Approaching Creative Work as a Vocation
Core Idea: The professional mindset treats creative work as a serious vocation rather than a hobby, emphasizing consistency, discipline, resilience, and dedication over talent, inspiration, or luck.
Key Elements
Core Attitudes
- Dedication to showing up daily regardless of mood or circumstances
- Commitment to the craft itself rather than outcomes
- Recognition of work as work, not therapy or self-expression
- Patience with the process and long-term perspective
- Humility before the craft and those who've mastered it
Professional Practices
- Establishing consistent work schedules (e.g., "inspiration strikes at 9am")
- Understanding the Principle of Priority - doing what's important before what's urgent
- Developing tolerance for mundane, difficult, or unpleasant aspects of the work
- Creating appropriate boundaries between self and work
- Seeking continuous improvement in technique and craft
- Maintaining emotional distance from both praise and criticism
Handling Challenges
- Accepting criticism without personalizing it
- Viewing setbacks as part of the territory, not personal affronts
- Practicing emotional self-regulation during inevitable failures
- Preparing for and anticipating resistance daily
- Learning from rejection rather than being destroyed by it
- Separating the quality of the work from self-worth
Organizational Approach
- Creating corporate distance (thinking of oneself as "Me, Inc.")
- Recognizing limitations and bringing in other professionals as needed
- Maintaining proper tools and workspaces
- Respecting deadlines and commitments
- Being businesslike in financial and administrative matters
Additional Connections
- Broader Context: Creative Career (professional approach to artistic work)
- Applications: Studio Practice (implementing professional habits)
- See Also: Turning Pro (the decision that leads to professional mindset)
References
- Pressfield, Steven. "The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles"
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