When I was little, I wanted to be an astronaut. I grew up in the age of manned rockets and like most boys my age, imagined traveling through space and exploring new planets. The reality of what it took to be an astronaut soon clashed with my fleeting childhood fantasy, however, and I realized not everybody can be an astronaut.

Now I am a creator and the same realization is true. While it is truly my calling, not everybody is a creator, even if the “influencer” lifestyle, with its promises of easy, work-from-anywhere fame and riches is appealing. Before you plunge into this oh-so-crowded and popular rabbit hole, it behooves you to consider: are you a creator?

Purpose

Chasing money is not a purpose. Money is a means to an end, a way of getting what you want and need in life. It is important, of course, because money can buy you security and some peace of mind along with material things. But if you make the very common mistake of conflating income with purpose, you will rapidly become frustrated and burned out.

And know this: your purpose is not a predefined destiny that you must somehow discover, nor is it a permanent decision. You get to choose the path that gives your life meaning, and change it when necessary.

How do you go about defining a purpose for your life? Here are two key factors:

Is it within the realm of possibility? I hope I’m not the first to tell you this, but you can’t actually be anything you want, contrary to what your parents and friends might have told you. Not everyone can be an NFL quarterback or a Navy SEAL. If you hate math, a career in engineering isn’t going to work for you. If the thought of touching strangers grosses you out, you might want to reconsider your thoughts of becoming a nurse.

Once you eliminate the impossible, the next most important element is to consider a life goal that fits who you really are.

For Example

I have many friends and acquaintances who joined the military right out of high school. Most of the time they made that decision from a need for security and convenience, not as a way to fulfill purpose. More like, “I don’t want to go to college and I’m not really interested in anything else. The military looks interesting and comes with housing, medical care and VA benefits…”

Many of those people are in for a couple of years, then realize that military service is not aligned with their long term goals, so they get out. Some see a pathway to a more lucrative career and use their contacts to transition from the armed forces to a position as a government contractor. This pathway pays very well - obscenely so, in some cases. Again, it’s not a life purpose, but a way to save for a retirement where they can live life the way they want at some future time.

Hopefully they get there with their health, Roth IRAs and 401(k)s intact.

Let me be clear: I am definitely not suggesting that you ignore financial stability in favor of just doing whatever you want. “Follow your bliss” can be just as harmful to a fulfilling life as 40 years as a nameless cog in a corporate machine.

An Inner Compass

The truth is, there is no guarantee that your life as a professional creator will pay as well as, say, a project manger gig for Raytheon or pharmaceutical rep for Pfizer. The trick, as is always the case in life, is to find the right balance.

The ideal blend is to find a calling that takes care of your needs for money and benefits, and is worthy of spending time that you will never get back. The return on the investment of your life should make sense in terms of both money, which is important, and time, which is infinitely more precious.

Luckily, you already possess a way to help with the many decisions necessary to achieve a happy and productive life.

Start as discussed above. Make a list of all the things that both interest you and are possible.

Next, do some research and see which of those options can support you.

Now, the important part. For each option that has made the cut(s), imagine yourself in that career for an extended period of time and consult your gut.

This is your inner compass.

If it feels good (a worthy use of your life, is in alignment with your values, makes you happy to think about doing the work), then it stays on the list of possible ways to manifest purpose.

If it feels bad (the only achievement is increasing corporate share value, has nothing to do with the things that are important to you, seems like it would be “just a job”), then it gets crossed off, no matter how much it pays.

Unfulfilled, miserable rich people abound in life; I have counseled many.

As If

If you find that the list of professions that seem as though they would be satisfying to you are not necessarily high-paying, or will take some time to become that way, you may find it necessary to get a job that takes care of you while you develop a career that has purpose and meaning for you.

The problem is that once you start a relatively high-paying career as a “side gig,”  it can very difficult to develop a more meaningful profession. Those who get caught in the trap of scaling their lifestyles to match their income can become stuck having to make more and more to spend more and more. This is why so many people are “burned out,” tired of unfulfilling and personally meaningless jobs, but can’t afford to do something more worthy of their time.

Live within your means; don’t allow yourself to become trapped.

Now that you have a list of things that make sense to your head and bring joy to your heart, have some fun. Begin to live “as if” you are already in that role.

For creators, that means creating on a regular basis and to a specific deadline. Tell people you are a creator and get your best work in front of an audience; easier now than ever with the Internet at your disposal.

Do it for a while, even though your “day job” may still be supporting you financially. How does it feel to live as if you were a professional musician, painter, digital artist, videographer, content creator? Can you do it for months and years? Even if it takes a while before it becomes your full-time source of income?

If you have made it this far and are still feeling good about your choices, a life as a professional creator may be for you.

Are You A Creator?

It’s OK to not be the richest or most famous person on your block or in your social group. Even if, for a while, it’s tough to make enough money to get through the next month.

It is much worse to allow life to lose its luster, for your days to become a chore.

If you find you are a creator, welcome! The world needs you, if only until you find more meaning in some other pursuit. Be sure to share the fruits of your labor with all of us.

May you live with purpose and may regret never darken your door.



I am a creator (musician, writer, live-streamer and podcaster), entrepreneur, educator and counselor.



To learn more about how to use these concepts or to inquire about working with me, you can contact me through my website, the comments section on my Substack or Medium accounts or The Authentic Life Blog page. If you have found value in this article, follow my Instagram account for daily insights, or my X account for occasional tweets. To support this community, you can Buy Me A Coffee or donate through my Patreon account.

Watch for my River of Creation podcast - The Podcast for Creators, coming later this year, wherever you download your podcasts, and on my associated YouTube channel. The first episodes are being livestreamed on my Twitch channel and recorded for the podcast now! Come on over!



- JWW