We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Cole Connor a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Cole, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
Optimism is a choice, and if you believe in the concept of manifesting, I think it’s the best way to begin to manifest the life you want. Some people call it delusion. My mom likes to say I should always be cautiously optimistic.
For me, I’ve put in the work in everything I do. I’ve seen many, many people with less work ethic and less talent live out the dreams I’ve thought I wanted. So I think optimism starts with knowing that I am more than capable of being who I believe I am supposed to be. The fact that I CAN DO IT is one less roadblock to get past.
I’ve had my share of negative thoughts or negative days, but through trial and error, I’ve found that staying optimistic keeps me motivated, happier and focused. And when I don’t feel the fire, I’ve found strategies like walking, hang with community, running, listening to music etc, to help me separate from any negative thoughts and get back to my optimistic self.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m an artist, actor and entrepreneur. At 23, I started a photo/video business in South Carolina, and for the past 8 years, that has been my primary source of income.
My art is my biggest passion whether it’s creating YouTube videos, being a rapper and producer, acting in a movie, or writing for my blog. I absolutely love to create, and I’ve always grown my business to be able fuel my creative pursuits.
Through that journey, I launched the Creative Survival Guide to help creatives go from starving artists to creative entrepreneurs by being transparent with the tools I’ve used to grow.
I’m most excited about implementing all I’ve learned the past year in film and music to create my next YouTube videos and self-produced music. Launching my first single this year, I’M NOT FINE, fully produced by me, was such a cool feeling. The future is bright.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Persistence – Always trying. Even when I fail. Getting back up and continuing to fight for my dreams is most definitely the most important part of my journey. I always come back stronger and more focused.
Independent – Sometimes I’m too independent, but in general, since I was young, I learned almost everything I needed to be a successful artist. Web Design, Graphic Design, Producing, Photo, Video, Marketing, and so much more. It doesn’t mean I will never depend or lean on anyone else. But knowing what it takes to do all of this “stuff is so helpful.
Hustle – I always find a way. I’m a true hustler. If business is slow, I’ll find a way to make money. I survive. I’m creative, and I make money in so many ways that as each passes each money-making avenue grows.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
I touched on this earlier, but I think it’s such an important part of the process that I wanted to go a little deeper.
I believe getting overwhelmed is something a lot of creatives especially in today’s society deal with. It’s just a part of it at this point. When I feel overwhelmed, I follow my gut and intuition. Aka I take a break to get my thoughts in order. I really FEEL what I’m feeling.
I’ll go on a walk and think through what and why I’m feeling whatever that is. This really helps me gather my thoughts and break them down while working up a sweat/exercising.
I will also make phone calls throughout the day when I’m feeling overwhelmed. A lot of times our loved ones have nuggets of wisdom that just make us feel better whether we are specifically talking about overwhelm or not. AND our community makes us feel less alone, which also helps.
After I’ve thought through what I’m feeling, I follow my gut to what I need to do next. Sometimes that looks like just getting back to work and doing one thing at a time. Sometimes it’s brainstorming/strategizing at a coffee shop. And honestly, sometimes it’s just sitting in the overwhelm and watching a movie to feel inspired again.
Almost always, if I do this self care (which is what I call walking, talking to community, watching a movie), the next day, I feel ready to tackle the overwhelm.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://coleconnor.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/thecoleconnor
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmqe0lYOIUKfOkV-xXCxmYA
Image Credits
Laura Burke Photography Cole Connor
