling a knot in the dark.

When I speak of having to drop identity to become the next version of self, it’s not only about letting go of an identity you’ve outgrown, but also letting go of future-state identities that you envision for yourself. This grip on having to define what’s next actually suffocates creativity and slows down the process of who you need to become in order to meet your visions. As Eckhart Tolle states, identity is the work of the ego, and when we cling to it as a form of self-enhancement, we lose touch with presence and the truth of who we already are.

The whole point isn’t to craft identity, but allowing ourselves to be and become. It’s a practice in presence.

Prototyping as an act of self discovery & presence

I think one of the biggest misconceptions in meeting our visions is that we need to become the thing in the here and now. I do believe in this to some extent, but what I think this causes is a bit of a disassociation from the present moment. Because how do we know if that new identity is the right version to meet the vision?

Enter prototyping. Prototyping is a brainstorming exercise I first learned of back when I used to work in advertising. The point of prototyping was to rapidly generate ideas to land on a campaign concept. It didn’t matter if these ideas were good or bad, it was about generating as many ideas as possible, building on what we had, and iterating to land on a final concept.

When we cling onto future identities, we lose the space to prototype and block the flow of creativity to work through us. It’s like becoming so fixed on the final version that we don’t allow ourselves room to create, make mistakes and learn through the rough drafts. It takes away from being present and doesn’t acknowledge the impact of whether things actually feel right.

Giving ourselves room to prototype and allowing room for shitty rough drafts is part of becoming and reaching the vision. By prototyping, we make good with the present and honor where we are. We fall in love with the act of creating vs. rushing to the final product.

Abandon the need for identity

As a creative entrepreneur with multiple passions and projects, sometimes I find it difficult to stick to one identity - should I show my business acumen or double down on the creative front? The need to constantly define who I am keeps me in this incessant loop that only adds more confusion.

What I’m starting to realize is that the strive to identify as someone is actually a distraction for just being. Identity puts a constraint on creative essence and is the work of the ego. When we hold onto identity, we get lost in the ideal and end up losing connection to self in the process. Abandoning identity creates space to embody ourselves as-is, allowing us to just be.

Casting your vision

Having vision and holding vision are separate practices that shouldn’t be ignored. I find that for creatives, having vision isn’t the issue - it’s holding the vision where the real work comes in. Holding vision requires you to meet yourself with radical honestly: excavating the why behind what’s holding you back, noticing the patterns that keep you in loops, and finding the grit to stay the course when things aren’t perfect.

When we stop performing identity and start embodying our essence, that’s when we’re able to loosen the grip and experience forward movement.

x
Tiffany

What I’m working on this month

Vision Salon is the practice of what I described above. It’s a 7 week creative business accelerator to help you move from zero to launch with your passion project. It’s less about building the perfect business and more about building a relationship with your vision. Learning to trust it, evolve with it, and create structures to support its growth.

I’m also piloting a new six week sensuality program before rolling it out later this year. The goal of this program is to reconnect with our bodies and use it as a compass for growth. We’ll explore how sensuality can be leveraged as a guiding force for confidence and personal power. Shoot me a note if you’re interested - I’m super excited about bringing sensuality workshops back in a juicier way!