Hi friends, I took my first poetry class on Sunday. Led by James Mcrae, it was more of a community space than a formal class. Let me just say, “what a JOY”. I never saw myself as a poet, let alone any kind of writer. And yet, when I started practicing Morning Pages, poems started pouring out. And although I still have zero ideas about poetry, this community felt like coming home. Today, I want to talk about creative identity and what it means to put your art first. Get comfortable, and let’s dive in!
A couple of years ago, as I re-ignited my creative spark, I found myself wanting to spend more and more time on creative practices. I craved time that I could simply dedicate to my artistic explorations.
As a mom of a toddler, with a demanding job and other responsibilities, I could only find slivers of time to create. And yet, I was hungry. I had starved myself for so long of this form of creative aliveness, that when I found it, I simply wanted to binge.
At one point, it became clear that I wanted to leave the corporate world and dedicate myself full-time to my creative pursuits. I had no idea, when or how I would achieve this, but the yearning to exit corporate life was clear.
I now talk to many people who are at this stage. They know they want something more aligned, more alive, more abundant. Simultaneously, they are ready to leave behind what is clearly no longer working: their day job.
This is an exciting place to be.
But it’s also very frustrating.
You know that your creative energy is high, accumulating and starting to build pressure. You need a release, a container to put it, a structure to let it take shape.
Instead, you have to spend 8 hours or more at a job that is no longer inspiring, if it ever was. And somehow pretend that you care.
At the end of the day, you’re depleted, and exhausted, and all that creative energy has been sapped out. You feel flat and simply want to numb out on some of your favorite S’s (sugar, shopping, scrolling, streaming).
This is unsustainable. And it’s also a huge loss of potential.
But how can you turn the ship around?
On bad work days, it’s tempting to want to jump ship, say “fuck this” and quit your day job outright. No plan, no savings, just a spontaneous reaction to what feels like a never-ending trap.
On good work days, it’s tempting to stay the course and say “I should be grateful” and try to make the most of the job. Perhaps you can channel all your creative energy into your job after all. You take on extra assignments and find a way to practice your talents at your company.
Both of those “strategies” might be okay for a particular person, in a particular situation. I’ve experienced both of those reactions.
At the same time, this “all or nothing” approach often doesn’t serve your truest calling.
To quit your day job without a plan means that you’ll then need to spend a lot of time figuring out your finances - and an alternate way to make a living - instead of on your creative work.
To channel all your creative energy in your job, might feel like a smart move (and it might be!). However, if you’re yearning to create your own body of work, free from an organizational agenda, this can be a big compromise in the long term.
Figuring out a third option is an art in itself.
No one path or process needs to look the same.
I’m currently supporting creatives on this exploration in my Artful Career coaching program. Each person has a unique situation, given their responsibilities to dependents, tolerance for risk, skills and experience, current resources, etc.
But something that all artists and creatives can do is shift their relationship to their art.
PUTTING ART FIRST
One of the core shifts that makes all the difference when wanting to follow your creative visions is to prioritize your art.
This might sound really simplistic.
But hear me out.
We all have many areas that need attention. Earning money to meet our basic needs, taking care of our health, fostering close relationships, etc.
In comparison, creative work might seem frivolous, non-urgent, or even childish. But if your creative work sparks your inner fire, then it is just as important as all the other “core” life areas. In fact, cultivating this inner flame often brings aliveness into the other areas.
So, how can you practically make room for art and creativity in your life?
1. Foster your Identity as an Artist
If you have not claimed an artistic identity for yourself, as a writer, painter, performer, builder of worlds, interdisciplinary creator, or simply “artist”, I invite you to do so.
Even if you don’t have any degrees in creative fields.
Even if you don’t have any accolades or stamps of approval for your work.
Even if you’re not sure what form your creative work will take.
It is not the same to be an accountant with a hobby as a painter, as a painter with a day job as an accountant.
This is not a judgment on accountants. And there’s nothing wrong about preferring the former.
But if you want to make more space in your life for your art, start seeing yourself as the artist with a day job rather than the other way around.
That leads to my next point.
2. Re-organize your time and energy according to your new identity.
When is the time of the day when you have the most creative energy? For many people, mornings are their most productive creative time, but these are spent on their jobs.
Many knowledge jobs today have some flexibility in their schedules and locations of work. If that’s you, could you imagine spending 20-30 minutes each morning (before you start your job) dedicated to your creative practice? This is often more productive than trying to carve out that elusive “whole day” of creative practice which never comes.
If you don’t have flexibility in your job, what’s the next best time you could create? Could you take 2 hours on Sunday morning? Or perhaps wake up 30 minutes earlier to create before your commute?
One of the first creative tasks of a creative person is to create time and space for creativity. And then design the experience to be so delicious that you want to come back and do it again.
3. Shifting the home of your “work standards”
For many people, one of the biggest blocks in prioritizing their art is the unwilling to let their day job performance suffer.
It’s not misplaced to say that if you shift your identity to being an artist, and put more time, attention, and energy into your creative work your performance in your job might decline.
In fact, anyone saying that you can continue excelling in all areas of your life at the highest level is deluded or in denial.
There is a trade-off. More time and energy on your art will mean less time and energy on your job.
This is why working on the shift to your new identity is a critical first step.
But at some point, you might want to work on letting go of the old identity. The identity of the top performer, the highest achiever, the one always going the extra mile. If you’ve protected yourself under the blanket of “highest standards” at work, it might be time to let that go.
Not because you suddenly became a loafer with mediocre standards. But because your art now requires your best performance. You are simply shifting the container in which you perform.
You can think of it as strategic mediocrity. You do the minimum to maintain stability in your job, while using your best energy to pursue excellence in your creative pursuits.
Will this disappoint some people? Perhaps!
I get that you don’t want to let people down, that you don’t want to be judged or misunderstood. But by continuing to invest in work that no longer feels aligned you are also disappointing someone: yourself.
Your inner artist desperately wants you to create your best work. So, as Glennon Doyle says: “disappoint as many people as it takes to avoid disappointing yourself”.
4. Investing in Aligned Skills & Experiences
As with any new path, you might want to gather new skills to take on your adventure. And if you’re someone who loves investing time in learning and growing, it’s tempting to go the extra mile to learn things that will help you succeed in your current job.
One of the bigger power moves in putting your art first is to follow your curiosity - without censorship.
Always wanted to take a class in mosaic making? Or join that obscure performance community? Or perhaps learn how to vibe code?
This is your permission slip to learn the skills that light you up, without thinking of all the “shoulds” and whether this too will be on the test.
Eventually, once you know the direction you want to take your work, there might be other skills you want to learn to bring your work to life and publish or monetize your work (e.g. entrepreneurial skills).
To make room for all of this, do yourself a favor and stop volunteering for non-mandatory trainings, conferences, or anything else in your day job that doesn’t interest you. Instead, invest in the skills that fuel your fire and help you advance in your creative vision.
5. Finding supporting communities
When you start to prioritize your creative pursuits, people in your surroundings might not understand. Especially if you don’t come from a family of artists, or went to art school, crafting a creative path might seem odd, if not wildly irresponsible to people around you.
This is okay. It’s normal. People in your circle might not have the same creative hunger as you. Or they might not be in touch with it, having blocked it and repressed it in deeper corners of their subconscious.
That’s why finding spaces where others are exploring similar themes, challenges, or insights as you is so nourishing.
There are plenty of community spaces for artists, both in cities and online. If you’re not sure where to start, I can recommend The Inspired Collective, or The School of the Possible as a wonderful spaces for creatives to connect and advance their creative projects.
Over the last year, I’ve explored about a dozen community spaces, each with a different purpose, flair, and contribution to my creative journey. These spaces help normalize your experience, make you feel braver and less alone.
If you do all 5 of the above, the question of whether, when and how to leave your job to pursue your creative work full-time will start revealing itself, bit by bit. You don’t need to force it. Simply hold on to the vision you have, without compromises. The path will start appearing once your energy and attention are behind it.
Your Turn!
What would it mean to put your art first?
What creative identity are you ready to claim?
What tiny changes could you implement in your day to create more space for art? Could you commit to experimenting with 1-2 of these for the next 2 weeks?
What are some new skills, experiences, or communities you’re curious to explore next?
Want support on your creative journey?
As a creativity coach, I help artists and entrepreneurs (or those aspiring to be!) to bring their best work forward. If you’d love support on your next creative project, or even transitioning to a more artful career, let’s chat.
That’s it! Thanks for being here.
It means the world.
With love,
Paula