What does it take to design a life that prioritizes meaningful creative work while maintaining a sense of security, wellness, and connection?
The drastic transformations going on in the creative and cultural economy today are unprecedented and overwhelming.
Entire domains and skill sets become essential and then irrelevant within shorter and shorter time frames.
Formal degrees and credentialing are losing their value at an exponential rate across creative fields.
So how are we supposed to build a viable, balanced, creative life in an environment like this? How do we not just survive but thrive within this constantly shifting and unpredictable landscape?
Recognize that there is no singular solution.
No five-step plan, no mastery of life goals, no tried and true formula for navigating the current landscape, and no map to guaranteed success.
This may sound discouraging at first but is actually a huge opportunity (especially for creatives).
The key is to not only recognize the pace of change but to also embrace it.
If there is no singular correct way to build a personal and professional life focused on creative work, then we get to design our own.
We get to leverage our intense passion for creativity and generous connection to others into opportunities for growth and financial security without having to ask permission from anyone but those we serve.
So many opportunities! An infinite number of opportunities….
Starts to feel a bit overwhelming again, doesn’t it?
Where do you start? What should you focus on? Can’t I just go back to being told what to do, earn some sort of certification and call it a creative life?
Sorry, doesn’t really work that way anymore.
It is up to you to own your intentions and commit to exploring your intense interests with openness and curiosity. But have no fear, you are not alone.
There are as many paths to a successful creative life as there are people pursuing a successful creative life (and there are a lot of us).
What if you could somehow connect in meaningful ways with a diverse group of creatives who are also trying to figure this stuff out? What might you gain from their experiences? What might you learn from their mistakes and successes? What might you be able to offer others to help them on their paths?
There has never been more opportunity for connection and engagement with people who share your interests. Where might you connect with fellow creatives in meaningful ways?
Continuous learning is not optional anymore for creatives. The specialized skills you possess right now will become outdated and possibly irrelevant sooner than you realize.
Formalized education cannot and will not keep up so you need to take it upon yourself to not only learn new things but decipher which things are worth committing your limited time and resources to.
There has never been more opportunity for access to expertise and learning.
Where might you leverage this opportunity for continuous, effective learning in order to keep your skills relevant? Where might you diversify your skills in ways that will bring more insight and creativity into your work?
Building a viable creative life doesn’t just mean connecting and learning with other creatives.
Working with others toward a shared intent is a vital pillar of creative work.
There has never been more opportunity for new forms of collaboration. Where might you leverage this opportunity to create new forms of meaningful work?
Antifragile Creative is bringing together a diverse group of dedicated creatives who want to design new paths toward success through learning essential skills, sharing experiences, and building strong relationships with fellow creatives.
It is a digital community focused on empowering creatives through connection, clarity, and collaboration.
Antifragile Collaborations are designed to leverage the massive power of the knowledge and experience of our members. Think of it as spaces within a space where we:
Antifragile Creative is designed to be a safe, generous, creative, and inspirational space where you can do all of these things in order to not only survive but thrive as a creative.
I hope you will join us.
Jeff Tyack - Artist, Educator, and Founder