I am new to the writing game. But, I have a lot of life experience–from being the lead singer in a rock band to being a Computer Scientist.
One thing my varied experience has taught me is that…
Being myself is my greatest asset.
But that isn’t always easy to do.
So, here are some ways I try to stay true to myself while still trying to make a living.
I Put Myself First
I hope that my work connects with others.
I hope that I can help others in some way.
But… I create for myself first–I think everyone else should too.
I think it’s the only way to approach a craft — it makes sense from every angle.
Or at least all the angles I care about…
Want to enjoy your work?
Find work that bends to your unique capabilities and interests. This can take a lot of effort and courage as knowing ourselves can be a struggle. If you’re bending too much to get the work done, maybe it’s not a good fit.
Want to make a living doing something you enjoy?
Creating for yourself and being yourself will — inevitably — lead you having unique content, branding, and style.
When we create something that we enjoy, that creation takes on universal qualities with less boundaries than something made purely for profit. I.e. It naturally has the effect of connecting with others.
Want to help others?
Helping others is damn near impossible if you aren’t able to take care of yourself. So please, put yourself first — you’ll then be able to help others.
I Think Long Term
I think a question creative people should always be asking is:
Can I do this for the long term and stay mentally grounded?
To me, that’s high in the list of most important questions to be asking.
At each step along the path of whatever venture I’m undertaking I try to ask this.
I Show Up Each Day
There’s really only so much work we can do in a day.
There’s usually obstacles that get in the way.
But, I try to be able to say, every single day:
I did something to keep the machinery of my dreams going.
Even if it’s just fixing a typo in a post.
If I do get a lot done one day, I try to remind myself that tomorrow I may be back to only getting a typo fixed.
I try not to look at this process linearly.
I’m not building a house.
I’m growing a garden.
I’m learning.
I’m experimenting.
I Disappear Each Day
This is ironically, the concept that I think is most important.
And–at least for me–also the most difficult.
Turning work off is important — especially intellectual work, because it takes up so much mental energy.
If we don’t, it will slowly wear us down and make us incapable of sticking with our venture in the long run.
This is where building good habits outside of work is so important.
I find “physical measures” are most effective for cutting off work.
For me, those are things like:
- Weightlifting
- Yoga
- Yard work
- A Cold Shower
Or several of those things in a sequence.
And sometimes, there’s no easy way… we just have to keep pushing through the wall that says “I can’t” or “I don’t want to” until we finally arrive at “I can’t wait to go on a jog!”.
After I do a physical activity, then I may meditate to take my disappearing act a step further. But if I try to meditate right after working, I find that I am often unable to calm down.
I Trust my Material
- I trust that within me is something that is universal to all things.
- I trust that it will provide me with all the raw creative material that I need and that I will get what I need when I need it.
- I trust that these same principles apply to you as well.
A Quick Note
This is my first attempt at writing in a less “paragraph-centric” way– and instead, spreading the flow of thought down the page.
I enjoyed writing this.
It was new to me.
An almost musical experience.
I hope you enjoyed reading it also.
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