Ballerinas and womenpreneurs are like two outfits cut from the same cloth. Both have to go through certain life and work idiosyncrasies filled with motivations and doubts brought about by some of the usual challenges in society like gender bias, racism, and in some case, prejudice. Like lithe dancers challenging the wind with its gracefulness, womenpreneurs also challenge the usual environmental perspective in doing business.

Womenpreneurs has proven time and again that fierce work ethics, perseverance, and wise use of strength are key ingredients in bringing their prowess on the entrepreneurial centerstage. They challenge the expected, pursue their mission and vision, and carry their own weight amid any uproar or challenges in society. This is almost in the same league as ballerinas who had to contend with the usual stereotypical concept of ballet glamour. By breaking the mold and challenging the usual expectations, womenpreneurs particularly black womenpreneurs continue to shine in the business arena.

So how does one maintain such relevance between ballet discipline and business success? For one, it is important to strike at the core of one’s self-confidence. The main driving factor in propelling one’s entrepreneurial prowess, getting one’s confidence level and staying in that level allow for more motivating factors to let the wheel of success moving forward, with seemingly no reason for stopping. The prevalent measurement of success changes over time but the confidence level in pursuing such remains unquestionable.  There will be skeptics and negative forces but when one’s confidence level is up, no amount of criticism will pull a ballerina or a womanpreneur down.

Confidence complimented with persistence and fierce discipline also helps one build on the momentum. Womenpreneur must learn how to recognize and respond to successes (and failures, too!) to make a huge difference in their entrepreneurial venture. Capitalize on such winning moments while taking heed on the impact of your weakness. Ultimately, this helps to build on momentum and to create strategic actions leading to sustainable growth.

Of course, goals must evolve as one goes through the journey of ballet dancing or in building a business empire.  Being laser-focused on a single goal will not only make you stagnate, it also degrades your sense of growth. Opportunities about out there and it is up to you to set new targets and seize them. Yes, do not be mistaken. The end-goal—business (or dancing) success—is and will always be important. Let it not blind you though, but rather find ways to adapt to any situation.

Another important correlation in business and ballet lies in the organizational structure of a company. Frankly, one cannot do it alone. Ballet production must have both lead roles and supporting casts to deliver an astounding show. In the same way, businesses have team managers and members working cohesively to deliver targets. The key in delivering sound results lies in building a team that shares the same passion, work ethics, and focus. Train and retrain them. Let them not run obsolete on their crafts. Like ballerinas, they need their skills to be honed—all the time.

Indeed, there are glaring similarities and correlation between ballet dancing and doing business. From wise use of skills to dedication, passion, confidence, and the collaborative efforts to deliver positive results, the language and culture of entrepreneurship does not fall far from that of ballet dancing after all.

According to psychologists, there are ways to unblock the creative pathways of the mind. Each of these methods, however, can deliver a different impact to individuals. Some of these known methods are:

Self-Restriction. Some people are known to go beyond and over when being imposed with certain limitations. Accordingly, such self-imposed restrictions or limitations allow them to think outside the box or work outside their comfort zone thereby, boosting creative mindset and sharpening one’s focus.

Re-Conceptualization. Problems are part and parcel of daily living. Whether in business or in personal undertakings, the idea of re-conceptualizing the problem at hand will ignite people’s creativity to examine various causations and let the mind work on different angles.

Psychological Detachment. Imposing some sort of psychological distance from a task or a problem is known to also help boost one’s creative mindset. When a person detaches himself from the actual “location” of the issue, he or she can see the matter at hand in a more objective manner. This somehow encourages a higher and more creative level of thinking.

Absorb State. Each person is believed to be in two different states of mind when creating and absorbing something. Instead of combining actual work with creative thinking, which requires deep thoughts and focus, it is suggested by experts that a more improved sense of creativity is usually reached when one “turn-off work” and consume or absorb more via observing, reading, listening to music, or simply watching.

Daydreaming Method. In connection to an “absorb state,” daydreaming or the capacity to turn-off everything and focus on a dreamy state will help put your creative neurons on hyperdrive. This is why many creative think-tanks go on meditation and get back to work thereafter.

Surrealism. Experiencing something absurd or out of one’s league also helps put the creative mind into overdrive. Reading short stories or comics, the absurd kind, for a few minutes during a mental block allows one to “reboot” the mind and start cranking for creative juices to flow in.

Emotional Upheaval. While the idea that happiness usher more creativity, recent studies conclude that both negative and positive emotions crank up the mind to think outside its boundaries. When a powerful mood sits in, refocus your energy into doing something creative.

Exercise. Everyone may have heard this before—moving boosts the mind to think in a more creative way. Many “Aha!” moments have happened while on a treadmill or a bike.

The next time you are neck-deep in a creative rut, do any of these methods to get your creative juices going. Read a children’s book. Watch a horror flick or a Korean historical drama or anything out of the ordinary. Feel free also to walk around the block or row a boat in a nearby lake. There are countless ways to make your creative mindset flowing, but in all these, it starts with your willingness and commitment.