3 Hidden Costs Of Creativity

We often romanticise creative work for it’s emotional & cognitive benefits, but behind our outcomes are hidden costs that remain unobserved until they become a problem. Understanding these costs can help us rationalise the value of our work for what it truly is.

Here are 3 valuable insights I’ve gained about the true costs of creativity.

Authenticity

• Authenticity requires a willingness to stand by your beliefs and principles, even in the face of criticism or rejection. This may mean making difficult decisions that align with your values but may not always be popular or easy.

• To be authentic is to embrace vulnerability, exposing your true self and experiences through your creative work. This can be emotionally taxing, as it opens you up to potential judgment or rejection. The price may involve grappling with feelings of insecurity or fear of failure.

• In the competitive landscape of the creative industry, authenticity can be a risk. It may mean deviating from trends or market expectations, which could impact your commercial success or professional opportunities. The price may involve sacrificing short-term gains for the sake of long-term integrity.

Time

• Time is our most valuable resource, it’s the one thing that we cannon get back once it has been spent. As creatives, we often charge for our time to create - this falls into the hours, days, weeks or months it takes to finish a project. We charge for time spent, not for the final output. Understanding the time cost of your creative work may help you price yourself more affectively.

• When our output (the creative project) is directly tied to the input (the time/work it takes to finish a project), we are limited by how much we can produce, and ultimately, how much we can earn.

• What if we could detach our value as a creator from this concept of time? How much would we price our creative output if it were based on the end product, rather than the time it takes to execute? In other words, how much is your skill worth to you?

Sacrifices

• In order to improve, you must do extra work, it’s simply a matter of hours put in. Doing more than is required is the fastest way to match your personal taste with your skill level.

• You only have a finite amount of energy that you can put into your work, by setting realistic expectation for completing a project, you give yourself more time to execute without spending more energy than is required.

• Creating costs money, whether it’s the tools you need to work, or the platform fees for hosting your work, or the coffee meetings scattered across your monthly social calendar. There is an opportunity cost for getting seen and hired for your work.

Remember that the journey is as valuable as the destination. Each investment, sacrifice, and moment of doubt contributes to our growth as creators.

Actionable Takeaways

• Reflect on your own creative journey and identify areas where you can invest more effectively.

• Prioritise self-care and mental well-being to prevent burnout and sustain long-term creativity.

• Embrace authenticity in your work, even when it comes at a cost, knowing that your unique voice is your greatest asset.

A question to ponder

What sacrifices are you willing to make in pursuit of your creative vision, and how do you balance these with the demands of everyday life?

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