I’ve been constantly struggling between the Techie and the Creative in my life. The Techie pays the bills and has been my bread & butter for years, but is honestly a little burned out these days. The Creative took a backburner when Techie hit high gear, but is trying to make a reappearance in my life even though it isn’t financially viable (yet).
As a Techie my path was always clear cut and easy to follow. You get some certifications, do some projects, move up the ranks, lather, rinse, repeat. The Creative side of the house has been an idea without a map, leading me down twisty roads with no end in sight.
Like most, I’ve been trying to find the direction I need to get to the kind of life I want to lead. More living and less reacting. As reader’s of my blog know, Lateral Action is one of my favorite sites. It combines creativity and its effective execution. Not just poetic people thinking creative thoughts, but how to take your abilities and leverage them toward tangible results. That’s been a huge problem for me. I have an idea of where I want to go without knowing how to pull it off.
Listening to Mark McGuinness’ latest interview with Steven Pressfield (The Art of Doing Remarkable Things) really got my wheels turning again toward getting closer to a creatively focused life. Looking at the vast landscape of the internet there are many people doing exactly that, carving out a life based around creative pursuits which are financially viable.
One in particular, who’s path I’ve been watching closely, is Brian Clark of Copyblogger. Not only has he been very successfully running several online business, but he’s regularly giving away great info on how to get there yourself. Recently, through Lateral Action, I came across some interviews and articles Clark had on just this subject called How to Have a Great Life and Great Business.
Personally, I’ve always been one to look at the successful people around me, figure out how they did it and then try to do the same, only better. Mark and Brian are doing what I hope to one day be doing. Not necessarily their niche, but a life where I can sustain myself on creative works and not techie works. I’m definitely checking out what these two cats have to say and perhaps it will finally get things going where I want them to be.
*Note* all links to Lateral Action are affiliate links
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Twitter: retrohack
June 8, 2010 at 11:06 am
Congratulations on your 100th post! I think what you have in this may just be the right plan for you, and your idle time in Tampa might help you get started down that road. I know I got a LOT of reading out of the way when I was TDY in Raleigh last summer.
BTW, this of course assumes you actually got to Tampa in one piece, seeing as how the last I heard you were in a puddle jumper fighting lightning….this 100th may have been scheduled a week ago for all I know. Yeesh! Not that you could have let anyone know you got there in one piece, found your hotel, met some nice people, got to the office….remembered your tooth brush….oh no! Don’t worry about me at all…I’m sure I’d hear about it eventually if you were in a hospital with amnesia…to think the sleep I’ve lost worrying myself sick…where did we go wrong? I know we raised you better than that…not a call, or an email, or even a DM…
Twitter: gabrielnovo
June 8, 2010 at 6:41 pm
Sorry MOM, I’ll make sure to call home next time
Can you believe I completely forgot this was my 100th post until I read your comment? Who knew I had 100 inane things to share with the world. It has been a fun ride and I don’t think I’ll be stopping anytime soon. Here’s to 100 more!
Gabriel Novo´s latest post ..Cuban Nomad: Year One
I hope this 100th post shows that you are finally coming to your realization with what you have loved for such a long time. You are an artistic being and need to paint your words all over this world.
Please don’t stop anytime soon. Your readings are just so exciting and engaging (whether or not you think so). Here’s to 1k+ my lover & friend!!!
Cheers on your accomplishments.
Twitter: gabrielnovo
June 17, 2010 at 10:21 pm
I truly hope to paint my words all over the world one day.
I can’t thank you enough for having read this long. Te amo mi tesoro.
Gabriel Novo´s latest post ..The Me Manifesto
I am totally rooting for you. My prediction is that in five years (or less) I will finally get to meet you both at some cool convention. We’ll get so sit next to each other signing our books. And later we’ll get to go all fan boy/fan girl on the other authors in attendance.
Terrie Matsuura´s latest post ..Smelly Things
Twitter: gabrielnovo
June 17, 2010 at 10:26 pm
Hopefully we’ll meet before the 5 years rolls around, but I’d love to be signing books next to you. That should be our goal, dual book signings followed by losing our cool at a Neil Gaiman speech. Super Fan Powers, Activate!
Gabriel Novo´s latest post ..The Best Anti-Heroes on Television
Twitter: gabrielnovo
June 19, 2010 at 11:23 am
Transplanted from Facebook
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Vince Liaguno: Good stuff, Gabriel. I, too, have been struggling between the Healthcare and the Creative in my life. The Healthcare pays me more money than I ever thought I’d make in life, but it no longer fulfills me — and it takes away from the CREATIVE side that I want to further explore and live.
Angel Leigh McCoy:”More living and less reacting.” Nice. This post is inspiring, Gabriel. I find myself in a similar position, though the conflict isn’t between Creative and Technical, it’s between My Own Vision and Someone Else’s Vision. Writing for a living means you spend a lot of your creative energy on someone else’s vision. It’s not where I want to be forever… See More, and so I too am looking for ways to build a career with my own products. Thanks for the links and things. I plan to check them out and do some reading.
Gabriel Novo´s latest post ..Thoughts From A Weekend