Never Overlook The Costs Of Being Creative

 

Creative people are almost like a different animal to the people who aren’t creative. If you’re not a person for whom your creative output is your passion – in music, in writing, in art, in filmmaking, in sculpting, or whatever – then you just won’t be able to fully understand someone who is. You’ll never get a sense of that drive, that passion and that exhilaration that rushes through the veins of someone with a creative passion. There is something about being creative that requires understanding and empathy and a connection that uncreative people just don’t share – they don’t have a radar for it, and therefore the time you spend on your projects will often be a cost for them because they can't possibly love your ventures as much as you do.

I'm so blessed that my wife is supportive of my creative endeavours - it makes such a positive difference. It helps that she is creative too, and smart, and very talented. By the way, if you're single, and you sense that a prospective beloved is highly supportive of your artistic endeavours - don't let them slip through the net. On the other hand, if you're passionate about your creativity, don't be yoked to someone who isn't. If they are not passionate about your work, they are not passionate enough about YOU!!!

For that reason alone, there is responsibility on the creative person too. The world is a better place if creative people are selective about their pursuits, because to do something really well is going to take up a lot of your time and effort while you master your craft. You probably don’t have as much to give the world as you think; you are highly unlikely to make a financial killing as recompense for your effort; and those combined costs will be felt by those closest to you as well - so approach with caution, because artistic indulgences are full of opportunity costs.

I’ll talk about writing, because that’s the one I know best. There are well known maxims that writers should always adhere to: like, write about what you really know; only write when you have something to say; and write authentically (be yourself). Bearing the above maxims in mind, it’s rarely sensible to allocate time to writing unless you have the utmost conviction that your writing session will tick the above boxes, especially if you’re writing non-fiction. When I was a professional gambler, the key to making a living was in being very selective in what to bet on; knowing when not to bet is the supporting wisdom in knowing when to bet in order to make a living from gambling. If you apply that wisdom to writing, you’ll find you’ll spend more time not writing than feels natural (or possibly even comfortable), but that is the pearl of a great price.

To see why, let’s take an extreme example. Suppose Jack, a writer of non-fiction, decided to spend 8 hours writing every day for the next 20 years. There’s just no way that he’s going to produce 8 hours of high quality writing every day. That point would be true of any amount of writing time one allocates arbitrarily. But if you only write when you believe you have something to say, you reduce the chances of wasting time on writing things that aren’t really worth reading.

Finally, if you are thinking of becoming a writer, be really strict with yourself with an honest critical appraisal of your credentials. Have you thought things through sufficiently well that your extended thoughts on a page are potentially edifying to a wide audience? And if yes, can you articulate them in a way that’s fresh, interesting and engaging? If the answer isn't 'yes' to both questions, then maybe think again about whether you should be subjecting the world to your musings. Because you have to remember that the cost to the world of your being a bad writer or artist or songwriter is not just your bad work, it is the good work you could have been doing, but never did. If the answer to both questions is yes, then great, I look forward to what you have to offer, and  thank you for what you've given the world so far.