Don’t Quit the Dayjob
That’s what we tend to get told. Immediately. It’s the first thing we hear at every interaction.
As soon as the words “I’m an artist/writer/actor/musician/painter/performer” leave our fabulous lips, we get told “Ah, sure, that’s grand, love, but don’t quit the day job”.
And it’s true.
Yeah, no, you were expecting me to say “NO! Go forth, be brave, and QUIT the day job, or better yet, never even start one, live your life you beautiful butterfly!!!!!”
No. I’m not going to say that.
Yes, you need a day job. Yes, you need to anchor yourself, earn money, understand the business side of every job, understand what it feels like to show up to work every morning, work 40 hours a week to earn a living. Because chances are, as soon as you hit that moment when your art becomes your job, you’re gonna have to spend twice that amount of time working.
That’s where many artists (and I use the word “artist” here to describe any and all creative profession, inclusively of any format or medium) stumble. That’s what differentiates the professional from the hobbyist.
Speaking as a writer, I know that many see writing as a hobby, and that is TOTES cool. So cool, I love it: you want to write every once in a while, when you feel inspired and when the moment takes you and that’s awesome. Anything creative is worth doing, no matter the skill level, and I will for ever applaud you.
But let me speak to those on the cusp, for just a moment.
Those people who are on the cusp of becoming professionals, those who are considering a life in the arts. There is a profound misconception that I encounter daily. The misconception that art is not work. That it’s something innate, some un-graspable talent, some mysterious, ethereal spirit, that just kind of happens, that just kind of appears.
That is wrong.
This misconception is shared by creatives and non-creatives alike. And I am NOT here for it. Art is not just talent, or the kiss of a muse, or magic. Art is hard, hard work. Art is craft and professionalism, and hustle, and work.
So, yes. To an artist who wants to one day turn pro and leave the day job behind, I say: do a day job. Do a gruelling 40 hour work week with one 30 minute break for a year or two. Do it.
It will give you two things: it will train you to just sit down and grind through the workday. And it will give such an appreciation for the moment when your workday becomes your art.
And then. When that magical moment arrives, when you’ve hustled the hustle, and worked the work, and maybe even saved up a little something from your day job… go. Do it. Quit the day job. Make it work. Do the work.
Good Luck.