Yes, we can be quite neurotic about money (and the lack thereof), and there is some downside to being a creative, right brained person, but it doesn’t have to mean disaster for your finances.

• Math Sucks. Math may not be your strongest subject if you are a creative profession, but it doesn’t necessarily give you an excuse for why you cannot manage money.  Besides there is a connection between musical ability and math skills.
• It’s Here Somewhere. Messiness, clutter and disorganization can actually be helpful in the creative process, but they don’t do any good when it comes to managing money. Clutter can be a sign of other issues that may get in the way of making money. It makes sense to gain some control over clutter and chaos.
• Fun and Games. We like total freedom. We don’t have time for all this boring business stuff. If we have to do it, we want it to be easy and quick. Sometimes that is possible, and sometimes that is the quickest way to go broke.
• The Time is Now. We have no sense of time and time and money are totally linked. We think we can do it all but are overwhelmed. We have to learn to say ‘no’.
• The Devil is in (Not Dealing with) the Details. We prefer to wing it. It is more of a thrill and an adventure. Besides, safe and predictable is boring and so is reliable, normal and status quo. We want new, exciting, dangerous. Sounds like fun if it is a free time activity, but not for finances. Haste makes waste. A little due diligence can save a lot of money. When we act without thinking maybe going with the first vendor without getting additional quotes or not reading the fine print in a contract, we only later find out what a mistake we made.
• Drama Queens. They prefer to live on the edge financially by choice. They find it more comfortable to constantly be in a crisis mode. We call them ‘Drama Queens”because they seem to thrive on problems.
• Live Fast, Die Young.  Many people like to live life in the fast lane. Slow and predictable is boring. They prefer people who are unreliable and investments that are risky. Sometimes that comes from a feeling of being indestructible, omnipotent, powerful, we simply don’t fathom failing, so it is not a risk.
• Emotionally Bankrupt. We tend to be driven by emotions and some of our biggest mistakes with money are emotional ones. It could be becoming a partner with someone we love or buying property that we fall in love with, and other decisions that are made with our hearts and not our heads.
• I Want It Now!  Unfortunately it takes discipline to make money. We can’t give in to any whim and have whatever we want whenever we want it, or we will overindulge. I think it is great to be in the moment. As a creative person, this is one of our greatest strengths. There is magic in the moment, but after it passes we must face the future. By focusing on the future while paying attention to the present, you will be able to enjoy the here and now and have a healthy appreciation for what is coming next and what you’ll need in the days, weeks, months and years ahead. Since we aren’t used to sacrificing for security and future success, this is a tough sell, but many creative careers take years to get off the ground, and during those lean years, what little money we have coming in must be funneled back into building the career.
• The Big Fix.  There is a sort of White Knight or Big Fix mentality with a lot of creative people. It is almost a total disregard for money, because the thinking is that something or someone will come along and save them from ruin.
• Eight Track Mind.  We are divergent thinkers. This is good in a way because we are NOT afraid of change, but despite this, change for change’s sake isn’t always good. There are problems with always seeking something new. For one, many times we aren’t paid until we COMPLETE a projet and leaving a trail of unfinished projects just is not profitable.
• Dream On. We live with our heads in the clouds, and that is okay for most areas of our lives. Being a visionary or abstract about things is what makes us great artists. With managing money, it can help us think about the future and all the possibilities, but we need to stop, look around and take a reality check every once and a while. Many startups fail because the founder kept going in different directions without any regard to the cashflow needs of the business.