“I want to thank me. I want to thank me for believing in me, I want to thank me for doing all this hard work. I want to thank me for having no days off. I want to thank me for never quitting,” this was Snoop Dogg’s powerful message when he received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It’s a reminder that self-love and embracing your greatness is a key to unlocking your full potential.
It seems like Snoop was born with this confidence. And his high school classmates (like Cameron Diaz!) say he hasn’t changed since high school. He noted, “When I rapped in the hallways at school I would draw such a big crowd that the principal would think there was a fight going on. It made me begin to realize that I had a gift. I could tell that my raps interested people and that made me interested in myself.”
There’s a certain confidence that comes from creating – and from putting yourself and your work out in the world for all to see. You may fail time and time again, but by continuing to create, you realize that you have a lot of control over how you show up in the world. And at the end of the day, it all comes down to you.
So, how can you be more like Snoop and unleash your creativity? Here are 3 ways to help you get there:
- Focus on Positive Self-Love. Snoop’s self-congratulatory acceptance is an amazing example of self-love. Snoop grew up in a rough neighborhood in Long Beach, California. He was also involved in gang activity when he was a teenager (despite his mother’s best efforts), yet he chose to focus on the positive and on his potential. He trusts and nurtures his greatness. He also makes a conscious decision to love: “I want to be loved while I’m here, and the only way to get love is to give love.” Even if you don’t initially believe it 100%, you will be surprised that the more love you put out in the world and the more positive things you recognize and say about yourself, the more you become that awesome person your talking about. So lean into your greatness and let your creativity flow.
- Make Your Future Self Proud. When he graduated high school, he joined a local gang. It was all fun and games until he went to jail for cocaine possession. This was a turning point in his life. In a New York Times article, Snoop explained, “I started thinking about my life. Do I want to keep coming back to this place, or do I want to elevate myself and make my mother proud of me?” “At Wayside [Jail], I listened to all the stories people told, wrote them down on my note pad and turned them into raps. That’s the first time I really started getting serious about rapping,” he continued. “The older inmates would take me aside and say, ‘Youngster, you don’t need to be inside this place. God gave you some talent, and you ought to use it.’” This is a powerful life lesson — and you don’t need to go to Wayside to learn it! When self-doubt creeps up, picture yourself when you are much older. As your older self, what would you rather say to your younger self: “I am so proud of how you put yourself out there” or “you really should have put yourself out there more” ? We want to minimize “should haves” and even if what you are creating doesn’t make you rich and famous, the mere fact you are creating is an immeasurable win that will make your future self proud.
- You Define You. Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. a/k/a Snoop Dogg a/k/a Snoop Doggy Dogg a/k/a Snoop Lion does not let other’s define who he is — so he is undefinable. He tries and does whatever he thinks could provide him joy. As a kid, he sang and played piano in his church choir, he rapped, and he played football. He is a philanthropist, he is an actor, he is an author, he is an entrepreneur, he is a youth football coach, he is Martha Stewart’s bestie, he is a sports commentator, he is Snoop Dogg. When he turned 40, for a brief period he became a ragga artist and went by Snoop Lion, because he decided he wanted to do something he wasn’t known for doing. The common thread is he does what he finds fun and creative, free from any expectations from his past. He isn’t going to lean into an image someone else has of him. Rather, he is constantly trying new things to continue to find out who he thinks he is. The more you push yourself to learn and try new things, the more you discover your unique creative spirit. So if someone says that you’re not an artist, that you’re not creative, quickly remind yourself that you define you — they don’t.
In Summary, be like Snoop Dogg: own your awesomeness and unleash your creativity.
This is the first article in my Creative Legends series — Get ready for a journey through the lives of creative geniuses! I’ll be exploring legends like Snoop Dogg, Andy Warhol, Lin Manuel Miranda, and more in my new series. Every Thursday for the next 50 weeks, I’ll be focusing on one legend and sharing the creativity lessons we can learn from their life. First up, I’ll be covering Snoop, Beyoncé, Nina Simone, and Tupac. Join me next Thursday as I dive into the world of the Queen, Beyoncé. Who else would you like to see featured in this series? Share with your friends and leave a comment with your suggestions. Let’s celebrate creativity together 🎨 #CreativeGeniuses #SnoopDogg #Beyonce #NinaSimone #Tupac #CreativityLessons 💡