This could well be the most important tip to remember when pursuing a creative career. Unless you enjoy what you do you’re never going to be great at it so make sure you’re having fun too. Of course, enjoying yourself doesn’t guarantee the work that results will be any good…
Throughout this book, I’ve talked about fearlessness, heartache, anger, persistence. All of which don’t sound like much fun. And you’re right. Creativity is a mixture of many emotions – that image of the tortured artist comes to mind here.
But ultimately a creative career puts you in an incredibly privileged position. Expressing your ideas, pursuing your dreams, creating a legacy for others to follow and build on is exciting and daunting, yes, but also fun.
Painting a picture, writing a story, composing a song, whatever creative activity you pursue, you’ll be the one in charge. Where do you want to go with that story? Who’s in it? Who falls in love? Who dies? How does it end? You decide.
There are no limits to one’s imagination. Even when you find yourself working for a client who keeps saying no to your ideas. In that case, it’s just up to you to convince that person your vision is worth it.
All this freedom can be incredibly liberating and exciting. When Irvine Sellar commissioned architect Renzo Piano to design the Shard in London, it is said Piano sketched out his vision on a napkin over lunch. You can’t tell me he wasn’t excited. He was. Sellar bought into that excitement and together they created one of Europe’s tallest and most talked about buildings. Apparently Sellar has the napkin framed in his office.
Whatever you’re doing, whatever difficulties you’re encountering, remember how lucky you are and be sure to have fun.
Another thing to remember:
Humor is the antidote to authority.
Somewhere at some time we were brainwashed into thinking fun is bad and unthinkingly took on board the puritanical belief that we shouldn’t be enjoying ourselves. This same thinking is common in totalitarian regimes. They don’t like fun either.
I say screw ’em.
Let’s strike a blow for freedom and creativity.
Enjoy yourself, express your ideas, and have fun doing so. You’ll do whatever it is that much better.