I've been blessed with a very creative mind.

I even have proof! I still have my little trophy from third grade when I won the "Most Creative" award.

Creativity - blessing and curse

For the most part, creativity is a blessing. The ability to look at something that has always been there and see something that has never been seen before is a lot of fun and helps with the bottom line.

At the same time, creativity can be a curse. Creativity is a curse when you get so caught in the excitement and high of being creative that you don't see anything through to completion.

You can go from lots of projects that are working to looking like the guy in the circus sideshow trying to keep all the plates spinning very quickly.

Creativity and completion

One of the best things my former father-in-law (is that the correct term) ever did for me was sit me down in his office in front of a big dry erase board.

He then drew a circle on the board and called it the business cycle. The business cycle begins at the top of the circle, or 12 o'clock if you will, and comes around full circle to 12 o'clock again. Beginning with an idea and ending with a cancelled check, that's a complete business cycle.

What I was able to see in this model is that I was getting bogged down half way thru the cycle and then going back and getting excited about another new idea.

When I learned to go from idea and excitement to cancelled check and completion, many things changed for me.

Many things can change for you as well when you follow the business cycle from creativity to completion.

Jeff Herring

Jeff is a marriage and family therapist, singles and relationship coach, mentor coach, speaker, syndicated relationship columnist and author.

Jeff has a full time private practice in Tallahassee in which he specializes in couples, teen and parent counseling. He also is a relationship coach specializing in working with couples and singles. Some of his professional activities include:

==> Internationally syndicated relationship columnist through Knight-Ridder/Tribune Media Services, with a weekly readership of over 10 million worldwide

==> Sought after speaker for organizations, associations, churches, and corporations

==>Twice weekly appearances on The Steve and Sara Show on Magic 107.1

==> Author of "Keep the Changes: 52 Tools for Successful Living" a collection of his best columns, as well as several e-books including "How to Create a Passionate and Loving Relationship.........Forever," "How to Beat the BOZOs: Dealing with difficult people without becoming one," and "Tame Your Teen: THE survival guide for parenting your teenager.

==> Founder and CEO of TheArticleGuy.com

==> Founder and CEO of SecretsofGreatRelationships.com

==> Founder and CEO of ParentingYourTeeanger.com

==> Founder and CEO of ToolsforSuccessfulLiving.com

==> President of BuildingYourIdealPractice.com

==> President of ConsciousDatingTallahassee.com