30 "Lessons" For Starting Your Life In The Creative Industries

Or perhaps some of the mantras needed to make it sustainable.

We are all in this together.

The questions remains: Can we better help launch the next gen of artist/entrepreneur that will build the bold visions that will delight & inspire generations to come? What advice would you give them?

And I want to call attention to the title of this post: it says “life” and not “career”. You make the choice to enter such a field, it can’t be the choice of a job. Yes, it is the choice of how to use your labor, but in all the creative industries, you need more of a commitment. It is how you are going to prioritize the time you have on earth.

I have done this sort of list before. I know I will do it again. Just because the list changes doesn’t mean the old suggestions are no longer valid. I still believe those recommendations from earlier lists too. It would be nice if as such list grow longer, if it all got a wee bit easier to begin your life in creative industries, but unfortunately it doesn’t work this way. You’ll just have to be pleased to know that the list grows because there are those of us that want you to get your start and be able to thrive. Good luck out there!

1. Recognize that it is going to be a long game; you need endurance.

2. Ask yourself now, how — if everything else was going to stay the same — how will you feel better about what you doing in fifteen year’s time, than you do today?

3. Learn how to build and keep your passion strong from the start.

4. Appreciate (deeply) people, places, processes, and things — don’t take them for granted.

5. Spot the problem likely to happen and prevent it without needing to point out that you did.

6. Always be learning.

7. Stay respectful of your predicament.

8. Respect/honor the creative process.

9. Learn what boundaries you need to set.

10. Define “success” for yourself; don’t conform to other’s definition.

11. Find a way to be part of something bigger than yourself.

12. Keep the good ones close.

13. Promote others.

14. Build community and give back to it to keep it strong.

15. Get organized, and stay there.

16. Accept that with commitment comes vulnerability.

17. Develop discernible skills.

18. Know how to generate income & do it — but not always, as it is not just about that is it?

19. Know how to keep a good attitude.

20. Know how to engineer opportunity.

21. Know your priorities — but don’t be afraid to reset them.

22. Develop “taste” — and be comfortable that it is your own.

23. Develop techniques to spark inspiration.

24. Develop a “completion urge” — and fulfill it regularly.

25. Bring the real world into your creative practice.

26. Don’t just have a results oriented creative practice.

27. Work to develop resilience and grit.

28. Get things done — and develop a reputation for doing so.

29. Leave people and things better than you found them.

30. Maintain curiosity for people, places, processes, and things.

Care to add a few more?

And yeah, maybe these are more “concepts” or perhaps just helpful questions, good ideas and/or recommendations, but I trust you get my gist. That’s why newsletter posts have subheadings after all.

PS. I have realized when I try to limit my posts to three a week, I end up with four or more. So beginning next week, I am going to try to limit my posts to two per week — Wednesday & Thursdays. It will likely mean I post three times a week. We shall see. But if you don’t hear from me on Mondays, that means I succeeded. The only constant is change. This too shall past.