Recently, I was sharing some concerns with a trusted mentor. I was clearly stressed and anxious, and as I rambled on trying to explain the situation to her, I realized I was talking in circles. I was consistently jumping back and forth between backstory and current story and side stepping and swinging back around to finish a thought. I stopped myself.

“I’m sorry. I’m making no sense.”

“Natalie. I’m tracking you. You’re painting a picture. I can’t tell you which strokes to use, but I see the picture.”

I didn’t know how to reply. Her response was so simple and reassuring. It made me feel understood. I didn’t have to explain my process to her – she validated my thought patterns with one simple analogy.

Entrepreneurs, by nature, see things differently. They are constantly searching for opportunities, for points of pain, for possible improvements in current systems. Entrepreneurs rarely think inside the lines – if they did, things would remain status quo. Innovative breakthroughs would be non-existent. For entrepreneurs, the wheels are always turning, and the creative juices rarely stop flowing.

Anyone who has ever experienced the creative process can attest to the fact that it’s rarely clean cut and anything but predictable. Brush strokes fly over the page in ways that can make very little sense to an onlooker. Sometimes there are multiple ideas in full swing at once – something that more systematic thinkers might not understand.

This isn’t to suggest that one way of thinking is superior to the other – it’s to acknowledge and validate that the creative process is messy – and that is okay. Here are a few ways I try to organize the messiness that is my creativity.

1. Write Things Down

Because creative people see potential in so many different situations, they are usually juggling multiple ideas at once. I find that in the quiet moments of one project, I’m often pondering my next idea. As entrepreneurs, we can’t “turn off” our creativity – it would be detrimental to our growth and to our potential. Instead of putting your idea-maker on mute, I suggest keeping lists. Create an “idea inventory” – write down your ideas. Keep lists of the projects you’re currently working on. What have you done? What do you still need to get done? If you carefully track each project you’re doing and each project you’d like to do, you can instill a healthy amount of organization in your creative process. If done right, it will allow you to expend your creative energy while making significant progress on the tasks at hand.

2. Know When to Purge

This is a conversation I often have with fellow entrepreneurs. Many people get bogged down because they don’t know when to cut the cord on a project or partnership that is no longer viable or healthy. There is absolutely nothing wrong with experimentation – I highly recommend trying out as many different interests/ideas as possible. Finding the right path for you isn’t always direct or clean cut – sometimes, it’s a lot of trial and error. However, one thing gives way to the next, and through a series of seemingly nonsensical brush strokes, we end up where we are supposed to be. Experimentation is key – but so is purging. Knowing when to step away from a project or pursuit that is no longer productive or fulfilling is crucial. It is not failure, it’s simply a learning experience. I constantly make lists of the projects on which I am focused, and I constantly go through and “delete” projects I no longer want to pursue. This doesn’t mean they were failed attempts – it means I’ve found that my time and energy is put to better use elsewhere. By “purging” these extraneous projects, I am able to create more mental space for the things I want to focus on, as well creating the necessary space for the nurturing of new ideas.

3. Keep Painting

I was very lucky to have a mentor who expressed such understanding and empathy towards some of the messy tendencies of a creative mind. However, not all people understand this. For people who lean towards systematic thought and orderly expression, a scattered creative process can be intimidating and frowned upon. Don’t let those people dampen your process – keep painting. Keep the brush strokes flowing. Even if they don’t make sense to other people, allow yourself to go through your own messy, creative process. Keep exploring new ideas. Keep purging the old ones. Stay on top of your projects, but allow yourself the freedom to fall flat on your face and get back up to try a new idea. Each person’s “project capacity” will be different – perhaps working on multiple projects at once isn’t your style. That’s okay. But for the people who function best in a sometimes chaotic and creative environment, allow yourself to live in that. Keep the ideas flowing – if you don’t explore them, you will never truly understand their potential or viability.