Work/Art Balance

“The most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying.”

- Steven Pressfield, The War of Art

As an indie writer who also works full time as a recruiter, it can be frustrating trying to find the right balance between work and art.

Especially this time of year, I often think about Jimmy Stewart's character in "It's a Wonderful Life" and the tension between his dreams and responsibilities. My mind occasionally echoes his character in times of frustration, shouting internally "I want to do what I want to do!"

But we can't. Every day, artists have to choose between their responsibilities and their dreams, and nearly every day responsibilities win. And how can it not? If we shirk responsibilities, the rent doesn't get paid.

If we shirk our dreams, the consequences are much less immediately tangible, though my therapist tells me it causes internal consequences later in life. Either way, this daily tension can be all consuming if we don't find the right work/art balance.

2023 was an extremely challenging year for me, and not just in finding that work/art balance. But I'm determined to change that this year.

To that end, I made a goal to to reflect weekly on the challenges and learnings I've experienced on this journey and share them. Feel free to follow along if you'd like and please share your own experiences too! But this is admittedly more for me than anyone else.