The Power of Personal Projects
I really believe in the power of personal projects. In my own experience, the personal projects I have launched have taught me so much about my own capabilities. They’ve opened doors and opportunities beyond my own imagination. They’ve provided important connections that I was never going to make in traditional networking attempts and have given me access to new friendships and communities I may never have met otherwise.
Personal projects are where creativity gets to run wild—no shareholder expectations, no leadership reviews, no boardroom presentations. Just pure exploration, experimentation, and the freedom to build something because it excites you. And sometimes, that’s exactly what leads to the best ideas. Through personal projects we tap into the energy of play and untapped wonder. This is important because sometimes daily life does not provide opportunities for creativity or play and can be quite monotonous. Sometimes work tasks may be uninspiring, challenging or difficult. Sometimes our communities and households can feel strange and stifling. This may lead to feelings of disconnection.
A positive creative escape by way of a personal project keeps the mind flowing and the energy and internal fire burning brightly. Thus making us better for ourselves, families and communities. We may even see a glimpse of progress in a personal project that we have not been able to see in our work-life. With a personal project we get a sense of giving time to a passion that may represent a different side of us outside of our work-selves, family-selves and community-selves.
A book that really helped me understand this is "The Creative Act” by Rick Rubin.
It shifted my perspective on creativity, helping me see it as an evolving process rather than a rigid path. I learned to embrace inspiration when it strikes and to respect that every project has its own rhythm—some ideas take years to materialize, while others come to life in weeks. Most importantly, I stopped viewing stalled projects as failures. Instead, I began to see them as part of the creative journey—some ideas take root, others don’t, and that’s okay.
The important thing is to start—get the project in motion—because in the process, you learn so much about yourself: what excites you, what challenges you, and how you grow when you're creating just for the sake of it.
Interested in starting a creative project? Here’s my approach:
Start small. Like really, really small.
Choose something you’ve always been interested in or curious about.
Scratch at the surface of that interest and curiosity and ask yourself, “Would this be fun to learn about”.
Give yourself a quick 30 minute dig around the internet looking up anything to do with that interest (if you have more than 30 minutes, by all means!)
If you’re still feeling keen, think about how you can give yourself 1 hour a week to devote some attention to this curiosity.
Don’t even think about where it may lead to, just keep showing up for it a little bit each week.
Find a place to share your story about your project, what you’re doin and what you’re learning. You may choose a personal blog, a Substack, writing about it on Linkedin articles or through social media. Perhaps your personal projects grants you an invitiation to a podcast or two as a guest speaker! You never know where it may lead.
And just like that—you’ve launched a personal project and set it in motion. If you realize early on that it’s not as exciting as you thought it would be, no problem. Let it go and start again, following your curiosity toward whatever idea has been quietly waiting for your attention.
For me, personal projects have been a constant source of creative energy—something I’ve learned I need to stay inspired. I’ve also come to trust that creativity ebbs and flows, and when the energy pauses, the best thing I can do is be patient. It always returns in its own time, without force or frustration. So if a personal project has been lingering in the back of your mind, I encourage you to bring it into the light and give it a real chance. And if you ever want to share your journey or bounce around ideas, reach out—I’d love to hear what you’re brewing!
Thanks for reading,
Diane
