Just Because My Career Is Your Pastime, It Doesn’t Make It Any Less Important
I am tired of people telling those of us who went into a “creative” route of a career to prepare and have a “Plan B” in place when it’s time to get a “real job…”
NEWSFLASH This is my REAL job. Hard to believe I know. But I promise what I do is just as important as what you do. Really it is not a comparison because we all matter and we all work hard for what we do. Oftentimes, it takes the corporate world and the creative world working together to create what we want to see, experience and do. I am just wanting to make the point that artists are real people who do real work.
Something I have noticed as I have grown older is that people tend to write off creative jobs such as being an artist, a techie, a writer, singer and performer, to name a few (there are so many “creative” jobs in the world) as “temporary jobs” and that they will have to eventually grow up and find a real job such as an accountant, teacher, scientist, restaurant owner and the list goes on and on. That they tend to be asked to do their work for free or exchange for exposure.
But why is this such a common thought?
Just because my career is your pastime, it doesn’t make it any less important. People love to listen to music, watch movies and television shows, I mean come on there is a whole dating world connected to “Netflix and chill.” That wouldn’t be possible without those creative people and corporate people working together. People love to read books, scroll the internet, watch YouTube videos, or social media reels. They like to sing and dance like no one is watching. They love to play board games and go out to watch a live performance such as a theatre show or concert. This list goes on and on…
But guess what?
It is mostly created by people who went into the entertainment field, creative fields & artistic fields of work. It is a job & career that takes time and effort to create. They are people who are smart, talented, hardworking and passionate just like your local dentist, banker and chef. Our worlds might look a little different but that’s okay. You might work that standard 9 to 5 schedule while a stage manager might work 4pm to 1am. It all varies by what you do and where you work. The awesome thing about careers is that there is such a variety in the world we live in that you have a bunch to choose from.
So please at the end of the day follow your passions and goals. Work towards creating the life that you want to live. Please remember that someone who is working on set vs in a office might still be working that Plan A job. At least they are trying to. Obviously there are many factors that play into the career/job you decided on in your life or maybe it chose you but this article is simply stating that the Plan A job might be the only job someone ever plans on getting. So please do not dismiss them because you might not find passion in yourself for what they do. Please try to keep an open mind and see that everyone is valuable and everyone has a place in this world. But also remember that if your Plan A turns into your Plan B or Even Plan X, that’s okay too. We all have our own lives that we live, navigate and we all have our own journeys that we take day by day.
So please stop telling people they “need” to get a different job and grow up. What works for you professionally might not be the case for someone else. Spread positivity and maybe ask someone why they decided on their career and what got them into what they do? You might be surprised by the response. It might just help you gain a new perspective and appreciation for the jobs you don’t work in.
As always be kind to yourself and others!
