#002 • Is your work more than “just a hobby”?
Imagine … Rejecting the Status Quo to Embrace your Creative Passion.
Let’s say…
So… let's say alright… let's say. Let's imagine.
Let's say you're some 20- to 29-year-old kid-not-kid.
You're kinda creative yeah.
You like doing weird things like moving pixels on a screen to make pictures look "cool" and words influence actions.
Let’s say it lights you up so much you could do it all day without feeling tired.
At the core of it all, you just love to tell stories and communicate ideas and emotions, through design and music, because you’re really good at it, and you know someone always needs help with that.
Resistance
There's one problem though… people around you don't take all this very seriously.
They tell you to keep your creative side as a hobby because “it'll fade over time”; and if you don’t let it go… you'll be broke, and idk… live under a bridge or something.
Possibility
Gradually, you learn that there are people who just create stuff for a living. They design, compose music, write, speak, think, and solve problems as a profession; and they make money from it… lots of it.
You always thought it was possible, but you weren't quite sure, because people told you it was crazy, and it was for “those people”, “not us”.
Enlightenment, Epiphany & Commitment
Say you left home at 19, to seek… "better opportunities". You go to a land where this weird creative stuff is quite common and widely accepted.
You ask yourself:
“Why not push the limit?”
“Why not believe?”
“Why not give myself a chance?”
So you plant a seed — in your mind and with your actions — and for several years…
you grind
and learn
and search
and read
and listen
and watch
and connect
and converse
and create.
For a long time, it feels absolutely stupid.
The Climb
People who’s opinion you care about still think you’re entertaining an overblown hobby that you'll just wake up and "get over" one day… but you literally can't.
The inception of the dream was successful — maybe a bit too successful.
You tasted a sweet sliver of your potential future, and you can't let it go.
You’re stubborn … but for the right reasons,
so your only way to go is forward, and up;
even though the more you learn and achieve,
the more you find out you don’t know and don’t have.
It’s an uphill battle, but it’s the one you’ve chosen.
The Focus
You repeatedly ask and try to answer questions like…
“How do I become a better creator, and make better work?”
“How do I make money doing creative work?”
“How will I make money doing design – moving PIXELS on a screen?”
“Who values the work I do?”
“How can I make my work useful/helpful to people with money to spend?”
“Who has a problem I can solve – one that I have solved before?”
“Why does my work matter, and how can I get other people to understand this?”
One more time…
Let's imagine, one more time.
Let’s imagine that this is my own story.
The best part is, that's only the tip of the iceberg…
… the surface ripple;
… the topsoil;
… the froth of the coffee;
… the other shell;
… the frosting on the cake;
… the tip of the spear.
Yeah okay, I think you get the point.
There’s more.
Do invite a Friend
This is only the beginning of The Kreo, and I want to tell you and your friends SO MUCH MORE of this story; breaking down the tools I’ve found, the actions I’ve taken, the mistakes made, and the lessons I’ve learnt.
So invite them to subscribe.
It’s free, for now.
Foreshadowing
In one of the next few posts, I'll tell you about my first sensei … the master of Do-Fu.
One favour…
Until then, do me ONE favour…
Share if you have ever gone through something like this.
How did it feel? What did you learn?
This helps me learn about you too, because this blogletter is not only for you, but about you too. Also, honestly… it's super encouraging when you engage.
Thanksies.
Ayt…
Ayt… You can go away now.
Drink some water.
— KAV
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PS: Software Deal
Oh wait …
If you don’t want to know about a cool deal I found, you can skip this, but I wouldn't.
If you're interested in designing stuff and you’ve been looking for the right software to get you equipped for the big leagues, but …
you don't wanna pay a monthly subscription for a sometimes-functional software that slows your PC down every time you THINK about it…
then consider Affinity Designer:
Affinity has a 50% OFF Flash Sale right now (June 2024) and when you buy their software, it's YOURS … FOREVER, to use on ALL your compatible machines for that platform license.
I was eyeing it for a while, and I bought it recently.
My PC right now is pretty mid, but it didn’t slow down or heat up ONCE while multitasking with Affinity Designer, whether as the main focus window, or in the background.
It's dope. I dig it.
Get it here:
P.S. This is not sponsored.
I just fell in love with Affinity — esp. as a person who learnt design through Canva; which happened to acquire Affinity this year — and I love to share a great tool when I find it.
Okay, bye for real now.
Have a good one.
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Email: contact.thekaverik@gmail.com
IG: @iamthekaverik
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Great insights!