Is a creative-driven career, like entrepreneurship, realistically attainable for you?
For just everyone?
If so, is there such thing as a silver-platter “course” or “program” that can easily make it attainable for everyone?
This article seeks to explore these topics, in which we must carefully consider before making the decision to dedicate our life to pursuing these creative careers, like entrepreneurship.
First, why do entrepreneurs make so much money?
Oftentimes, the most lucrative careers are of the creative, “mystical” sort…
Joining the ranks of Elon Musk, and Mark Zuckerberg, the next tech entrepreneur that brings value to the marketplace will be a surely become a billionaire.
Art pieces sell for millions of dollars.
Singers and actors make millions of dollars per project.
An athlete who, in essence, creates art by the skillful performance of his body, is among the highest paid professionals in our society.
J. K Rowling was a billionaire because of the royalties from her creative work. Her status of billionaire being of past tense only because of her extremely philanthropic ways.
No wonder, then, why so many of us plebeians – toiling away in cubicles, out in the field selling our trade, or in the front lines serving clients or end-users – dream of, one day, having our creativity completely fund our lives.
Whether it is an entrepreneurial venture, in which you will bring our creation into the marketplace as a sought after product or service, or the pursuit of high-level competency in a skill like singing or playing Football, the creative life appears to offer the kind of freedom and self-expression that no other vocation can…
It is may seem obvious why we all have developed a confirmation bias towards these careers, believing them to be more worthy than other endeavors…
Are they really, though?
It may be easy for those who would benefit from this glamorization of creativity, to sell you on a creative endeavor, such as an entrepreneurial one, by telling you that they offer a simple and foolproof method to create one of these creative projects.
But… Is it possible to bottle up success, so to speak, success in these creative endeavors? Can business ownership be a commodity?
Through content, and some semblance of mentorship, will you distribute upon the masses, the knowledge, and subsequently, the ability to create a successful creative venture?
Seems unlikely.
The truth of the matter is: most creative endeavors, entrepreneurial or not, do not succeed…
For example, think of the number of people that pay to play Hockey compared to the number that are making millions doing so.
Now, imagine the amount of start-ups that are created every year in silicon valley compared to the amount that are worth a billion dollars or more.
These are huge ratios.
However, not as huge as the ratio of the number of paintings produced compared to the amount of which command a million+ dollar price tag…
Or the amount of music composed that nobody will ever share, or produce a penny, compared to what is considered “pop” music.
One in a Million
Obviously, it takes a unique human being to reach the heights of success in these endeavors.
I mean, If these achievements were easily accomplished by anyone – why would we even value them at all?
Most people would not even label themselves a “creative” person.
You’ve met them.
They neither have the capacity nor the desire.
Yup, there are people out there that will never read a book again in their life…
And that’s okay.
I’m sure, nothing would be distilled from the contents of the book, anyway…
Still, okay.
Given the chance that you’re offended on behalf of these people, know that I truly do not mean offense when I expose those who lack creativity…
People who are not creative can still be wildly successful in life.
Tradespeople, nurses, and middle management will make lots of money as they save and invest properly. They will also enjoy amazing relationships with people in their lives.
The option is always there- to grind away at a menial job, save up and purchase a business.
In a sense, this means you hired an eccentric creative person to do the weird artsy stuff for you. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that – we can’t all take part in the chaotic, dreamy, and weird world of art.
Nothing truly important would ever get done!
This article has no intention of sounding condescending towards regular menial functioning careers, nor celebrated creative ones. They are both very important roles in our society, despite what some would tell you.
Rather, this article hopes to inspire you to reflect upon some questions which need to be reflected upon before deciding to embark on something like entrepreneurship.
Specifically, these two questions of motive need to be asked:
Are you able, and genuinely seeking to, provide value to the marketplace with your creative endeavors?
Or, does a creative endeavor appear to be an expedient way to make a lot of money?
Especially in the era of digital business opportunities sold as products to the masses, and as a consequence over-glamorizing “creativity”, you need to explore the answers to these questions, and thus explore any irrational bias’ you may have towards your ventures.
Are You Genuinely Providing Value?
The rare creative success that happens once in a while happens for one fundamental reason: Passion.
At the very least, success in an endeavor comes after the cultivation of passion towards the work itself…
There’s, simply, no way anyone can get through the drudgery of unrewarded creative expression, to the land of competence and productive work, without inherent passion towards the activity in itself…
If you don’t see any progress in what you are doing – as in, there is no value being added to your niche… And if it also doesn’t fully engage your attention… then you won’t do it.
At least, not long enough to get to the point of actually doing it professionally.
Gary Vee is addicted to his lifestyle. Fortunately, his passion is extremely lucrative. He didn’t adopt all those habits that made him a millionaire just so he can get there and finally live a lazy decadent life… He did so because he is driven to.
This drive to do the work needs to be there.
So that those years of living in the dirt do not phase you – so that you may, one day, get to the point of providing value.
And because results do not fuel the entrepreneur, the entrepreneur fuels results.
Feeling Discouraged Yet?
If, after reading that, you still believe that you are entrepreneur material…
You yelled out, “I LIVE FOR THIS SHIT”…
Then we may be on to something here. You may have what it takes.
You may be like Gary Vee – who lives for the hustle and grind life…
For him, It’s truly not about the money, it’s just the fact that what he loves to do coincides with what can make him a lot of money.
Despite the discouraging amount of failure that you have to experience as an entrepreneur, you believe that you will stay persistent.
At the same time, you know that you have the capacity for growth… And you are excited for the next phase of it.
Not only are you after the massive rewards of success – which would, admittedly, be nice, right about now – you are being disciplined and consistent because it gives you life, or at the very least, a modicum of progress in it.
Conclusion: A Time of Abundance
Aside from being a nice little PSA, this article could serve as a check-list for those who have felt that they are creative and ambitious.
Before delving into a venture we must first know if we have what it takes, and we must be honest about these things…
You need to consider the right thing for you to do can very well be to work hard in a trade and then invest your money by hiring creative people.
There is surely nothing wrong with that decision.
On the other hand, if you have an undeniable drive to do something creative, and making a lot of money doing so seems attainable and realistic, there is a great opportunity for you… Thanks to the internet.
Since the internet is used as a primary way to distribute media, Bill Gate is right when he says: content is king.
Although the opportunity to be a millionaire or billionaire in a creative endeavor is still rare as ever – this despite what you are shown by marketing campaigns – there are definitely many ways to generate a livable or even thriving income and exist freely and expressively by building an internet business.
The internet brought us abundance platforms, and therefore many more avenues for creative and ambitious people to thrive.
While Coach Jeremy is not making millions of dollars in the NHL, he can make a good amount of cash with YouTube ad money, and other monetization strategies. This is because of the audience he has built with his high quality content.
Maybe you live for creating culinary masterpieces like Chef John. Now, he most likely isn’t making Gordan Ramsay money, but nonetheless, he has a solid business.
Both these gentlemen have built an online business based on content and passion.
You can do the same
However it is not as simple as just uploading videos shot from your IPhone once in a while, such as how you would if you’re sharing your day with your family and friends.
You need content strategy.
This includes production value, like equipment and editing. Maybe even locale.
You need to be disciplined and consistent with this content…
Also, you need a marketing strategy…
As well as a monetization strategy.
Sounds like a lot of work for a single person – a solopreneur – to take on.
Thankfully, I have been offering 3 more consultation clients my Personal Brand Assistant services…
Eliminate all that tedious technical work like editing videos, scripting content, planning releases and market research.
Get that personal brand up and established within weeks. Ready to build an audience and turn your creative outlet into a business.
Use the internet to make your creative ventures a reality.