“Not everything has to be for sale.”
Pretty obvious, right? But it is also very easy to forget, especially when it comes to our creative endeavors.
It is so easy to fall into this trap. We create = we should get paid. But who are we creating for?
Often, the answer is that we create primarily for ourselves. If others appreciate what we do, that is a nice bonus. However, we would not stop if we did not get “enough appreciation”.
If we fall into this trap and see creation mainly as a cash cow, we are likely to get bored (and not in a good get bored way). The joy of creation fades. It no longer feels inspiring.
I have had a couple of careers that started as a fun hobby and eventually took on the form of a profession. Each time, I slowly but surely got bored and quit.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with making money doing what you love. But it is important to decide early on what is more important: the creation or the cash.
Like Stephen writes in his post:
Let me be clear: I'd love to be able to earn money by writing, but I'm not going to look at every idea as an opportunity to do so, or try to find That One Niche that will translate into millions of view and sweet, sweet ad revenue.
This post joins the JulyReply blog challenge.