What do Creative People Need?

The answer may SHOCK you.

What do creative people need? A studio loft in Bushwick where they can paint or dance for hours on end? Collaborators who inspire them to take dangerous risks and push the boundaries of what they are capable of? A safe space where they feel seen, heard and validated?

No. At least we don’t think so.

We do not believe this is what creative people really need in their lives. Especially those who wish to make a living in the arts which, as you know, is challenging. Those who have created sustainable lives for themselves seem to have truly defied insurmountable odds.

So, what do creative people – who are largely averse to structure, business, rules and unfulfilling work – really need to make a living from their creativity? They need a system that identifies their goals, determines mile markers on the way to those goals, and breaks down those mile markers into actionable weekly efforts.

Simple, but not easy

Pretty simple, yeah? Well it’s certainly not easy!

This is why we have built and organized our five year plan as we have. Our five year plan model works backwards from a client’s ultimate goals, breaks them down and organizes their long term needs and wants into the most immediate tangible action items.

So, for example, you need $5,000 to pay off some debt, kickstart a self produced effort and give you some room to breathe while you leave that restaurant gig once and for all. Let’s say that you’ll need that $5K in no more than 3 months time. How are you going to get there? A personal loan? Professional loan? Overdrive savings from your current job? Push your passive income efforts forward? Move around some assets and sell off as necessary?

Work backwards from the 90 day goal and decide where you’d be in 2 months, 1 month and what you’re going to have done by the end of this week to make a step towards locking in that immediate cash. This breakdown applies to the rest of the all of your goals.

Structure and play

Is this work? Sure. Does it take some thinking and time? 100%.

It’s easy to focus on how difficult the effort is and become overwhelmed by the scattered nature of how much you may need to do. But you must remember, you’ve decided to follow your passion and play for a living, and that is certainly not something that you are entitled to. You will have to take massive and concentrated action to ensure you can sustain your creative career. Otherwise what you have is a hobby.

This is not to say that structureless time is bad. Certainly not, and it is something all creatives need! However, the cavalry is not coming and nobody will make your career happen for you. Aimless time may be filled with creativity and alleged “freedom,” but unless you have a trust fund, a creative life without infrastructure is one that will not last.

Also by Artist’s Strategy:

What Should Actors Do Everyday?

What is the Most Lucrative Side Hustle for Actors?

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