Life happens. It’s a phrase that denotes the unpredictability of the human experience. For many artists and creatives, the response to those uncertainties can determine their ability to progress in their craft—in their willingness to adapt to change or their efforts to preserve their control over the narrative of their future. Jazz master, pianist and artist mentor, Herbie Hancock, outlined this principle in the following excerpt from his autobiography, Possibilities: “We all

Faith plays an important part in the development of the creative career—empowering artists with the confidence and ability to take the necessary action steps and risks to realize their craft and potential. In addition, practicality and common sense are also instrumental in strengthening and sustaining an artist’s career arc in their ability to successfully recognize and evaluate the need for change and avoid the hands-free decision-making that often results in unnecessary pit

Every artist is a working artist—whether full-time or part-time. Regardless of the level of professional engagement, focus, optimism and drive are key components in artists successfully navigating the valleys and challenges of the creative career. For artists holding a day-job, as a means to supplement income, maintaining and cultivating focus and drive amidst the obligations of a secondary employer can prove difficult—particularly when it carries the additional distraction o

Gratitude is universally lauded as an essential attribute in successfully weathering the unanticipated storms of the creative career—providing context towards experiences of loss, as well as the associated personal and professional sacrifices required along the way. Ironically, although challenges and hardships can collectively broaden awareness of the true and intangible equities of life, those same experiences can also conversely create a sense of disillusionment for those

As all things do, relationships eventually come to an end, due to varying circumstances. In the case of creative and entrepreneurial partnerships, sometimes they end amicably in agreement with all parties going their separate ways. At other times, they can end abruptly, due to professional conflict, bankruptcy or betrayal, with the impacted party sometimes only becoming aware of their fate in the final seconds of the door closing--similar to the unforgettable scene within the

The creative journey is a road that places cyclical demands on the endurance of those who travel it. For most, the ability to meet those demands requires a cognitive faith in the marriage of thought, belief and action to successfully clear personal and professional obstacles and hurdles—in addition to an uninhibited vulnerability in order to attract and reel in the unseen promises of both career and craft. When artists and creatives lose their heart in the process through har

The concept of leveling up within pop culture is contextually tied to a win-against-the-odds underdog narrative, mostly celebrated by spectators and embraced by few. From an outside perspective, grind and hustle are often touted as the keys to achieving elevation and satisfaction in the form of stature and prominence, regardless of profession—despite the evidence of natural laws, as expressed through the force of gravity, which guarantee a leveling and return to start. For ar

An artist’s mantle can be a difficult undertaking—as the very pursuit of their craft requires vulnerability in the sharing of thoughts, beliefs, perspective and personal experiences that form the narrative of their work. With every creative work, an artist knowingly opens the door to criticism, whether justified or unwarranted, that can potentially derail focus and compound the weight of self-criticism and doubt. In a medium that is commercially dependent on public valuation,

When markets become unstable, the resulting domino-effect immediately prompts a reassessment of inventory and resources by businesses and consumers, informing their behavior amidst economic turmoil and uncertainty. As artists and creatives work to adapt to the economic ebb tide resulting from the global spread of coronavirus, they are also faced with reassessing the ratio of their creative and financial reserves against the realities of the marketplace in reevaluating their p

The creative journey requires courage—the courage to believe and remain consistent and committed in the face of personal, professional and marketplace losses and disruptions that sometimes leave a lasting influence against an artist’s faith. In a bid for self-preservation, sometimes artists and creatives can find themselves living out a lower-case courage that runs counterintuitive to their calling and creative purpose—a courage that ultimately limits their potential. In the

There are certain words and catch-phrases that are unique to every country, region and culture, used to communicate universal values and experience. “Having heart”—a phrase indigenous to South Los Angeles, Hip-Hop culture—translates as the embodiment of significant tenacity and courage, and by extension, indicates an equal capacity towards self-sacrifice. For artists and creatives, that level of “heart” carries the same translation in the adoption of disciplines, work ethic a

When navigating the current of the creative career, strategic planning is intrinsic to the successful realization of artistic and commercial goals. Although time is a necessary component in the execution and actualization of each career goal point, there will inevitably be personal or professional challenges that confront even the most fortified strategy, requiring decisive action in the form of patient perseverance, acknowledgment and acceptance of unexpected detours, or a w

Most artists aspire to achieve a portfolio of evergreen work that, per the legendary Nina Simone, “reflects the times”, while remaining culturally relevant throughout the decades, across demographic divides. This can be a difficult bar to set and meet for creatives working within the seasonal constraints of entertainment and commercial industries that revolve around trends and discourage against the artistic freedom and exploration that engineers the synchronicity of talent,

No one knows what the future holds. Despite the translucent appeal of the creative path, for the majority of artists and creatives, there are no real guarantees towards the timing or successful realization of individual artistic vision, as they journey ahead—whether navigating the highs and lows of a professional career as a full-time creative or executing on their career aspirations against the demands of a day-job. Given the uncertainty underlying creative careers, how can

The career path of artists and creatives is largely synonymous with a life of sacrifice and uncertainty—as most creative industries are largely risk-based. Personal and professional sacrifices made over time during the in-between of an artist’s development can sometimes breed a fear-of-missing-out of the securities and benefits associated with a traditional career trajectory, which can limit their potential, leaving them anchored in the same GPS radius of limited perspective

It is common practice to take an overview of the year during the month of December. For artists and creatives, the math of faith over facts yields varying results. While others experience tangible metrics of success, others may find themselves navigating a run of bad luck—as a good portion may still find themselves awaiting a breakthrough moment in their careers, reminiscent of the George Bailey narrative of the Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life”, where hopes and promi

The career path of a creative is a marathon of self-discipline and self-accountability that extends far beyond the euphoria of momentary goal-point wins—in essence, it is a marriage of talent and craft requiring a high level of resilience and consistency towards a successful outcome. Conversely, it is ironic that although this same level of resilience is lauded and celebrated within culture, it is mostly acquired through failure and adversity—which are culturally deemed as ta

Talent is promissory in nature—an indicator of creative and career promise and potential. When an artist initially undertakes the shepherding of their gift and answers the call to create, there can be a honeymoon phase of idealization towards its potential, followed by a maturation process of testing and development that may reroute their career ambitions. When artists and creatives encounter a reconfiguration of their original aspirations in the career choices that lie ahead

The creative path can present a dichotomy of experiences—the thrill of artistic exploration and synchronicity, and the mind-breaking moments of defeat and bad breaks. In the case of the latter, bad breaks, or ‘the breaks’ (as termed by hip-hop pioneer, Kurtis Blow) can prove advantageous for those who encounter them, as they provide an opportunity for insight in the way they are handled, or in other cases mishandled, in hindsight. In walking out the creative path and process,

Some creative careers begin auspiciously, in little to no time, with all of the details in perfect alignment—an unmistakable confirmation of destiny. Others take significant time to launch, taking years and sometimes decades to develop. In those years of waiting, an artist’s perception of their individual craft can sometimes become distorted—what was once revered as valuable can later depreciate in perception with a creative gift appearing more like an expensive hobby, in lig